This is a supplemental page, be sure to always look at your canvas course page for any announcements, changes or updates in assignment details.
Study Proposal Example:
Group Name:
Group Members:
The Details:
What is your title: The title of your project should be clear, accurate, concise, and unambiguous. It should be indicative of both content and purpose.
Background: What is the study you are planning to replicate? If you are not replicating a study – Please detail how you are changing the study and tell us the name of the study (or studies) you are gathering inspiration from. Tell us about the study, what they looked at, why they studied what they studied and so on.
This is the section where you should describe why you chose to conduct the project, and why it is relevant, or important to the scientific community.
Aims and objectives:
There should be a clear connection between the research question and the aims and objectives. The aim of a research project is usually general, it’s a statement of what it is that you wish to explore, while the objectives are more specific or focused questions that will address different aspects of the aim. The aim is to “investigate” and the objectives can be to understand how different aspects affect the dependent variables or to assess the different aspects of an observation.
Hypothesis:
Write a hypothesis statement of the anticipated behavior(s). Write out the null and the alternative hypothesis:
Null: There is no relationship between X and X.
Alternative hypothesis: There is a relationship between X and X. (But tell us what kind of relationship you are looking for)
Research Design and Methods:
What are the overall methods that you are replicating or adopting or conducting?
What techniques or tools are you using:
Here you should describe the methods, techniques and/or, tools that you intend to use to collect and analyze the data. These methods might include surveys, interviews, case studies, observations and so on.
Data collection techniques are questionnaires, interview schedules and observation checklists. You should also list here the tools you intend to use for data collection and analysis, such Google forms, excel, word documents, an online survey tool like Google forms, what statistical package are you using for analyzing your data? SPSS, JAMOVI? The information you give about how you collect and analyze data must be detailed enough for someone else to be able to replicate the data.
Location:
Where are you conducting the experiment/observation? Be as detailed as possible if you can provide documentation (pictures) do so. What where the time and days that you conduct your observations/experiments.
Sampling:
If appropriate/necessary - Describe what is your sampling plan, the number of participants or observations you will make, and whether you will be able to generalize from your sample group to the full population. This one is more for experimental projects.
What you will need to include:
Conceptual definition/Operational definition
There are many ways to operationalize the same conceptual variable.
Which research decision should I use?
“Why” versus “what” questions.
Research protocol: A detailed series of steps that lets the research know the order in which to administer the study and provides a script of what the researcher should say and do.
· Script: A written set of instructions that the researcher will read to each participant while collecting data.
· Informed consent: A part of standard ethical procedures at the beginning of a research study in which the participant learns about the expectations of the study, is told the risks and benefits of participating, and then freely makes the choice about whether they want to be in the study.
· Debriefing: Part of standard ethical procedures at the end of a research study whereby an explanation of the purpose of the study, along with any disclosure of deception, is offered and each participant is given a chance to ask questions.
*This methodology was adopted and derived from multiple sources including the author of this webpage (to meet specific assignment needs), the Macmillan book assigned to the course and in large part from the following citation:
Make sure to Read Chapter 7 of your textbook first
Study Proposal Plan
Group Name:
Group Members:
Variable Chosen:
Study Name:
This is the name of your study - this should not be used on the survey/questionnaire. This will be the title of your Study Presentation. The title of your project should be clear, accurate, concise, and unambiguous. It should be indicative of both content and purpose.
What is the title of the Article you are using?
Background:
What is the previously validated scale you are trying to replicate and/or find a correlation with? Tell us the name of the study (or studies) you are gathering information from. What did they look at, why did they studied what they studied and so on?
This is the section where you should describe why you chose to conduct the project, and why it is relevant, or important to the scientific community.
The Details:
The 10 questions you selected from the previously validated scale
And the Likert Scale you will be using for the 10 questions. Example: I will be using a 5-point Likert scale where 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 =Neutral or Neither Agree nor Disagree, 4 = Agree and 5 = Strongly Agree.
What is the lowest score someone can score on this scale?
If you have a 5-point Likert scale, 1-5 points possible, and you are asking 10 questions the lowest score someone can score is 10.
What is the highest score someone can score on this scale?
If you have a 5-point Likert scale, 1-5 points possible, and you are asking 10 questions the highest score someone can score is 50.
What does a Low score on the previously validated scale mean?
