Research Paper Proposal Worksheet

PSYC 255 Research Design Proposal (Page 1 of 3)

Purpose: This worksheet will be used to present your ideas for designing a hypothetical study related to your research topic. This is the beginning phase of the second half of your research paper – the research proposal.

Decide on a research question/ hypothesis related to your research topic and use this worksheet to organize your thoughts and brainstorm ideas for your study’s design.Creating thoughtful methodology designed to address your specific research question takes time to develop. This is just the first draft of designing your study, and it is likely your ideas will be revised and refined before incorporating this into your final draft.

Submission: You can either print this worksheet out, complete by hand, and scan/upload a photo of the document, or 2) complete the worksheet in Microsoft Word filling in your answers with any color other than black.Regardless of the option you choose, it is your responsibility to make sure the document quality is clear and legible.

1. Brainstorm any ideas you have of a research question related to your topic, and share some of those ideas here:

2. Limit your hypothesis/research question to two variables and complete either of the prompts below. Pay careful attention to the measured/manipulated variable options. (Pages 58-59 review the definitions of these terms).

If you’re making an ASSOCIATION CLAIM:

________________ (Measured Variable A) is/ is not related to ________________ (Measured Variable B).

Specifically, (increases/decreases/certain groups) in ___________(Variable A) are associated with (increases/ decreases/certain groups) in ___________(Variable B).

If you’re making a CASUAL CLAIM:

________________ (Manipulated Variable A: IV) causes change (increase/decrease) in ___________________ (Measured Variable B: DV).

3. Constructs/Conceptual Variables and Operational Definitions (see Table 3.1 for examples)

Nameof Variable A =

How will you operationally define Variable A?

Nameof Variable B =

How will you operationally define Variable B?

4. At what points will you record data? If it pertains to your study, when will interventions/ treatments be introduced (Chapter 10 covers this/ See Figure 10.17 on page 297 for two common examples.)

5. What type of design will you be using?Explain!

If making an Association Claim, review Chapters 8 & 9 for types of designs, if making a Causal Claim, review Chapters 10 & 11 for type of design.Possible types of designinclude: correlation (specific types listed in Ch. 8/9), quasi- experimental, experimental (Ch. 10 & 11), and more specifically… within-groups, between-groups, posttest-only, pretest-posttest, repeated-measures design, concurrent-measures design…

6. What type of statistical analyses will you need to run to test your claim? (See Table S2.3 on page 502, titled, “Which Statistical Test to Use?” for help!)

7.List possible confounding variables/threats to internal validity that you will need to address…