PSY4600: Research Proposal Paper
Create a research proposal that provides a detailed plan for your research study that states your hypothesis, reports on sampling methods, and identifies how the data will be analyzed to answer the research question.
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:
- Competency 1: Explain types of psychological research methods.
- Describe the use of a study method.
- Describe a sampling method that is appropriate for a study and available resources.
- Describe research methods used.
- Competency 2: Apply research methods and psychological research findings.
- Accurately identify key research concepts in a research project.
- Competency 3: Design an ethically appropriate psychological research study utilizing psychological theory and concepts.
- Design research with respect to controls for variations in behavior related to individual and sociocultural differences that can influence research outcomes.
- Competency 4: Conduct an ethically appropriate psychological research study.
- Adopt high-quality measurement strategies that enhance reliability and validity.
- Competency 5: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.
- Incorporate feedback to revise a literature review.
- Use APA-style formatting, citations, and references.
Selecting Your Sample
Selecting your sample is the next crucial component of designing your proposal. Use the following resources to help you.
- Salkind, N. J. (2017). Exploring research (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
- Chapter 4, “Sampling and Generalizability,” pages 73–81. This chapter explains populations, samples, and sample size.
Complete The Sample in the Learn tab of the Quick Guide of Academic Writer to learn about the sample of research participants, different types of sampling methods, assessing sampling bias, and select an appropriate sample size.
Levels of Measurement
Each variable has a different level of measurement, which must be carefully considered in the study. In your textbook, read the following chapters:
- Salkind, N. J. (2017). Exploring research (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
- Chapter 5, “Measurement, Reliability, and Validity,” pages 83–97.
- This chapter will help you learn about the various levels of measurements and how to ensure that your study is reliable and valid.
- Chapter 6, “Methods of Measuring Behavior,” pages 101–114.
- As you work on the concepts of tests and measurements, read this chapter to learn about various types of tests and their uses in the field.
- Chapter 5, “Measurement, Reliability, and Validity,” pages 83–97.
Complete Criteria and Criterion Measures in the Learn tab of the Quick Guide of Academic Writer to learn about the selection of appropriate criteria and valid and reliable criterion measures for both the independent and dependent variable.
Variables
Complete the following videos in the Learn tab of the Quick Guide of Academic Writer.
- Confounding Variables and Their Control. Learn about confounding variables and how to control them, as well as how they function in various contexts.
- Research Strategies and Variables: Relationships between Variables. Learn about design choices, causal and noncausal relationships between variables, and data analysis and study design.
Research Methods
As you work on understanding experimental designs and internal and external validity, review the following resources:
- Salkind, N. J. (2017). Exploring research (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
- Chapter 11, “Pre- and True Experimental Research Methods,” pages 172–180.
- This chapter discusses how to ensure that a researcher is controlling for extraneous variables, which are sometimes not accounted for in a study.
- Chapter 12, “Quasi-Experimental Research: A Close Cousin to Experimental Research,” pages 182–190.
- This chapter discusses quasi-experimental research, which is similar to experiments, but does not use random assignment. Understanding these various designs will help you select the most appropriate one for your proposal.
- Chapter 11, “Pre- and True Experimental Research Methods,” pages 172–180.
Writing a Research Proposal
As you work toward your proposal, read the following chapters in your textbook:
- Salkind, N. J. (2017). Exploring research (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link. Chapter 13, “Writing a Research Proposal,” pages 192–199.
- This chapter will assist you in formatting your paper, understanding the research you have reviewed, data collection, data analysis, reliability, validity, and more. This chapter is a great resource and guide for creating your culminating assessment.
Complete Method to learn how to write a method section and describe participants, procedures, and research design.
Assessment Instructions
Preparation
For this research, you will use the archival data from the GSS Data Explorer website to develop a research research question, develop a hypothesis, and analyze the data to draw conclusions.
Navigate to the GSS website.
- GSS Data Explorer (2019). Retrieved from https://gssdataexplorer.norc.org/
You will complete the following steps in the GSS website. For a step-by-step guide, refer to the GSS Data Explorer Instructions [PDF] or the GSS Data Explorer Instructions video.
- Create an account and add your two chosen variables to your cart. Be sure that those variables are what you selected for your Literature Review.
- Create a project, label it 4600_Last name, and save it.
- Download the data by exporting it to Microsoft Excel.
- Review the data available for each variable.
Once you have chosen your variables, use them for the entire course and use the resources provided to craft your study.
Instructions
In the next assessment, you will start to conduct your research study. We conduct research studies to expand our knowledge on how human behavior in the world is evolving. To conduct an effective study, we need to understand theories of development as they relate to our current environment and society.
The first step, however, is to create a research proposal that provides the detailed plan for your study. Be sure to use the Research Proposal Template [DOC], as it provides context and wording that you should use to help you clearly explain your main points. By using the template, you will cover all of the points below.
- Insert your revised literature review in the Literature Review section in the template.
- Operationally define the variables that you are using in your study.
- State your hypothesis for your study.
- Report on the method you will use to sample your participants. You may want to look at the GSS website to see how participants were found. Use your notes from the media piece to guide your sampling method selection.
- Explain the method you will use to collect and analyze your data. You may want to look at the GSS site to see how data was found. Use your notes from the media piece to guide your sampling method selection.
- Choose the measurement that matches your study.Review the template for suggested language.
- Discuss how the measurement increases the reliability and validity of the study.
- Explain your procedure based on research design you chose.
Submission Requirements
Submit your proposal as your deliverable for assessment.
Note: Your instructor may also use the Writing Feedback Tool to provide feedback on your writing. In the tool, click the linked resources for helpful writing information.