Example a person scoring a low score on this scale means…
Let’s say the previously validated scale is measuring depression, and in this scale a low score would mean that the participant was not exhibiting signs of depression.
What does a High score on the previously validated scale mean?
Example a person scoring a high score on this scale means…
Let’s say previously validated scale is measuring depression, and in this scale a high score would mean that the participant was exhibiting signs of depression.
The 10 questions you created to measure your variable.
And the Likert Scale you will be using for the 10 questions. Example: I will be using a 5-point Likert scale where 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 =Neutral or Neither Agree nor Disagree, 4 = Agree and 5 = Strongly Agree.
What is the lowest score someone can score on this scale?
If you have a 5-point Likert scale, 1-5 points possible, and you are asking 10 questions the lowest score someone can score is 10.
What is the highest score someone can score on this scale?
If you have a 5-point Likert scale, 1-5 points possible, and you are asking 10 questions the highest score someone can score is 50.
What does a Low score on your scale mean?
Example a person scoring a low score on this scale means…
Let’s say your scale is measuring depression, and in your scale a low score would mean that the participant was not exhibiting signs of depression.
What does a High score on your scale mean?
Example a person scoring a high score on this scale means…
Let’s say your scale is measuring depression, and in your scale a high score would mean that the participant was exhibiting signs of depression.
When creating your own questions:
Make sure they are simple and close-ended. Make sure you are not using double-barreled questions. >>Click here for examples of double-barreled questions<<.
When creating your questionnaire online using Google forms or Microsoft Forms:
Make sure you name your Study in your online questionnaire, but do not name it something that will give away the variable you are studying.
Make sure you have a question that asks for Student ID, as this will be how participation will be given.
Example: at the end of the survey, you would make a question that would say something like: If you are a student at VVC, taking Professor B Psych 217 – Research Methods class, please enter your student ID. Otherwise please skip this question.
Make sure to review your settings before "opening" up your survey. Do you want to allow multiple responses (usually if you are entering surveys or you are standing outside of a location conducting the surveys you would have this setting on)? Do you want your participants to be allowed to change a response before they complete/submit their final response? Are you going to make all questions required?
Do not forget that your instructor must review your questions before you start collecting data. Please do not add additional questions after being "okayed" for your study or collect identifiable or personal information from participants.
Aims and Objectives:
There should be a clear connection between your research question and the aims and objectives. The aim of a research project is usually general, it’s a statement of what it is that you wish to explore, while the objectives are more specific or focused questions that will address different aspects of the aim. The aim is to “investigate” and the objectives can be to understand how different aspects affect the dependent variables or to assess the different aspects of an observation.
Hypothesis:
Write a hypothesis statement of the anticipated behavior(s). Write out the null and the alternative hypothesis:
Null: There is no relationship between X and X.
Alternative hypothesis: There will be a (positive, negative, or a ...) correlation between X and Y. (But tell us what kind of relationship you are looking for)
Research Design and Methods:
What are the overall methods that you are replicating or adopting or conducting? Tell how you are conducting your study. How did you select the questions you selected/created? How did you decided on the Likert scale you selected? Did you select a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ..10 point Likert scale? Why? What does each point of the Likert scale equal to? Example: 0 = Does not apply to me at all, 1 = This applies to me a little, 2 = This applies to me sometimes, ...
What techniques or Tools are you using?
Here you should describe the methods, techniques and/or, tools that you intend to use to collect and analyze the data. These methods might include surveys, interviews, case studies, observations and so on.
Data collection techniques are questionnaires, interview schedules and observation checklists. You should also list here the tools you intend to use for data collection and analysis, such Google forms, excel, word documents, an online survey tool like Google forms, what statistical package are you using for analyzing your data? SPSS, JAMOVI? The information you give about how you collect and analyze data must be detailed enough for someone else to be able to replicate the data.
Sampling:
If appropriate/necessary - Describe what is your sampling plan, the number of participants or observations you will make, and whether you will be able to generalize from your sample group to the full population. This one is more for experimental projects.
Location:
Where are you conducting the study? Be as detailed as possible if you can provide documentation do so. What are the time and days that you will conduct your study?
Sampling:
If appropriate/necessary - Describe what is your sampling plan, the number of participants or observations you will make, and whether you will be able to generalize from your sample group to the full population. This one is more for experimental projects.
