Study 165 Points
Intro to Graduate Study 165 points (in total)
Your final paper is challenging and will incorporate many skills you are going to learn in this class. You will complete a research proposal on a communication topic of interest you would like to study through its literature review. It will be your job to create research questions and/or hypotheses you can answer in a study, locate or craft survey questions if necessary, how you would systematically conduct the study, and project why doing this study is important. Minimum requirements for passing grade consideration (B):
1. The paper must have a title on a title page that provides a clear idea of what you are interested in studying. Do not use vague abstractions. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON YOUR …show more content…
FIRST
DRAFT (Maximum: 20 words)
2. An introduction section (about ¾-1½ pages) which will give us a sense why you believe doing is worthwhile. This introduction section must include a clear purpose statement for the study. This clear purpose statement should take you no more than two sentences to write.
3.
A literature review section (9-13 pages) of a) the key variables/concepts you want to study and possibly conceptually define (and if necessary) b) the theory logic driving your study. This is important to help you make the case for the research questions and/or hypotheses you would want to study.
a. IMPORTANT: SYNTHEIZE YOUR RESEARCH AND LINK YOUR LITERATURE
TO YOUR RESEARCH QUESTIONS!!
i. DO make arguments in a literature review for doing your research questions and hypotheses ii. DO NOT merely present us a summary of articles you read on the topic. iii. DO NOT answer you research questions in your literature review.
4. Research questions and/or Hypotheses section. These can be included as a part of the literature review section OR you can create a separate section for these just after the literature review. You will want to briefly summarize your argument for why each research question/hypothesis is a good questions/hypothesis to pose.
a. If you believe your proposal is utilizing quantitative or qualitative methods: 2 Research
Questions or Hypotheses are required or combination thereof.
b. If your proposal involves unfolding research: Your study purpose should be clearly stated.
5. References Section – APA 6th Edition Style is …show more content…
expected
a. 20 sources (at least 16 should be from scholarly journals unless you have permission from me) referenced in your paperare expected. Most sources you will probably reference in the literature review. There may be a few in your intro section for various reasons.
i. Getting permission for less than 20 sources: The exception to the source minimum is if there is so little past research done on the topic 20 sources are not available. If you think this is the case in your situation, please talk to me about this well in advance (at least 4 weeks) of the initial draft due date.
6. Appendix Section – Any materials that human subjects will experience in your study should be included here. For example, a survey you would give to participants, questions you would ask in an interview, etc.
All papers should be typed, double-spaced, 12-point Times Roman Font, 1” margins on all sides.
APA 6th Edition Style Expected.
Key Dates
Initial Draft (April 7th – 40 points) – All students must submit an initial draft of their literature review with 20 source bibliography. My main goal at this point is that you have all sections of the paper completed and you have done your best with a) creating a solid paper topic, b) solid arguments for your research questions, c) why the variables you picked need to be studied, d) solid research questions, e) proper APA style on the paper and bibliography, and f) proofreading. This draft is about having something completed. You should do well if you meet the minimum requirements. This will be submitted to turnitin.com
Peer Review (April 21st – 25 points) – Your initial draft will be given to two other students for review. The goal is to give you practice critically analyzing someone else’s work and to provide feedback on what they did great and could-do-better. You will be graded on 1) completing your peer reviews, 2) depth of your feedback.
Final Paper (May 5th - 100 points) Late penalty in effect for late submission without extension. We will spend Week 14 class time hearing short presentations about everyone’s paper. These presentations will be 5 minutes maximum. Spend most of your time explaining why doing this research is important, giving us your research questions and summarizing your case for this study.
This will be submitted to turnitin.com
A plan to finish
Reminders/Suggestions
1. A literature review is not written in a night or a week…it’s written bit by bit over a long period of time. Make sure you set aside time regularly to work on this paper. Start light (e.g.
30-60 minutes; 3-4 times a week) and increase time/efforts as you go...like exercise.
