Unit 2 Research Proposal Tentative Schedule (Updated) Week 6 2-18-Intro to research proposals 2-20-Intro to primary research/research questions Week 7 2-23-Interivew strategies /SoP 2-25- Survey +Observation strategies, Methods 2-27-Short Proposal Peer Review, Statement of Qualification, APA format Minor Essay 2- Short Research Proposal Due Week 8 3-2- Debates 3-4- Lit Review & Abstract 3-6-Peer Review Research Proposal Final Draft- Due 3/6 by midnight

U20 Debate Topics 3/2 Genetic modification War on terror 3/4 Work placement & rehabilitation for former prisoners

U23 Debate Topics 3/2 Police Effects of social media 3/4 Effects of video games

U65 Debate Topics 3/2 Mental health patient sentencing Social media and its effects 3/4 Polygamy

Today’s Goals Discuss the requirements of and how to construct a methods section for your research proposal Learn about strategies for creating surveys and conducting observations

Research Proposal Overview Title page Abstract (100 words or less) Identify research question, research methods, & most important points of research Statement of Purpose (usually 100+ words. Often the second longest section of the essay) State research question and hypothesis Convince readers why the research is necessary Statement of Qualification (approximately 100 words but may be longer) Explain why you are qualified to conduct this research Mention qualifications as well related personal experiences Literature Review (200+ words. Often the longest section of the essay) Briefly sum up the secondary sources you are using and how they are relevant to your research Methods (approximately 100 words) Name your primary research method and explain your general strategy for it (i.e. what do you hope to find) References The APA version of a Works Cited page Appendix Usually includes supplementary information The appendix for our research proposals will include detailed information about your primary research (such as interview, questions surveys, or observation goals)

Methods Section Should explain any and all methodologies you intend to use in your research Focus on what primary research you will conduct; it is already assumed that you will find background secondary research information Your primary method should be one or more of the three previously mentioned (interview, observation, or surveys). For each primary method: Indicate whom you will be interviewing or surveying or what setting/activity you will be observing Explain what, specifically, you will be attempting to find out from your primary research. This can include questions you intend to ask or what you will be looking for in observations Note: you should not list every question here, only the most important ones for your research and what sorts of connections between questions you will look for

Example Methods Section This research will attempt to gain insight about whether the benefits of stem cell research outweigh its ethical costs by examining the public’s opinion on the ethics and moral issues related to stem cell research. Using primary research, a random group of people will be selected to take an online survey. This survey will ask several background questions to see how stem cell research is viewed amongst the general population as well as how knowledgeable the general population is on this topic. The survey will also attempt to see if a person’s view on the ethics of stem cell research is related to several aspects of their lives. It will determine if there is a correlation between gender, age, religious involvement, and major/career and their views on stem cell research. It will also see if a person’s personal experiences affect their views. Therefore, the group of people that will take this survey must have a lot of variation. It must be done in a location where there is a lot of variation of age, gender, religious involvement, and major/career. This survey can be done online since a wide range of people have access and use the internet on a daily basis. A complete copy of the survey can be found in Appendix A.  

Surveys/Questionnaires Advantages Disadvantages Great method for getting the layman’s perspective on an issue Has strongest logos of the three methods by providing statistics, graphs, percentages, etc. Easiest citations Can reach the largest number of subjects Longer preparation time than other research methods You cannot get in-depth responses or a personal understanding of most of your participants Extremely sensitive to subject selection; picking the wrong subjects will skew your results. Look for a uniform subject pool Interpreting results may require more math skills than results from other methods

Survey Requirements Survey at least 20 subjects, who should be appropriate to your inquiry and requirements Provide a copy of your survey Survey must have at least 10 questions Provide a detailed list of the results to your survey questions (this can be filled out, hard copy surveys or a print out of your results from qualtrics)

Survey Procedure Write out your purpose and main research question Figure out how to reach the respondents you need (your method of distribution) Draft potential questions Test the questions on several people before widespread distribution. Revise questions that seem ambiguous or too subjective Look for connections between answers. This will often be in the form of a correlation or comparison

Survey Citations APA/MLA None! When referencing the results of your own survey for a project, you do not need to provide citations for MLA or APA format However, you should explain in your essay some of the basics of the survey, such as whom you surveyed, how many people, etc If you reference a survey from a past project or essay, even if it was your own, you should reference that essay or article regularly

