Benchmark – Research Report & DQ 2

Description

In this assignment you will finalize the research proposal you have been working on over the course. You are free to use any previous drafts or work from this class to include in this proposal. The research study can be correlational, survey-based, quasi-experimental, or experimental in nature. You will begin this proposal in PSY-452 and complete it in the capstone course.

Save multiple copies of this Research Report in different locations to ensure you are able to revise it in the PSY-495 Professional Capstone course.

The Research Proposal should be between 1,750 to 2,000 words.

• Title Page and References Page Section in APA Format
• Introduction and Literature Review Section: The introduction and literature review is the longest section of the paper, as it provides the necessary background for the proposed study.
  • Provide a broad overview of the research topic and variables.
  • Describe what researchers have already learned about the topic of interest and set the stage for your unique study (8-10 resources are required).
  • In the final section (one to two paragraphs) describe how your study contributes to the literature. Include your research questions and hypothesis (or hypotheses).
• Method Section: This part has four sections.
  • Briefly describe the variables of interest and research questions (see methods assignment description).
  • Identify how many participants should be involved in the study. Describe the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and how will they be recruited (see methods assignment description).
  • Identify what materials or instruments will be used in the experiment and what items will be needed to run the study (see methods assignment description).
  • Provide a clear description of all procedures to be followed in the study. This should be a step-by-step explanation of what will occur in the study (see methods assignment description).
• Design Section: This part has three sections.
  • Identify your study’s methodology and design. (e.g., This is a quantitative correlation study.)
  • Describe the appropriate statistical test to address your research question (e.g., a two-tailed Pearson r analysis will be conducted to test the research question.) Note: You will have one statistical test per research question. Identify the appropriate alpha level/confidence interval.
  • After you identify the appropriate design and analysis, write a brief description of why this calculation was chosen (e.g., This calculation will demonstrate three things: if there is a relationship between the two variables, the magnitude of that relationship, and the strength of that relationship.)
• Discussion: Include at least four paragraphs.
  • Describe what it would mean if significant results were obtained. Then describe what it would mean to obtain nonsignificant results.
  • Discuss how the study will follow APA ethical guidelines by explaining the use of an informed consent form, debriefing statement (if applicable), and obtaining IRB permission.
  • Discuss any limitations in the study (e.g., possible confounding, lack of random assignment or random sampling).
  • Conclude with a discussion of future studies that could arise from the present study.
• References:
  • Include at least 8-10 scholarly, peer-reviewed sources published within the last 5 years.
• Appendices:
  • Include two figures OR two tables OR a table and a figure. A table consists of columns and rows of numbers or text, and a figure is anything else (chart, map, graph, etc.). For example, set up a table describing the ideal participant demographic breakdown; include example questions from a self-made survey; include the entire survey/instrument if using an established tool; include a copy of the informed consent form; include the debriefing statement (if applicable). If unsure, contact your instructor for confirmation of appendices.
  • Topic 7 DQ2 What is the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics? Give an example of a research design that might use each type of statistics.