Expected Findings - Capella University



Department of PsychologyRESEARCH PLAN—QUANTITATIVE COLLOQUIUM TRACK 3Scientific MeritAt Capella University, the following criteria will be used to establish scientific merit of all dissertations. Each School uses their own form for that purpose. In the Colloquia, we use a generic form called the “Research Plan,” but it contains all elements of the Department of Psychology’s Scientific Merit Review Form (SMR).A dissertation is said to have scientific merit when the study:1) Advances the scientific knowledge base in the field and your specialization area. 2) Makes a contribution to research theory. ? 3) Meets certain “hallmarks” of good research methodology. Using the Research Plan during and between Colloquia, you will progressively answer all the questions required of the scientific merit review process. When you come to the dissertation phase, you will transfer from the Research Plan all the necessary information to the Department of Psychology’s SMR.The Colloquium ProcessBefore coming to Track 3’s Weekend Experience, copy the information from the Track 2 Research Plan into the same items in this form. In Track 3, you will complete the remaining items (and probably refine and improve the older items). Ultimately, the completed Research Plan will be transformed into your Scientific Merit Review Form (SMR). In fact, the Track 3 Research Plan is identical to the Psychology SMR, except that all instructions to mentors and reviewers have been removed. General InstructionsFor Track 3, complete all the items of the Research Plan. Please copy and paste information from the items completed in Track 1 and Track 2 into the equivalent items on this form.You will find that the numbers of the items have been changed. They now match the items in the official department of psychology Scientific Merit Review Form (SMR). Use the titles of each section to guide your plete the remaining items in the order of their presentation in Track 3 Courseroom. This may not be in the same order as items appear in the research plan. Do not attempt to complete a later item until you have fully developed and evaluated the previous item, and don’t try to complete one until instructed to do so in the Courseroom.Be sure to update your reference list in the reference list at the end of the Research Plan. The questions appear in bold black font (like this). Your answers should be in regular (not-bold) font (like this). Please insert your answers directly into the expandable boxes that have been provided.Section 1: Learner and Topic Information1.1 Learner InformationLearner Name: Learner Email: Learner Phone number:Mentor Name:Mentor Email: Mentor Phone Number:Specialization: Specialization Chair: 1.2 Proposed Dissertation Title1.3 Research TopicDescribe the specific topic to be studied in a paragraph. Then, in a second paragraph describe how this topic is related to the field of Psychology and your specialization area. 1.4 Research Literature Review Provide a brief (3 paragraphs) review of the research literature on the topic. This should indicate that you have performed a full review of the literature on the topic by providing a statement about the body of existing literature on the topic with appropriate citations. Then, you should summarize recent research findings on the topic, highlighting the findings that are most relevant to your proposed study and demonstrate how your proposed research could add to the existing literature on the topic. Be sure to provide appropriate in text citations and include references in the reference section. 1.5 Research ProblemWrite a brief statement (one paragraph) that fully describes the problem being addressed. 1.6 Research Question(s)List the primary research question and any sub questions that the proposed study will address. Section 2: Basic Methodology2.0 Basic MethodologyProvide an overview of the research methodology that you are proposing and how you propose to conduct the study. Describe the basic quantitative approach and methodology you propose to use. State whether the study will be non-experimental, experimental or quasi-experimental, etc. State the name of the specific type of design to be used and describe the method(s) and basic procedure you use to collect the data. Section 3: Advancing the Scientific Knowledge baseYour study should advance the scientific knowledge base in your field by meeting one or more of these four criteria: The study should address something that is not known or has not been studied before. The study should be new or different from other studies in some way. The study should extend prior research on the topic in some way. The study should fill a gap in the existing literature. Specifically describe how your research will advance scientific knowledge on your topic by answering all of these 3 questions. Include in-text citations as needed. 