Final Paper: Research Proposal
Review the Example Research Proposal provided in the course materials. Design a research study on the topic of the study selected in Week One and critiqued in Week Three. Your design should seek to resolve the limitations you identified in the study you critiqued. Your paper must address all of the components required in the “Methods” section of a research proposal:
State the research question and/or hypothesis.Specify the approach (qualitative or quantitative), research design, sampling strategy, data collection procedures, and data analysis techniques to be used.If the design is quantitative, also describe the variables, measures, and statistical tests you would use.Analyze ethical issues that may arise and explain how you would handle these issues.One source should be the article you critiqued in the Week Three assignment.At least two sources should be about the research methodology you have chosen for your study.At least one source should be on ethical issues in research.The remaining sources may be about anything pertinent to your study.Introduction- Introduce the research topic, explain why it is important, and present your research question and/or hypothesis.Literature Review- Summarize the current state of knowledge on your topic, making reference to the findings of previous research studies (including the one you critiqued in Week Three). Briefly analyze and critique these studies and mention the research methods that have previously been used to study the topic. State whether your proposed study is a replication of a previous study or a new approach using methods that have not been used before. Be sure to properly cite all of your sources in APA style.MethodsDesign- Indicate whether your proposed study is qualitative or quantitative in approach. Identify the specific research design, using one of the designs we have studied in Weeks Three through Five, and indicate whether it is experimental or non-experimental. Evaluate your chosen design and explain why you believe this design is appropriate for the topic and how it will provide the information you need to answer the research question. Cite sources on research methodology to support your choices.Participants- Identify and describe the sampling strategy you would use to recruit participants for your study. Estimate the number of participants you would need and explain why your sampling method is appropriate for your research design and approach.Procedure/Measures- Apply the scientific method by describing the steps you would use in carrying out your study. Indicate whether you will use any kind of test, questionnaire, or measurement instrument. If using an existing published instrument, provide a brief description and cite your source. If you are creating a questionnaire, survey, or test, describe the types of information you will gather and explain how you would establish the validity and reliability. If you are not using such an instrument, describe how you would collect the data.Data Analysis- Describe the statistical techniques (if quantitative) or the analysis procedure (if qualitative) you plan to use to analyze the data. Cite at least one source on the chosen analysis technique (from your Week Two assignment).Ethical Issues- Analyze the impact of ethical concerns on your proposed study, such as confidentiality, deception, informed consent, potential harm to participants, conflict of interest, IRB approval, etc. After analyzing the ethical issues that apply to your research proposal, indicate what you would do to handle these concerns.Conclusion- Briefly summarize the major points from your paper and reiterate why your proposed study is needed.The Final Paper:Must be six to eight double-spaced pages in length, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.Must include a title page with the following:Title of paperStudent’s nameCourse name and numberInstructor’s nameDate submittedMust begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.Must use at least six peer-reviewed sources that were published within the last 10 years, in addition to the textbook.Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
The following files have been attached to your feedbackThe Week 3 assignment required a critique of the article that you read in Week 1. The critique should have addressed aspects, such as the methods used in the study, the results of the study, and possible ethical dilemmas. The paper should have been at least four full pages long with five or more scholarly resources.Thank you for your submission. You did a good job on the critique. Your analysis was interesting and concise, particularly your analysis of the ethical issues pertinent to the study. You also met the page requirements. Way to go. Ensure that you are able to correctly identify whether the article that you use for the final paper is qualitative or quantitative.Remember to proofread your papers and continue developing your writing and APA skills. It takes a long time to become a skilled writer and APA takes time to fully master. The Writing Reviser and Ashford Writing Center will help tremendously.Overall, fantastic job!(0.76 / 1) Identifies the Study Being Critiqued, Summarizes the Research Question or Hypothesis Guiding the Research, and Critiques the Literature Review of the StudyBasic – Does not identify the study being critiqued, but summarizes the purpose of the study, and minimally critiques the relevance of studies discussed in the article’s literature review.(1 / 1) Differentiates the Research Design and Approach by Identifying and Critiquing the Research Method and Analytical ApproachesDistinguished – Thoroughly differentiates the research design and approach by identifying and comprehensively critiquing the research method and analytical approaches used in the study. The position is supported with properly cited evidence from scholarly sources.(1 / 1) Summarizes and Critiques the Analysis, Limitations, and Interpretation of the Results of the StudyDistinguished – Thoroughly summarizes and critiques the analysis, limitations, and interpretation of the results of the study. Detailed reasoning with comprehensive evidence that supports the position is provided.(1 / 1) Evaluates the Overall Efficacy of the Study by Identifying Strengths and weaknesses of its Design and ImplementationDistinguished – Thoroughly evaluates the overall efficacy of the study by identifying strengths and weaknesses of its design and implementation.(1 / 1) Suggests Alternative Research Methods and Analytical ApproachesDistinguished – Suggests feasible, accurate alternative research methods and analytical approaches for the topic or research question of the study. Suggestions are supported by substantial references to the text and scholarly sources.(0.5 / 0.5) Applied Ethics: Ethical Issue RecognitionDistinguished – States ethical issues when presented in a complex, ambiguous context AND can recognize interrelationships among the various issues.(0.5 / 0.5) Critical Thinking: EvidenceDistinguished – Employs persuasive information from credible sources to develop an ample analysis or synthesis of the topic. Viewpoints of experts are scrutinized thoroughly.(0.19 / 0.25) Written Communication: Control of Syntax and MechanicsBasic – Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors, which may slightly distract the reader.(0.22 / 0.25) APA FormattingProficient – Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors.(0.25 / 0.25) Page RequirementDistinguished – The length of the paper is equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages.(0.25 / 0.25) Resource RequirementDistinguished – Uses the required number of scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support ideas.
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