Instructions

For part one of this assignment, write a good summary/overview of what research has shown on your topic to help guide you to an identified research gap that you might research further. Keep in mind that this is a learning exercise, so it does not have to be something that you actually would or plan to research. Ideally, you should use the same topic that you used in the earlier assignment unless there was a reason it would not suffice for this assignment based on the instructor feedback. Remember, it is only a summary/overview, so 2-3 paragraphs should suffice. Avoid the temptation to write in excess which will NOT improve your grade. However, do be sure to include pertinent and sufficient reference to prior research for you and your reader.

Part two will be your methods section, and should include all of the sections and information indicated below. Keep in mind that because this course is a quantitative analysis course, your research must be designed as a quantitative design. Qualitative and quantitative both have their value, and neither are more important than the other. Something qualitative is easier, however, neither is really easier, and sometimes they can be used together. However this course is focused on learning quantitative. Avoid terminology that implies qualitative such as what are the…, how, why etc. Remember that quantitative is countable. That might be is there a difference between, is there association between, is this more likely to happen than that, is there a higher rate of something in one group compared to the other group, etc.. The first paragraph of the methods section should be clearly indicate to your reader what you are researching (usually 1 sentence is sufficient) and should reflect the gap. Then clearly provide your research questions and hypotheses. Your methods section should be identified with a level I heading called methods, and should be divided using level II headings including participants, procedures, instruments, and measures as illustrated below. Review some good quality original research articles reporting quantitative research for examples of how these commonly read.

Be sure to use complete sentences, proper grammar, and proper professional format (e.g. AMA, APA). Your paper should include a title page and reference pages. An abstract or other extraneous pages are not required for this assignment. You should submit your paper as a Word document or PDF file.

Your paper should include the following:

[Title Page]

Prior Research (Level I heading)

[Include the summary of existing research and identify the gap to be researched further. 2-3 thorough paragraphs]

Methods (Level I heading)

Current Study (level II heading)

[1-2 sentences indicating The current study will…]

Research Question(s): [Give only the questions without additional narrative.]

Hypothesis(es): [Give only the hypotheses without additional narrative.]

Ha:

Ho:

Variables: [Identify the independent and dependent variables, or all correlational variables as applicable. Do not give additional narrative.]

Participants (level II heading)

[This section should adequately describe your sample (adequately representing your population), sampling procedures (i.e. How you will recruit them), necessary ethical information such as informed consent and other protections, and other important information related to a participants section.

Procedures (level II heading)

[Give an overview of the step-by-step process, you would use to conduct your research. Again, see the research journal articles for good examples of how this is commonly written.]

Instruments/Materials (level II heading)

[Identify the instruments and materials you will need and used to collect your data. It is not necessary to include superfluous information such as a computer, chairs to sit in, etc.. But do provide anything relevant to the study. For example, you may identify and briefly describe a survey, you will use. Or, if you are measuring depression. For example, you identify that you will be using the Becks Depression inventory and cite it, with a brief description of it. This section does not need to be a lengthy description of each item, but should give your reader a good overview of how and why it would be used. Again, see the journal articles for good examples.]

Measures (level II heading)

[Here, you will identify the statistical measures you will use to analyze your data. That is, once you get the information, what will you do with it? You should briefly justify your use of statistical measures chosen, but this section generally is not very long at all. If you have multiple parts to a study, be sure to identify what statistic is being used for each part.]

[Reference page]

Rubric is attached along with the previous paper the coincides with this assignment.