Here are the steps students should take and a timeline for the development of ideas related to research. If you follow these steps, once we get to Final Exams time, all you will need to do is put some finishing touches (e.g., References) on your Research Proposal and submit.
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Steps to Complete
Complete by:
Research Topic Due
Pick a research problem/question/topic that you would like to develop a research proposal for and then participate in discussion for two weeks with your peers discussing your ideas for a study.
(See Ch1 p. 23 and p. 56 of Ch2 of the Carr et al. book for help.)
Disc1
(9/8-9/21)
Literature Review on Topic Due
Using the IU Indy Library System, find 3 peer related journal articles related to your problem/question/topic and succinctly summarize them in a discussion for two weeks with your peers.
(See pages Ch2 56-58, 60, 63, Ch14 450-51 of the Carr et al. book for help.)
Disc2
(9/22-10/5)
Selection of Subjects/Units Due
Consider the population for your study. How will you select subjects or units of analysis for what you propose to study? Share this in a discussion with your peers.
Disc3
(10/6-10/19)
Ethical Considerations Due
Based on what you learned from Ch3 of the Carr et al. book, write a paragraph about the ethical issues you might encounter conducting the study you propose. In this writing quote something you’ve learned from the Carr, et al. text that relates to the ethical issues in your study. (This paragraph will be incorporated into your Research Proposal.)
Write
Week ending 9/21
Research Approach Due
After reading Chs 7-12 of the Carr et al. book, which provide a broad overview of 6 different research approaches, pick the approach you feel best addresses the research problem/question/topic you are proposing to study and then discuss this with your peers. Carefully explain the pros and cons of the approach and how it will relate to your proposed problem/question/topic.
Disc 4
(11/17-12/7)
3 weeks this time!
Conclusion & References Due
As we approach the end of the semester and based on all that you’ve learned about research from the Carr et al. book, you will be able to write a solid conclusion speculating as to what your study MIGHT find if actually conducted sometime in the future. Your writing should make a case for why your “very important” study should be conducted. Then conclude by speculating about what you think the study you propose MAY find if conducted the way you propose.
Create a References page including the 3 research articles you found and the Carr et al. book. Use either APA or MLA formatting.
Write
(12/8-12/14)
More information related to the Research Proposal will be delivered via announcements as we progress through the semester. Once you have finished and submitted your Research Proposal you have finished this course.
Writing Your Research Proposal
- Students should use APA or MLA formatting to write their proposals.
- Sources should be listed at the end and should include the Carr et al. book and the 3 research articles used for the Literature Review section of the paper.
- No other sources should be used for this paper. Do not use more than 3 research articles for your sources.
- The content of your paper should be 2-4 full pages. If your paper is short, you will lose points.
- When quoting the Carr et al. book, do so like one of these examples:
- Carr et al. define reliability as, “A quality of a measure concerning how dependable it is” (133).
- “Validity is about the truth or accuracy of results” (Carr et al. 133).
- On page 133 of the Carr et al. book, the authors state, “The classic way to illustrate the differences between reliability and validity is to use a bullseye.”
- Students should include the following section headings in their papers. Format the headings appropriately using APA or MLA formatting.
- Introduction
- Review of Literature
- Selection of Subjects
- Research Approach
- Ethical Considerations
- Conclusion
- References (APA) or Works Cited (MLA)
- For additional help with formatting using APA or MLA, please refer to the Purdue Owl, which provides online guidelines for using several college formats. You will find helpful example papers and example References and Works Cited pages.