3.1 Advancing Scientific KnowledgeDemonstrate how the study will advance the scientific knowledge base in your field by addressing something that is not known, addressing something new or different from prior research, extending prior research and/or filling a gap in the existing literature. Describe exactly how your study will add to the existing body of literature on your topic. It can be a small step forward in a line of current research but it must add to the body of scientific knowledge in your specialization area and on the topic. To respond to this question you will need to: Provide a paragraph that describes the background for your study. Then, in a second paragraph discuss previous research and demonstrate exactly how your study will advance the scientific knowledge base on this topic. Include in-text citations and place the references in the reference section. 3.2 Theoretical ImplicationsDescribe the theoretical implications you believe your study could have for the field of psychology and your specialization area. 3.3 Practical ImplicationsDescribe any practical implications the results of your research may have. Specifically, describe any implications the research may have for practitioners, the population being studied, or a particular type of work, mental health, educational or other setting. Section 4: Contributions to Research Theory4.1 Theoretical FoundationsBriefly describe the primary theoretical basis for the study. Describe the major theory (or theories) that will serve as the foundation for the research problem and research questions and provide any corresponding citations. 4.2 Contributions to Research TheoryYour study should contribute to research theory in your field by meeting one or more of these four criteria: The study should generate new theory. The study should refine or add to an existing theory. The study should test to confirm or refute a theory. The study should expand theory by telling us something new about application or processes Describe how your study will contribute to research theory in your field by meeting one or more of these four criteria. Section 5: Methodology Details5.1 Purpose of the StudyDescribe the Purpose of the study. State the research problem, each research question and any sub questions. Specifically state the corresponding hypotheses for each research question. 5.2 Research DesignDescribe the research design you will use. Start by specifically stating the type of quantitative approach you will use (descriptive, experimental, or quasi-experimental), include the exact name or type of design to be used and describe the exact method(s) (archival, survey, observations) you will use to collect the data. Briefly describe how the study will be conducted.5.3 Population and SampleDescribe the characteristics of the larger population from which the sample (study participants) will be drawn. Next describe the sample that will participate in the study and justify the sample size using a power analysis or some other justification supported in the literature.5.4 Sampling ProceduresDescribe how you plan to select the sample. Be sure to list the name of the specific sampling strategy you will use. Include the steps you will take to recruit participants. Provide enough detail so that someone else would be able to follow this recipe to replicate the study. 5.5 InstrumentsDescribe in detail all data collection instruments and measures (tests, questionnaires, scales, interview protocols, and so forth). This section should include a description of each instrument or measure, any demographic information you plan to collect, its normative data, validity and reliability statistics. Include (A) citations for published measures, (B) data type(s) generated by each measure, and (C) available psychometric information (including validity & reliability coefficients for each Scale or instrument. Attach a copy of each instrument you plan to use as an appendix to your SMR. If permission is required to use the instrument, please attach a copy of documentation showing that you have permission to use the instrument. 5.6 Data Collection ProceduresDescribe the exact procedure that will be used to collect the data. This is a step-by-step description of exactly how the research will be conducted. This should read like a recipe for the data collection procedures to be followed in your study. Be sure to include all the necessary details so that someone else should be able to follow this to replicate the study. 5.7 Proposed Data AnalysesList the research question and sub-questions, followed by the null and alternative or research hypotheses (in quantitative studies) for each research question. Then describe all methods and all procedures for data analysis including: (a) storage and protection of data (b) types of data to be analyzed, (c) organizing raw data, (d) managing and processing data, (e) preparation of data for analysis, (f) the actual data analyses to be conducted to answer each of the research questions and/or to test each hypothesis, including descriptive statistics, any hypothesis tests and any post-hoc analyses, and describe 5.8 Expected FindingsExpected Findings Describe the expected results of the data analysis. Discuss the expected outcome of each of the hypotheses and discuss whether or not your expectations are consistent with the research literature on the topic. Provide in-text citations and references in the reference section. 6.0 ReferencesProvide references for all citations in APA style. Submit your reference list below. ................
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