What you will need to include:
Research protocol: A detailed series of steps that lets the research know the order in which to administer the study and provides a script of what the researcher should say and do.
Script: A written set of instructions that the researcher will read or provide to each participant to read while collecting data.
Informed consent: A part of standard ethical procedures at the beginning of a research study in which the participant learns about the expectations of the study, is told the risks and benefits of participating, and then freely makes the choice about whether they want to be in the study.
Debriefing: Part of standard ethical procedures at the end of a research study whereby an explanation of the purpose of the study, along with any disclosure of deception, is offered and each participant is given a chance to ask questions.
*This methodology was adopted and derived from multiple sources including the author of this webpage (to meet specific assignment needs), the Macmillan book assigned to the course and in large part from the following citation:
Pickton, M. (2013) Writing your research plan. In: Grant, M.J., Sen, B. and Spring, H. (eds.) Research, Evaluation and Audit: Key Steps in Demonstrating Your Value. London: Facet Publishing.
Make sure to Read Chapter 8 of your textbook first
Study Proposal Example:
Group Name:
Group Members:
The Details:
What is your title: The title of your project should be clear, accurate, concise, and unambiguous. It should be indicative of both content and purpose.
Background: What is the study you are planning to replicate? If you are not replicating a study – Please detail how you are changing the study and tell us the name of the study (or studies) you are gathering inspiration from. Tell us about the study, what they looked at, why they studied what they studied and so on. Please make sure to include the article's citation.
This is the section where you should describe why you chose to conduct the project, and why it is relevant, or important to the scientific community.
Aims and objectives:
There should be a clear connection between the research question and the aims and objectives. The aim of a research project is usually general, it’s a statement of what it is that you wish to explore, while the objectives are more specific or focused questions that will address different aspects of the aim. The aim is to “investigate” and the objectives can be to understand how different aspects affect the dependent variables or to assess the different aspects of an observation.
Variables:
Tell me what your Independent and Dependent Variables will be. These have to be pre-approved by your instructor before you conduct your study.
Make sure to provide an operational definition for both of your variables.
There are many ways to operationalize the same conceptual variable.
Two-Group Design mean you will be looking at two different groups:
Your participants should only participate in one of the two groups. In great detail tell me how you will conduct your experiment for each group. Please be extremely detailed, in a step by step manner - so someone else will be able to replicate your work.
Control Group
Experimental Group
Hypothesis:
Write a hypothesis statement of the anticipated behavior(s). Write out the null and the alternative hypothesis:
Null: There is no difference between X and X.
Alternative hypothesis: There is a difference between X and X. (But tell us what direction you are looking for)
Research Design and Methods:
What are the overall methods that you are replicating or adopting or conducting?
What techniques or tools are you using:
Here you should describe the methods, techniques and/or, tools that you intend to use to collect and analyze the data. These methods might include surveys, interviews, case studies, observations and so on.
You should have a separate survey/data recording sheet for each group in your study.
This must be submitted with your plan.
How long will the experiment take?
Data collection techniques are questionnaires, interview schedules and observation checklists. You should also list here the tools you intend to use for data collection and analysis, such Google forms, excel, word documents, an online survey tool like Google forms, what statistical package are you using for analyzing your data? SPSS, JAMOVI? The information you give about how you collect and analyze data must be detailed enough for someone else to be able to replicate the data.
Location:
Where are you conducting the experiment/observation? Be as detailed as possible if you can provide documentation (pictures) do so. What where the time and days that you conduct your observations/experiments.
Sampling:
If appropriate/necessary - Describe what is your sampling plan, the number of participants or observations you will make, and whether you will be able to generalize from your sample group to the full population. This is important for experimental projects.
What you will need to include:
Research protocol: A detailed series of steps that lets the research know the order in which to administer the study and provides a script of what the researcher should say and do.
· Script: A written set of instructions that the researcher will read to each participant while collecting data.
· Informed consent: A part of standard ethical procedures at the beginning of a research study in which the participant learns about the expectations of the study, is told the risks and benefits of participating, and then freely makes the choice about whether they want to be in the study.
· Debriefing: Part of standard ethical procedures at the end of a research study whereby an explanation of the purpose of the study, along with any disclosure of deception, is offered and each participant is given a chance to ask questions.