Survey Questions These should be predominately determinate questions that can be answered by entry of a single number or selection of one of several predetermined multiple choice answers You should, again, have 2-3 background questions to better understand your subjects Construction of the survey/questionnaire is important; there is visual rhetoric involved here. Short questionnaires are more likely to be finished. Many respondents will have limited attention spans or interest Ordering and layout of questions is important; don’t give away the purpose of your experiment Avoid any and all ambiguity in your question wording; you do not have the opportunity to explain a question as you might in an interview You may want one or two short answer questions, but limit these. Keep in mind you will not be able to easily use them for data tables or statistics

Group Activity: Surveys In your unit 2 groups Select a topic from your group members that might use surveys as a research method Develop 5 survey questions you could use for this topic. Focus on important questions rather than background questions for this activity Be sure to include what answer options, usually in multiple choice, that you will provide with the questions Finally, in a couple sentences, describe what connections between questions you will be looking for

Observations Advantages Disadvantages Allows you to gain firsthand experiences with the setting or topic you are investigating Arguably the most professional/scientific of the research methods we have covered May allow access to subjects’ ‘natural’ behavior while many subjects will lie on surveys Observer’s paradox will automatically bring all results into question Research method that is most sensitive to research bias; you must work diligently to remain objective Obtaining permission for observations can be difficult; many potential subjects will be reluctant

Observer’s Paradox The observation of an event or experiment is influenced by the presence of the observer/investigator A term coined by the sociolinguist William Labov How might this affect your strategies for conducting observations?

Observation Research Requirements Find an appropriate setting or condition for observation that is appropriate to your topic and research question Conduct at least 2 observation sessions totaling 1 hour or more each Use a dual column research log technique Use a small notebook that you bring with you In the left column, write down observations of occurrences in a completely objective and descriptive way In the right column, attempt to interpret those occurrences, looking for why a particular action may have taken place and how it relates to your research Keeping your physical observations and interpretations separate in this way can help you remain objective in your observations Provide a copy of your observation notes (detailed and with the dual column technique) and recordings

Observation Steps/Strategies Determine purpose and research question Make arrangements ahead of time. Do not record people without their permission Take clear, usable notes while observing; the dual column technique with observation/interpretation is required for our methodology Go through notes soon afterwards: fill in gaps, elaborate

Observation Examples Topic: Violence in video games Ex setting 1: FIU Piano room Observe students’ behavior as they play video games with one another in the piano room, keeping a look out for what games they are playing (especially if there is violence in the game) and whether there is violence or aggressive behavior between the participants Ex setting 2: Arcade (owner permission required) Observe arcade patrons’ behavior as they play video games with one another, keeping a look out for aggressive behavior as well as which types of arcade games incite it Politician’s use of rhetorical appeals Ex setting 1: Recorded political debate on youtube Ex setting 2: City Hall meeting In each different venue, special attention is paid to the words and actions of the current speaker as well as how the audience reacts to their rhetorical effects. For any parts that seem effective, the observer will attempt to interpret how ethos, pathos, logos, and angle of vision are used

Group Activity 2: Observation Brainstorm In your unit 2 groups Select 3 example informative article topics. If possible, these should be topics from your group members. However, if your group members’ topics seem incompatible with this type of research, feel free to use one of the examples below For each topic, select one setting that could be observed in order to gain firsthand knowledge of it For each setting, select two things you would be on the look out for in terms of actions or occurrences Sample topics: How do politicians use rhetorical appeals and persuasive strategies during political debates? What are the main stressors that college students have to deal with? Does fraternity enrollment have an effect on academic success? Is it more academically advantageous for students to live on or off campus? How might the college/education system in the US differ from the system in other countries? How do environmental conditions affect students’ study habits?

Homework Read EW p.203-206 and A&B p.284-286 Journal Entry 19 Focus: RP Source Evaluation 2 Find the first source you will be using for your research proposal (a peer reviewed article) Read and analyze the first source you will be using for your Research Proposal. Sum up the argument it makes in the journal entry as well as the most important or convincing facts in the article. Then reflect on how that article has changed your perspective. General suggestion: focus on logos for all RP source evaluations Minor Essay 2: Short Proposal (due Friday 2/27) In a single page, typed, double spaced, APA essay Identify your research question, hypothesis, selected research method, and why your research is important Including all required information in the clearest way possible is more important than artful prose here.