Arizona RES7400 Dissociative Identity Disorder

RES 7400 University of Arizona Global Dissociative Identity Disorder Discussion

Final Research Proposal

The goal of this assignment is to integrate Step One, Step Two, Step Three, and Step Four of your research proposal. The research proposal should be at least 15 pages (but not more than 25 pages), double-spaced, not including your title page, abstract, Appendix, and references page, and should contain the following sections:

Title Page

Abstract

Introduction: Explain your topic. Make a case for why this topic is important to the field of psychology.

Research questions you have developed for your topic: Conclude your discussion of the research topic by identifying specific research question(s) about the relationships between two or more concepts.

Literature Review: A minimum of 8 pages on the 5-7 articles you selected: Read your articles thoroughly and provide a literature review that synthesizes what was theorized and discovered about regarding your topic. Do not write separate "summaries" for each article; rather, find connected themes or relationships in the different areas you cover. Use these relationships to frame your discussion of how variables were indicated, samples were obtained, and research designs were constructed. Are there any gaps or weaknesses present in the literature that can be investigated further? You will not necessarily refer to all the information from each article; instead, relate only that which is relevant to your topic and research question. Thus, your literature review should justify your study and support why conducting your proposed study would answer a problem that is not already well understood. Information should be drawn from appropriate sources, such as professional journals, books, and dissertations. Information gathered from literature sources must be appropriately cited, following APA guidelines.

Hypotheses: Considering your research question or statement of the problem, formulate a null hypothesis and alternative hypothesis for each of your research questions.

Dependent and independent variables: Operationally define the dependent and independent variables for each hypothesis.

Method: Describe detailed information about how your study will be conducted. Include the following in your method sections:

Participant Selection: Explain who your participants will be and what method you will use to select them. Be specific as possible as if you were giving directions to someone on how to choose and obtain the participants.  Include instructions on how to get informed consent from the participants. Be sure to discuss how informed consent, privacy, anonymity, and confidentiality will be addressed in the study. 

Data Collection Measure: Discuss how you will collect the data (observations, surveys, documents, etc.). Thus, who will be collecting the data, where will the data collection occur, what measures are you using to collect the data, how will the data be recorded, etc.?  Include a copy of the survey or systematic observation you developed in an Appendix.

Research Design: Discuss the research design (either experimental, factorial, quasi-experimental, or non experimental), that you will use to examine your variables.

Discussion:  Provide a discussion of the following information:

Validity: Describe any potential threats to the internal and external validity of your proposed study. Do you believe the results can be generalized to other populations?

Strengths and Weaknesses: Describe any strengths or weaknesses with respect to the proposed sampling, design, and data collection methods. What will not be “proven” though your study?

Ethical Consideration: What impact might participation in this study have on participants in the short and long-term? If there are relevant ethical issues, discuss them along with possible solutions.

References Page: The references page should be formatted according to APA style.

Content includes at least 15 pages, not including the Title page, Abstract, and References page.

Professional/scholarly journals are peer reviewed and focus on the profession/application of psychology (located on Proquest, EBSCOHost, PsycNET, etc.). Non-scholarly articles include newspapers, periodicals, secular magazines, etc, and are not peer reviewed. Websites not approved include wilkipedia.com and about.com.

Research focuses on the most current information (past five to ten years) except when citing seminal works (e.g. Freud, Erickson, etc.).

Paper includes the appropriate number of references required by the assignment.

Style CriteriaTotal: 1

The paper is in the appropriate APA format used by the institution/program (e.g. the 6th edition).

The paper is double-spaced and in the appropriate length required by the assignment Writing and Organization CriteriaTotal: 1

The central theme/purpose of the paper is clear.

The structure is clear, logical, and easy to follow.

The tone is appropriate to the content and assignment.

The thoughts are clear and include appropriate beginning, development, and conclusion.

Paragraph transitions are present, logical, and maintain the flow throughout the paper.

Sentences are complete, clear, and concise.

Sentences are well constructed, with consistently strong, varied sentences.

Sentence transitions are present and maintain the flow of thought.

Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation are followed.

The paper uses words and language that are inclusive, clear, and unambiguous.

Spelling is correct.

The paper includes summary and analysis of appropriate resources.

Research CriteriaTotal: 5

The paper includes a summary and analysis or synthesis of at least 5-7 scholarly articles plus at least two dissertations.

The paper includes an APA style cover page.

The paper includes an Abstract that is formatted to support the appropriate version of APA Publication Manual (e.g. 6th edition).

The paper properly uses headings, font styles, and white space as outlined in the appropriate version of APA Publication Manual (e.g. 6th edition).

The paper includes an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.

The paper addresses the topic of the paper with critical thought.

The paper concludes with a restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph.

Citations of original works within the body of the paper follow the appropriate version of APA Publication Manual (e.g. 6th edition) guidelines.

The paper includes a References Page that is completed according to the appropriate version of APA Publication Manual (e.g. 6th edition).