Description:
This project (research proposal) is designed to provide you with an in-depth understanding of
how researchers design, implement, and execute a well-thought out study. This is a semester
long project, meaning that its conception will take place during the beginning weeks of class; and
its eventual completion will occur as a formal research proposal and presentation.
Your job is to investigate any communication phenomenon—but it must be a communication
phenomenon. This means it can be anything within the realm of health communication,
nonverbal communication, persuasive communication, etc. Remember, in this department we
study human behavior, and its communicative output, so that should be the primary focus of your
study.
This project may be done alone or in a group (no more than five). I do this for a reason; simply
put, some work better in groups and some work better alone. Make your choice wisely. This
project accounts for 50 points of your total grade. For those afraid to work in groups because of
past experiences (e.g., other group members suck), there will be checks in place to ensure that if
you are performing above the group’s work ethic, you will be rewarded accordingly.
This project is broken down into four stages, or checkpoints, all of which are submitted in
standard Word document format, following APA guidelines (e.g., double spaced, ~ 12 size font,
Times New Roman, proper headings). There is a final presentation required of all projects at the
end of the semester.
Stage 1:
Stage one is the simplest, yet conceivably the most important. This is where you will create your
hypothesis and/or research question. Remember to consider what it means to write a proper
hypothesis and/or research question (refer to lecture notes). You will then write three or four
sentences informally explaining your reasoning or motivation for choosing this topic. This
should exceed no more than one page in sum. You will be graded on the specificity and clarity of
your hypothesis and/or research question. Further you will be graded on your
conceptual/operational definitions (or ideas) for your variables.
A hypothesis is required. You may have more than one hypothesis if needed. A research
question is encouraged but not required. Definitions (both conceptual and operational) of
your variables are required.
*** If you are working in groups, this is the time to designate one person to be the “sender” of
all written documents. This does not mean that he or she does all the work. It means that they are
responsible for accurately and efficiently sending out all required stages, etc. They are also
responsible for relaying feedback given about each stage of the project. So choose wisely…Stage 2:
This stage consists of your Literature Review (Lit Review) and will be the most lengthy of all
your stages.
What is a Literature Review? Formal definition: “A literature review is an evaluative report of
information found in the literature related to your selected area of study. The review should
describe, summarize, evaluate and clarify this literature. It should give a theoretical base for the
research and help you (the author) determine the nature of your research.”
So, essentially, a Literature Review is a written review done, by the author (in this case you), that
explores all previous work done on the specific topic the author or researcher is interested in. It
takes place in the middle of your research proposal. It is NOT the entire Research
Proposal.
For example, if I am interested in how emotion recognition affects overall life satisfaction, I
would go on an exhaustive search to examine all work done on emotion recognition and life
satisfaction. This means exploring scholarly articles that have studied your topic or studied
similar things related to your topic. A Lit Review is most important because it provides a path for
you to follow or to deviate from. You can obtain ideas about what to do in your own project and
sometimes, and possibly more importantly, you can obtain ideas about what not to do.
A lit review flows like a normal paper would; however it needs to be constructed in a way that
flows like a story. This means constructing your lit review to make sense to the reader. Your
topic has variables, constructs, and sub-topics that comprise your overall project goals. You must
address each in your review.
Suggestion: Google Scholar is your friend. Use it. Simply go to Google and type in “Google
Scholar” and begin to search.
Other suggestions: Use the UB library system to search for articles or any major academic
search engine
Searching for articles related to your topic can also be challenging. Be specific in your topic
searches. When searching for your topics, begin with simple keywords that are related to your
topic. If you find nothing, try something more specific. It is, most times, a game of playing
detective in order to find the proper and appropriate articles