*This methodology was adopted and derived from multiple sources including the author of this webpage (to meet specific assignment needs), the Macmillan book assigned to the course and in large part from the following citation:
Study Presentation Templates
For your Observation Study presentations:
I need you to make sure you cover all of the following areas. You can have as many or as little slides as you want. It is up to you.
However, I would like every single one of these areas targeted. You may be as creative as you would like. Make sure you have an equal amount of visuals and text.
Presentations should not be overwhelmed with text.
Title Slide
Introduction:
o Introduce your variables
o If you are replicating a study – tell us about the original study you are replicating
Tell us about the measures they used
Their IV and DVs
o If you are not replicating the study – tell us if there was a study that you gathered inspiration from.
(If you did tell us the following):
What did you change
Why did you change it
What are your IVs and DVs and compare them to theirs.
Body – The main points
o What are your hypothesis?
o What were the methods you used?
o What type of analysis did you run?
o What were your results?
Show us your results
What are your conclusions regarding your results?
Conclusion
o Discussion area
What were some problems you faced during your research study?
What do you think you could have done better?
What would you change or do differently if you could do it all over again?
For your Correlation Study presentations:
I need you to make sure you cover all of the following areas. You can have as many or as little slides as you want. It is up to you.
However, I would like every single one of these areas targeted. You may be as creative as you would like. Make sure you have an equal amount of visuals and text.
Presentations should not be overwhelmed with text.
Title Slide
Introduction:
o Introduce your variables - Which variable did you choose?
o Tell us about the original study and the name of the Previously Published Scale (PPS) you selected.
Give us a few examples of the questions you selected.
What was their Likert Scale?
What did their low and high scores mean?
Now:
Give us a few examples of the questions you created.
What was your Likert Scale?
What did your low and high scores mean?
Body – The main points
o What are your hypothesis?
Did you think you would have a positive or negative correlation? If your low scores mean the same thing, that the Previously published scale's low score means - then you would predict a positive correlation (Your scale - Low score = no depression present, PPS scale - Low score = no depression present). If your low scores mean the opposite thing than the Previously published scale's low score means - then you would predict a negative correlation (Your scale - Low score = no depression present, PPS scale - Low score = depression is present).
o What were the methods you used?
How did you decide what questions to create? How did you create your scale? How did you conduct your study? How did you select your participants?
o What type of analysis did you run?
o What were your results?
Show us your results - Use screenshots, I expect to see a correlation analysis and a scatterplot.
Was there a strong correlation between your scale and the PPS?
Was it statistically significant?
Make sure you write out your results. For an example look at your textbook Chapter 7.3 under section Writing the Results in APA Style: Correlational Research Study
Where you able to validate your scale?
What are your conclusions regarding your results?
Conclusion
o Discussion area
What were some problems you faced during your research study?
What do you think you could have done better?
What would you change or do differently if you could do it all over again?
For your Experimental Two-Group Design Study presentations:
I need you to make sure you cover all of the following areas. You can have as many or as little slides as you want. It is up to you.
However, I would like every single one of these areas targeted. You may be as creative as you would like. Make sure you have an equal amount of visuals and text.
Presentations should not be overwhelmed with text.
Title Slide
Introduction:
o Introduce your variables
o If you are replicating a study – tell us about the original study you are replicating
Tell us about the measures they used
Their IV and DVs
o If you are not replicating the study – tell us if there was a study that you gathered inspiration from.
(If you did tell us the following):
What did you change
Why did you change it
What are your IVs and DVs and compare them to theirs.
Body – The main points
o What are your hypothesis?
Is it one-tailed or two-tailed?
o What were the methods you used?
Tell us how you conducted the your experiment? What were the differences between your control and your experimental group? How did you control for confounding variables?
o What type of analysis did you run?
Did you run a Independent-Samples t-test or a Paired-Samples T-test? Why?
o What were your results?
Show us your results - Use screenshots, I expect to see a t-test analysis and a graph if appropriate (error bar graph).
Did you Reject or Fail to Reject the null hypothesis?
Was it statistically significant?
Make sure you write out your results. For an example look at your textbook Chapter 8.3 under section Writing the Results in APA Style: t-Test for Independent Means
If you replicated a study - were your results similar/different?
Conclusion
o Discussion area
What were some problems you faced during your research study?
What do you think you could have done better in your experiment or your methodology?
What would you change or do differently if you could do it all over again?