Paper #2: Research Proposal (worth 200 points)

The final paper assigned in this course is a research proposal. For this assignment, you must present a literature review, develop hypotheses, design an experiment to test those hypotheses, discuss how you would collect and analyze data to test your hypotheses, and discuss the implications of your expected findings. Regardless of when your lab section meets, research proposals MUST be turned in by 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday November 22 (in room 130 of Moore). Papers turned in after that time will receive a late penalty (as described in the syllabus).

Requirements: what to turn in

The proposal should follow APA format, including running head, page headers, page numbers, and appropriate citations. No actual data collection is to take place. Papers should be typed in 12 point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins. Papers should be no longer than 15 pages of text (not including title page, abstract, references, figure caption, figures). Be sure to include:

1. Title Page

2. Abstract

3. Introduction

Your introduction should:

1) Broadly explain why your topic is worth examining

2) Cite at least three articles from scientific journals as background in the Introduction. These articles must be empirical pieces that you review in moderate detail (e.g., a concise description of the research question, brief overview of methods, short statement of the findings, and statement of relation to your hypotheses.) Look back to the comments you got on Paper #1. We also encourage you to cite any review articles you have read, but these cannot be counted as one of your three empirical cites.

3) State your hypotheses (whether you expect a main effect for IV 1, main effect for IV 2, and interaction between IV 1 and IV 2) and provide a description (the expected direction) of each hypothesis.

4. Method

Your methods section should propose a research design that tests your hypotheses. Your research design must be a true experiment, including two independent variables (i.e., a factorial design). At least one of the independent variables must allow random assignment of subjects to conditions. In other words, you must manipulate at least 1 of your independent variables. Proposals that fail to manipulate at least one independent variable or that have a single independent variable will receive a maximum of 100 points.

5. Results and Data Analyses (Rather than just presenting a results section)

The Results and Data Analyses section should show what the results would be if the experimental hypotheses were supported. Briefly describe what analyses would need to be performed and relevant comparisons (e.g., compare group A and B) that would need to be made to test your hypotheses. You should also present a set of alternative results, indicating what might happen if your interaction prediction is not supported. You should present figures showing your expected and alternative results.

6. Discussion

The Discussion section should briefly describe the implications of the expected results. What would you conclude if you found the data you expected. Your discussion section should also discuss any potential limitations of the study you presented (e.g., generalization given the sample, other possible conceptualizations of the independent and dependent variables). You may also want to note other directions that research may go given the questions you raised. After you discuss the implications of your findings, the limitations of your study and other related research questions that may be of interest, you should broaden your discussion to talk about why this is an important research question more generally.

7. References

8. Figure Caption

9. Figure(s)

10. Copies of abstracts from the articles you review

11. Copies of your graded paper #1.

12. Copy of your Paper #2 Grading Criteria Sheet

If you are in doubt about whether your research design is appropriate, check with your TA before proceeding.

In general, it is strongly recommended that you discuss your design with your TA before writing the proposal.

Paper #2

Grading Criteria Sheet

NAME ________________________________________ SECTION _____

TITLE _______________________________________________________________________________________

NOTE: If you want your paper back, you must provide an additional copy for our files.

APA-Style Title Page (5) _________

Abstract (10) _________

Introduction (50) _________

Problem statement (10) _______

Background (25) _______

review of research

Hypotheses (15) _______

(include hypothesis for each main effect and interaction)

Method (45) _________

Participants (5) _______

Procedure (10) _______

Materials (30) _______

(include your Operationalization of the independent and dependent variables)

Results (25) _________

Expected results (15) _______

(be sure to include your design, means, and figures)

Alternative results (10) _______

(and figure)

Discussion (20) __________

Interpretation (10) _______

Broad discussion of the

Importance of your research (10) _______

References (10) _________

Writing (35) ________

Clarity, grammar, and APA format

NOTE: You MUST turn in an abstract from each of the articles you review, as well a copy of your graded Paper 1. If you do not turn in these supporting materials your paper will receive a score of zero.

TOTAL (200) _________