Overview of the Final Project and Searching the Literature.
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Transcript of Overview of the Final Project and Searching the Literature.
Overview of the Final Project and Searching the Literature
Questions we will address today
1. What are good research topics?
2. What comprises an APA-style research report?
3. How to search the literature?
Choosing a Research TopicSome “rules of thumb”:
1. Two kinds of studies:
Experimental – Set up conditions, have participants perform task under these conditions, see performance change under different conditions.
Non-experimental – find or make up a survey, have participants evaluate something and/or do something and correlate evaluations or behaviors.
2. Studies should have at least three measured properties:
Experimental – minimally, two IV’s and at least one DV.
Non-experimental – minimally, two predictors and at least one outcome
Other variables may be measured to answer other questions
Choosing a Research Topic (cont’d)More “rules of thumb”:
Project should interest you. Should be able to complete project in one
semester. Can be a “replication”. Should have a “ready” literature base.
Because your peers may be be participants, certain topics are off-limits:
Drinking Sex Mental illness
What others types topics are problematic?
Possible research topics Prayer – effects on mental health Exercise – effects on cognitive performance, effects
on mood Sleep – effects on memory, mood, academic
performance Animal memory – change in maze running
performance with changes in maze design Internet usage – effects on interpersonal behavior,
mood, memory Group behavior – effects on stereotyping and other
social judgment Age – effects on judgments of job competence,
memory, mood
APA-style research reports
Good communicationclear, complete description of
relevant information Consistent presentation
may seem arbitrary, but ultimately easier for readers
Sections of an APA-style research report Four Major Sections
Introduction: sets up research question Methods: describes how research
conducted Results: presents data from study Discussion: interprets research results
Other important things References: lists all sources used Appendix: presents all materials used
Research articles often lack appendix Required for all Final Project assignments
Introduction
Sets up research question(s) Critical review of relevant research
Describes existing theories What is known about topic area –
summary and critical evaluation What controversies exist What interesting questions remain
unanswered Presents current research
question(s)
Introduction: Q’s
What are the relevant theories? What are the relevant variables and
research questions? Are there pertinent results? Who are the prominent researchers? Are there important resources? Goal: build upon and extend
previous theory and research; need to do more than merely replicate.
Methods Describes how research was conducted Provides information about
Participants Design Materials Procedure
Provide enough specific detail so that someone could completely replicate research if necessary Scientific research is objectively verifiable
Methods: Q’s How are variables operationally
defined? Are there existing measures? Are there existing manipulations?
Who are appropriate participants? How should we minimize
confounds/alternative explanations? Your goal: The best possible test of
research question; don’t need to “reinvent the wheel”
Results
Presents data from study Organized around specific
hypotheses Describes unexpected findings as
well Statistical analyses
Results: Q’s
What patterns of relationship exist?
Are there sources of new hypotheses? Are there counterintuitive results? Are there unexpected results? Are there conflicting results?
Discussion
Interprets research results Accounts for why results are
consistent with hypotheses Discusses the theoretical and
clinical/applied implications Speculates about why unexpected
results occured Identifies problems with current
study Identifies next steps and future
research questions
Discussion: Q’s Why did results occur that are in keeping
with your hypotheses?
What are the sources of new hypotheses? What may account for surprising/unexpected
results? Do the results suggest a theoretical
controversy? How might you resolve problems in existing
research? Are there any suggestions for future research?
Literature search PsycInfo
Great start, but use iteratively; progressively sharpen search
Other sources Other databases, e.g., Medline, Ageline, etc. Experts Textbooks, book chapters Recent review articles in Psychological Bulletin,
Psychological Review, Annals of Internal Medicine, etc. Other review sources, e.g., Annual Review of
Psychology, Handbooks. Quality matters!!!
Beware of bad research and bad journals, e.g., Psychological Reports
Using PsycInfo No idea where to start – Use keywords
Brainstorm keywords PsycInfo thesaurus to obtain subject terms Descriptors/keywords from relevant article
If search yields too few hits Use broader keywords Do broader search (e.g., “or” operator,
more years) If search yields too many hits
Use more specific keywords Use a narrow search (“and” & “not”, fewer
years, specific journals)
Literature search and writing…
Should be ongoing and interactive.
Relevant articles are the best source of other relevant articles
Need to copy reference pages Recent articles most helpful Need to continually update what you say, particularly
in the Introduction and Discussion in light of what you read.
Continue to get an read articles throughout entire research process