Lastly, while the emphasis in this course has been on learning how to critically read research, the concepts and principles discussed can certainly be applied to conducting research. As such, this extra-credit assignment would involve submitting a research proposal. The proposal would outline a study to be conducted on a particular research question of your interest. This proposal would develop that particular research question and also discuss the methods to be employed to test that research question. Put otherwise, the proposal would contain a discussion of the research projects conceptual model and research design. Youd, for instance, identify the phenomenon (DV) and present evidence that its real and important to study. Youd then identify a theory that would provide your hypothetical causal factors (IVs), explaining how the IVs, according to the theory, affect the DV. Youd then show evidence for these IVs, etc. With regard to the research design, youd discuss which specific research cases youd study, how many, how youd select them, randomly or non-randomly, etc.