2. Read, Read, READ!!! You need 20 unique sources in your paper, and they need to make a substantive contribution to your paper...so the first 20 sources you pick may not suffice for your paper needs. Set weekly reading (i.e., one source a day or six in a week) goals to help you get through your sources in a timely manner so you aren’t struggling to find sources at the last minute.
3. Write “junk” for at least the first two weeks. As you conceptualize, develop literature reviews, research questions; just write what you learned/think you learned every day you work on the paper. It’s easier for you (and me too) to revise/think about what you write down. It gets you in the habit of writing, reading your writing (which leads to questions) and revising often.
Reduces need for perfectionism as you write. Will lead to better papers.
4. Just a reminder: the more you procrastinate, the more stress you heap on yourself later in the process. Some work better with some stress, but don’t overburden yourself.
Next Two Weeks
Think about topic areas/potential variables
Explore research on those topic areas (use the initial lit search assignment to help do this)
Rest of February
Find sources for your topic area; Read, Read, READ!! Refine your topic idea as needed. Start practicing writing arguments for your study with the research you are gathering.
Early March
Start crafting/writing literature review draft…just start getting ideas down on paper
Conceptualize terms/variables you need to.
Gather more research & Keep Reading!!
Finalize topic and research questions
Mid-Late
March
Write the literature review draft. Not worrying for perfection…get something down on paper.
Gather more research as needed and keep reading
Late March-Early April
Proofread at least once for major mistakes, but don’t lose too much sleep on proofreading
Submit initial draft (March 16), Start your peer reviews
Relax a bit. Consider your thoughts about your draft.
Mid-Late April
Finish your peer reviews Read your feedback on your paper, make revisions
REVISE, PROOFREAD and READ your draft at least twice. Perhaps add some new sources you’ve found since submitting your initial draft.
End of April/Early May
Turn in Paper (Ideally you’ve reviewed it at least twice for proofreading, last minute concept changes, etc. before turning it in and maybe had someone else read it too).
Your final paper is challenging and will incorporate many skills you are going to learn in this class. You will complete a research proposal on a communication topic of interest you would like to study through its literature review. It will be your job to create research questions and/or hypotheses you can answer in a study, locate or craft survey questions if necessary, how you would systematically conduct the study, and project why doing this study is important. Minimum requirements for passing grade consideration (B):
1. The paper must have a title on a title page that provides a clear idea of what you are interested in studying. Do not use vague abstractions. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON YOUR …show more content…
FIRST
DRAFT (Maximum: 20 words)
2. An introduction section (about ¾-1½ pages) which will give us a sense why you believe doing is worthwhile. This introduction section must include a clear purpose statement for the study. This clear purpose statement should take you no more than two sentences to write.
3.
A literature review section (9-13 pages) of a) the key variables/concepts you want to study and possibly conceptually define (and if necessary) b) the theory logic driving your study. This is important to help you make the case for the research questions and/or hypotheses you would want to study.
a. IMPORTANT: SYNTHEIZE YOUR RESEARCH AND LINK YOUR LITERATURE
TO YOUR RESEARCH QUESTIONS!!
i. DO make arguments in a literature review for doing your research questions and hypotheses ii. DO NOT merely present us a summary of articles you read on the topic. iii. DO NOT answer you research questions in your literature review.
4. Research questions and/or Hypotheses section. These can be included as a part of the literature review section OR you can create a separate section for these just after the literature review. You will want to briefly summarize your argument for why each research question/hypothesis is a good questions/hypothesis to pose.
a. If you believe your proposal is utilizing quantitative or qualitative methods: 2 Research
Questions or Hypotheses are required or combination thereof.
b. If your proposal involves unfolding research: Your study purpose should be clearly stated.
