Homework answers / question archive / The paper is to be about this topic - Lack of Funding in the Louisiana Department of Child Welfare

The paper is to be about this topic - Lack of Funding in the Louisiana Department of Child Welfare

Writing

Share With

The paper is to be about this topic - Lack of Funding in the Louisiana Department of Child Welfare.

Major questions to guide a proposai paper for PSY373 Research Methods
Abstract:
What is the main purpose of the study? eee oo . ‘ot
Who will be your subjects (sample, sample size, special characteristics)? Ae ON pad ¥ qe”
How will participants be selected and assigned to conditions? Ge D a .
To what conditions will the participants be exposed; required to do?
What type of design will be used?
What do you expect to change (hypothesis) and how will it be measured?
introduction
What is the background and context for the study?
What in current theory or research makes this study useful, important, or of interest?
What support is there support for your specific constructs (independent, dependent, linking/convening,
confounding, subject variables}?
What specifically are the purposes, predictions, or hypotheses?
VARIABLES:
Independent: What will you produce create, make happen to change behavior of the subjects?
Dependent: What behavior will be changed? More of, less of, new behavior
Subjects: Demographics (how many, race, age, socioeconomic status, conditions/characteristics they
have to do not have
Linking/Convening Variable: What theory predicts/explains the change in behavior. It “links” the
independent to dependent variable.
Control: What variables wiil be held constant throughout the process?
Confounding: What could mess up the results you expect?
Hypothesis Statement: (If/Then statement)
How will the independent variable relate to the dependent variable?
How will be measured and what will it show?
Method: Participants
Who are the participants and how many of them will there be in this study?
Why will this sample be selected in light of the research goals?
How will you obtain, recruit, select this sample?
What are the subject and demographic characteristics of the sample (e.g., sex, age, ethnicity, race,
socioeconomic status)?
What, if any, inclusion and exclusion criteria were invoked, i.e., selection rules to obtain participants?
What informed consent will be solicited? How and from whom (e.g., child and parent), if special
populations will be used?
What protections will be in place to ensure guidelines for their protection?
Method: Design
What design will be used? (e.g., group, true-experiment) ?
How will participants be assigned to groups or conditions?
How many groups will be included in the design?

How will the groups be similar and/or different?
If groups are “control” groups, for what variable will the group be controlled?
Method: Procedures
Where will the study be conducted (setting)?
What measures, materials, equipment, or apparatus will be used?
What will be the chronological (step-by-step) sequence of events/tasks the participants will do or
conditions to which they will be exposed?
What intervals/periods of time will elapse between different aspects of the study? follow-up?
Method: Assessment:
If measures will produce the data (results) for this study?
What will you measure, count, before and or after the procedure to prove change in behavior?
What test, survey, questionnaire will you use or design?
Who will administer this questionnaire, test, assessment; when and how?
Confounds:
What variables, factors, events are most likely to confound (mess up) your well-designed proposal and
cause different outcomes?
Limitations:
What did you NOT address and would If you had more time, space, participants, understanding of this
study?
What do you think others could research for you in the future on this topic? (In other words, what did
you NOT find in your research on this topic and wish you had?)
Adapted from Kadzin, AE, (2013). Publishing your research, In Mitchell J. Prinstein, Editor. The
Portable Mentor: Expert Guide to a Successful Career in Psychology (pp 15-161). New York,
NY: Springer.
After your 2-page review of literature (Introduction), your answers to the questions that follow
should be very brief, but factual, concise, logical, and terse. Each answer can be one or two
lines; not rambling or sprawling descriptions. Only the Method: Procedure section may require
more details to explain what the participants will do. This should not extend more than % to 1
page.

Organization Contact Information: Fill out this form with the appropriate information.
Submit it to the Senior Project Faculty member for approval.
Project Paper: 15-20 pages, addressing a new initiative, need, situation, issue or
problem identified by the learner by contacting an organization (business, community
organization, agency, school, learner’s employer, etc.) or by searching the literature in
your major.
To consist of:
1. Description of a new initiative, need, situation, issue or problem, and
identification of an organization.
Plan 1. You will need to identify an organization that deals with the issues of
your major. Find a contact person in the organization and discuss your
assignment with that person. You will need to have an understanding of the
organization itself in order to do problem solving. Make sure that your contact
person understands that you will send him or her a copy of your paper and an
evaluation form. The evaluation form needs to be filled out and returned to the
UIU Center at the end of the project.
OR
Plan 2. Identify a new initiative, need, situation, issue, or problem that exists in
your major area of study. Utilize information that is publicly available to define
the focus of the paper. Also identify an organization that might benefit from the
solution that you wiil develop.
Business Administration and Interdisciplinary majors need to convey their
areas of emphasis to their Senior Project faculty member.

2. Background information—including a literature search, interviews etc. utilizing
at feast 10 different references cited in A.P.A. style in your paper and listed mm
your reference list. Investigate the background of the new initiative, need,
situation, issue, or problem that you have identified. Use current references citing
them in A.P.A. style. You may also want to interview experts in the area.

3. Proposal of at least two solutions or recommendations. After analyzing the
information you have collected, propose at least two solutions or :
recommendations for the new mitiative, need, situation, issue, or problem.
Identify each one in a separate section of the paper.

4, Evaluation of the solutions or recommendations and choice of the primary
solution or recommendation with a rationale for that choice. Evaluate your
proposed solutions or recommendations. Decide which one best addresses your

new initiative, need, situation, issue or problem. Give a detailed rationale for
your choice. Be sure to address all the areas that you will be evaluated on.
Consult the evaluation form for your major.
5. Format: —
e Two copies (plus one copy for the organization), typed, double spaced, using a 12
pt. font
e Header in the upper right hand corner of each page with last name and page
number |
e Ohne inch margins on all sides of the page
e First page of the paper, upper left comer, name, title, major, date, your center
e Cite sources using A.P.A. within the paper
e Reference list using A.P.A
e No binders or report covers—staple upper left corner
Project Presentation:
Prepare a 10-15 minute presentation for the class or for your instructor. The presentation
should focus on the main points of your paper. It should not be read. Use appropriate
visual aids. Power point presentations are acceptable. As of Term 1, 2008-2009, you
must carn a passing score on the presentation component in order to pass the Senior
Project course. Presentations must earn a minimum of 30 points on the 50 point Senior
Project Presentation Evaluation form in order to be considered passing. The points
earned on the presentation component will not be calculated into the final point total for
the course.
Evaluation
Your instructor will use the score sheet specifically designed for your major to evaluate
your paper and presentation. Your grade will be determined by this evaluation. A
second evaluator must concur on the acceptability of the paper.
Organization Evaluation
Plan 1. You are responsible for making sure the organizational contact returns the
evaluation form. This form will not be used in the calculation of your grade.
OR
Plan 2. Send your paper and the evaluation form to the organization that you have
identified. Include a cover letter that introduces your paper and your assignment. Ask
that your paper be routed to the appropriate person. Request that the person complete the
evaluation form. Include a stamped envelope addressed to your Senior Project Faculty
member at your center.
If a rough draft of your project has not been received by your instructor by the end
of the fifth week of the term, you will be administratively withdrawn from the
course.