Final Research Paper Requirements

Purpose

This course has been designed to introduce you to experimental design procedures emphasizing methodology, data collection techniques, and the critical evaluation of research practices.

As you learn about the various components of the research process and research design each week, you will be asked to draft portions of your final paper.  The weekly assignments will build on one another from week to week, so it is important that you stay on track and actively engage in the writing process.  Each week you will receive feedback from your instructor, so make sure to review the comments/feedback provided so that you can apply the changes for the upcoming week’s assignment.

The purpose of this assignment is to provide you with the opportunity to apply your enhanced understanding of behavioral research methods in order to create your own literature review and mock research proposal.

Skills

The purpose of this assignment is to help you practice the following skills that are essential to your success in this course, the field of psychology, and in your professional life beyond Bay Path.  These skills include:

• Selecting an appropriate research topic
• Identifying original research
• Organizing key ideas and themes
• Conducting a literature review
• Writing a research question
• Drafting a hypothesis
• Designing a research proposal
• Writing an organized, clear, and focused research proposal
• Following correct APA format

Knowledge

This assignment will also help you to become familiar with the following important content knowledge in this discipline:

• Research design
• Methods of data collection
• Sampling
• Data analysis
• Variables
• The process of writing a literature review
• The process of identifying original research and scholarly sources
• The research process
• The writing process

Instructions

Your final research paper has been broken up into smaller assignments, allowing you the opportunity to revise and refine your proposal over time.  Each week you will be required to submit deliverables that will either help you to prepare you for the research and writing process, or will be included in your final paper

Components of Your Research Paper

Your final research paper will be due in Week 6 and should include each of the components outlined below.

Introduction:  The introduction provides the opportunity to grab the reader’s attention by describing the importance of your topic. Why should the reader take the time to read your full paper? Why is your topic so important and how is it relevant? This is also the place where you will provide a brief overview of what will be covered in your paper. You don’t have to go into detail…just give them a “sneak peek” of the main topics that will be covered. You will cover each topic in detail in the body of the paper.

Literature Review (6 sources):  Using a minimum of six original research articles, you will synthesize your findings into a comprehensive literature review. Your discussion of the literature should be in a topical format. Summarize the key points and draw comparisons between the research you’ve reviewed focusing on theoretical concepts, themes, and findings. You will discuss how your proposed study expands on the current literature. Your six studies represent samples of present data on the topic, they demonstrate the need for further knowledge, and their procedures inform the methods proposed by you. Did you discover any gaps or contradictions in the literature that you want to address? Are there any findings that you want to strengthen or expand upon?

Research Proposal: Your research proposal essentially outlines the methods that you would use in your mock study. You will begin with a research statement describing the purpose of your research and identifying the variables that you are interested in studying, which leads to your hypothesis. Your research proposal should include each of the following:

• A research statement describing the purpose of your research
• A hypothesis
• Identification of the variables being studied
• A description of your target population and sample
• A description of how you will measure the independent variable (what you are planning to study)
• A description of how you will collect and analyze your data
• An explanation as to whether you will be conducting a quantitative, a qualitative, or a mixed methods study. Explain why you chose that design
• A discussion related to the reliability and validity of your research design
• A discussion around the ethics and considerations related to your design and any precautions you would need to take to protect your participants

Conclusion: Your conclusion will summarize the content that you covered throughout the body of your paper.

Formatting Requirements: 

• Writing/Flow: Your paper should be well organized with effective flow and formatting.
• Format: Your paper should accurately follow APA format, including:
  • Title page with running head
  • Introduction and conclusion
  • Headings and subheadings as necessary
  • Within-text citations
  • Reference page (at least 6 sources)
• Citation and References: All of the sources used throughout your paper should be properly cited using APA format. A complete reference list should be included in your paper. 
• Length:  Your paper should be 6-8 pages of content (not including your title page and reference page), with page numbers
• Font:  Times New Roman (12 point)
• Spacing: Margins of 1 inch on all sides, double-spaced lines

Weekly Deliverable:

• Your completed research paper is due by Saturday at 11:59 PM EST, and should include a:
  • Literature Review
  • Research Proposal
  • Introduction and Conclusion
  • Title Page
  • Reference Page

Criteria for Success

To be successful on this assignment, students should reference the grading rubric and familiarize themselves with the details outlined in the assignment requirements.  A successful research paper will include:

• A comprehensive and well organized paper, free of formatting, spelling, and/or grammatical errors.
• A clearly defined research topic, question and hypothesis
• An engaging and informative introduction
• A detailed and relevant literature review, highlighting a minimum of 6 original research sources.
• A thorough and accurate description of each element of the research proposal
• A concluding paragraph summarizing the key points of the research paper
• Properly cited sources following APA format