5. References Section – APA 6th Edition Style is …show more content…
expected
a. 20 sources (at least 16 should be from scholarly journals unless you have permission from me) referenced in your paperare expected. Most sources you will probably reference in the literature review. There may be a few in your intro section for various reasons.
i. Getting permission for less than 20 sources: The exception to the source minimum is if there is so little past research done on the topic 20 sources are not available. If you think this is the case in your situation, please talk to me about this well in advance (at least 4 weeks) of the initial draft due date.
6. Appendix Section – Any materials that human subjects will experience in your study should be included here. For example, a survey you would give to participants, questions you would ask in an interview, etc.
All papers should be typed, double-spaced, 12-point Times Roman Font, 1” margins on all sides.
APA 6th Edition Style Expected.
Key Dates
Initial Draft (April 7th – 40 points) – All students must submit an initial draft of their literature review with 20 source bibliography. My main goal at this point is that you have all sections of the paper completed and you have done your best with a) creating a solid paper topic, b) solid arguments for your research questions, c) why the variables you picked need to be studied, d) solid research questions, e) proper APA style on the paper and bibliography, and f) proofreading. This draft is about having something completed. You should do well if you meet the minimum requirements. This will be submitted to turnitin.com
Peer Review (April 21st – 25 points) – Your initial draft will be given to two other students for review. The goal is to give you practice critically analyzing someone else’s work and to provide feedback on what they did great and could-do-better. You will be graded on 1) completing your peer reviews, 2) depth of your feedback.
Final Paper (May 5th - 100 points) Late penalty in effect for late submission without extension. We will spend Week 14 class time hearing short presentations about everyone’s paper. These presentations will be 5 minutes maximum. Spend most of your time explaining why doing this research is important, giving us your research questions and summarizing your case for this study.
This will be submitted to turnitin.com
A plan to finish
Reminders/Suggestions
1. A literature review is not written in a night or a week…it’s written bit by bit over a long period of time. Make sure you set aside time regularly to work on this paper. Start light (e.g.
30-60 minutes; 3-4 times a week) and increase time/efforts as you go...like exercise.
2. Read, Read, READ!!! You need 20 unique sources in your paper, and they need to make a substantive contribution to your paper...so the first 20 sources you pick may not suffice for your paper needs. Set weekly reading (i.e., one source a day or six in a week) goals to help you get through your sources in a timely manner so you aren’t struggling to find sources at the last minute.
3. Write “junk” for at least the first two weeks. As you conceptualize, develop literature reviews, research questions; just write what you learned/think you learned every day you work on the paper. It’s easier for you (and me too) to revise/think about what you write down. It gets you in the habit of writing, reading your writing (which leads to questions) and revising often.
Reduces need for perfectionism as you write. Will lead to better papers.
4. Just a reminder: the more you procrastinate, the more stress you heap on yourself later in the process. Some work better with some stress, but don’t overburden yourself.
Next Two Weeks
Think about topic areas/potential variables
Explore research on those topic areas (use the initial lit search assignment to help do this)
Rest of February
Find sources for your topic area; Read, Read, READ!! Refine your topic idea as needed. Start practicing writing arguments for your study with the research you are gathering.
Early March
Start crafting/writing literature review draft…just start getting ideas down on paper
Conceptualize terms/variables you need to.
Gather more research & Keep Reading!!
Finalize topic and research questions
Mid-Late
March
Write the literature review draft. Not worrying for perfection…get something down on paper.
Gather more research as needed and keep reading
Late March-Early April
Proofread at least once for major mistakes, but don’t lose too much sleep on proofreading
Submit initial draft (March 16), Start your peer reviews
Relax a bit. Consider your thoughts about your draft.
Mid-Late April
Finish your peer reviews Read your feedback on your paper, make revisions
REVISE, PROOFREAD and READ your draft at least twice. Perhaps add some new sources you’ve found since submitting your initial draft.
End of April/Early May
Turn in Paper (Ideally you’ve reviewed it at least twice for proofreading, last minute concept changes, etc. before turning it in and maybe had someone else read it too).