Guide Presentation/Paper: Research Proposal
EPSY 8334 – Dr. Arbona – Spring 2012
A. Conceptualization of Study’s Research Questions
1. Introduction to the broad area where the research study is embedded. Indicate briefly (one
paragraph, max) how the issue or problem is relevant to psychology theory, research, or practice
(not necessarily all 3).
2.
Conceptual framework (theory/empirical findings) for research questions posed:
The purpose of the Introduction and literature review is not to just summarize and state the
information that has been gathered regarding the area of study. The purpose is to use the
summarized information to develop logical arguments that provide the foundation for each of
the questions to be examined in the proposed study. (Follow recommendations on Pyrczak &
Bruce, Chapter 6)
In other words, you need to provide a succinct summary of:
a. What is already known regarding the relation of the specific constructs that you will
examine in your study:
b.
What is not known regarding the relation among constructs of interest.
c. How your study attempts to fill the gap. Use the information in (2a) and (2b) above to
provide the logical framework for the research questions examined in the study. Make sure
that you explicitly discuss the theoretical, logical, and/or empirical connections between the
variables included in your study.
d. Discuss how possible answers to the research questions in your study may contribute
information about what is not known regarding the relation of constructs of interest. If your
study will address problems or gaps in previous research, identify (a) the specific gap(s) and
(b) the specific characteristics/aspects of your study that will allow you to address the
identified gaps.
e. Provide conceptual definitions of the constructs examined in the study. (Follow
recommendations on Pyrczak & Bruce, Chapter 7)
f.
Formulate the specific research questions and/ or hypotheses. (Follow recommendations on
Pyrczak & Bruce, Chapters 2 and 3)
3. Methods (Follow recommendations on Pyrczak & Bruce, Chapter 9 and Heppner et al. Chap 22
(pp. 546-548)
a. Participants
b. Instruments
c. Analyses
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B.
Paper: Research Proposal: Due on April 25
For research proposal paper format, use as guide research articles published in the journals. The
paper must follow APA Format. Double spaced; 12 point Font. About 10 pages, numbered.
1. Introduction/Literature Review
In the Introduction follow the guidelines provided on section A. Conceptualization of Study’s
Research Questions above to provide an overview of the logical arguments and previous
research that provide a foundation for the proposed study.
As indicated above, the purpose is to use the information gathered to develop logical arguments
that provide the foundation for each of the questions to be examined in the study (rather than
provide a summary of the information gathered). In order to do this, the grammatical subject
of most of the sentences in the Introduction should be around the ideas that you are using
to construct your arguments and not the names of the researchers who conducted the
studies from where you got the idea that you are dealing with in the sentence-- See
Pyrczak & Bruce Chapter 6 Guideline 6.21- Observe the difference in emphasis in the sentence
in example 6.21.2 compared to 6.21.1. Go for 6.21.2
Also check the ideas presented in guidelines 6.8; 6.9; 6.11, 6.17 and 6.18 and the way the
sentences are constructed in the samples included in those guidelines.
Finish the Introduction to the study with a section titled The Present Study where you state the
research questions for the study and succinctly summarize the arguments that you developed in
the introduction to provide a foundation for the research question (see similar section on the
Corkin et al. paper; see Pyrczak & Bruce Guideline 6.27).
2.
Methods (Follow APA format found in journal articles) (Pyrczak & Bruce Chapter 9)
a. Participants: characteristics, number and recruitment method (check human subjects
application regarding informed consent procedures), expected sample size.
b. Instruments: Follow guidelines on Heppner et al. Chap 13, p. 332 that are listed on
Table 1 from March 7th assignment. Provide both: a) conceptual, and (b) operational
definitions of variables included. Make sure to include information on previous findings
regarding indexes of reliability and validity of instruments’ scores with specific
populations (preferable same as the one in your study).
c. Procedures planned to collect (obtain) the data. If planning to use archival data briefly
describe procedures that were used to gather the data.
d. Research design you plan to use (e.g. experimental, correlational).
e. Statistical analyses planned for each research question or hypothesis.
f.
Limitations (confounds and threats to external and internal validity); generalizability of
findings (Pyrczak & Bruce Chapt 8).
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C.
Class Presentation – March 28 – April 25
For the Class Presentation organize the information in the format of a Proposal defense. Provide
a summary of your proposed study in about 15 minutes and then open it to questions and discussion.
The information needs to cover the issues described above (under Conceptualization of Study’s
Research Questions). In the Introduction, only focus on the information from previous research that
directly helps you provide a rational for the study.
1. Prepare slides with an outline that will to guide you through the presentation, do not to use the
slides as a teleprompter,
2. Slides must be written in
Large
font (sizes 28+) that can be read in a few seconds
and easily from afar, this way your audience does not struggle between listening to you and
reading slides.
3. Slides that have too much information compete with you for the audience’s attention: Not good.
4. Do not read the presentation from the slides. For the most part, do not read verbatim the
information in the slide. Assume that your audience has read the slide (in those few seconds) ,
and talk to them about what the slide says, elaborate –add to it, engage them – being read to,
puts people to sleep….. (e.g. if the slide has a Table that shows that participants included W =
150 and M= 50; instead of reading the numbers verbatim say something like – as you can see
the sample included many more women than men, which is typical of college samples….)
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