Research Study Proposal Instructions

CCMH/525 v4

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Research Study Proposal Instructions

CCMH/525: Research Methods for Mental Health Counselors

Week 1

Research Study Proposal Part A: Research Focus

In a separate document, write a 350- to 500-word paper that introduces your proposal and includes responses to the prompts below. Be sure to answer thoroughly and in complete sentences, citing your textbook or other sources as support, where appropriate.

· Identify a topic of interest for the research proposal due in Week 8.

· Describe the topic of interest and rationale for research based on its application in the counseling profession.

· Identify your initial research question (what do you want to know?).

· Describe how your proposed topic will address or incorporate cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, and/or diversity.

Note: Your instructor will provide you with feedback on your progress and on the feasibility of your topic and design.

Format any citations according to appropriate course-level APA guidelines.

Submit your assignment.

Week 2

Research Study Proposal Part B: Literature Review

In a separate document, create an annotated bibliography that includes 5-7 articles related to your research proposal. Be sure to:

· Create the bibliography in a separate document.

· Use correct APA citation.

· Use a variety of resources.

· Use categories/headings, if necessary.

· Refer to the following helpful resources as needed:

· Center for Writing Excellence: Annotated Bibliography

· Section 9.51 of the APA Publication Manual (7th ed.)

Include a short paragraph for each article that summarizes the article and answers the following questions:

· What are the key concepts or arguments presented in the article?

· How do you plan to use the article?

· How do the articles address cultural sensitivity and/or diversity?

Note: Use the format below to organize your annotated bibliography. Continue with this format, ensuring you have 5-7 articles listed.

Article 1:

Article 2:

Article 3:

Format each citation according to appropriate course-level APA guidelines.

Submit your assignment.

Week 5

Research Study Proposal Part C: Outline

You are halfway to completing your research study proposal, so take time to reflect on your progress as well as any faculty feedback you have received before completing this week’s assignment.

In this stage of proposal development, you will revise, edit, and continue building your proposal by determining your research methods.

In a separate document, respond to the appropriate prompts (based on your chosen methodology – qualitative vs quantitative) below. Be sure to answer each question thoroughly and in complete sentences. Where appropriate, cite your textbook or other scholarly sources to support your responses. Your instructor will provide you with feedback on your proposed research methods.

A. Qualitative Methodology Prompts

1. Describe the scope of investigation for your study.

2. Describe the qualitative perspective to be used in the study.

3. Describe the methods you will use to collect from the participants.

a. Method 1: Describe how you will collect data from the participants.

b. Method 1: Describe how you will record the data.

c. Method 2: Describe how you will collect data from the participants.

d. Method 2: Describe how you will record the data.

e. Method 3: Describe how you will collect data from the participants.

f. Method 3: Describe how you will record the data.

Note: Be sure to outline three methods and full protocol for triangulation (e.g., if having interviews, then write the questions; if collecting documents be specific of what, from who, from what time frame)

4. Describe the setting in which the research will be conducted.

5. What inclusion and exclusion criteria will be involved for participant selection?

6. What sampling method will be used?

7. How will subjects be recruited?

8. Describe steps you will take to ensure dependability for trustworthiness.

9. Describe steps you will take to ensure credibility for trustworthiness.

10. Describe steps you will take to ensure confirmability for trustworthiness.

11. Identify and describe the coding methods you will use to identify key themes/results.

12. Describe transferability of the results from participants to others.

13. What ethical considerations will you incorporate?

14. What actions will you take to address diversity and inclusion?

15. Describe some foreseen limitations of the study (e.g., interval validity concerns for the research design).

16. Explain the implications of your proposed study to the field.

17. Describe future research ideas and directions for your proposal.

18. Explain your plan to disseminate the final results. Specifically, identify a journal for submission for publication and one conference to submit a proposal to present the findings.

B. Quantitative Methodology Prompts

1. What is the null hypothesis for the study?

a. Example for difference null hypothesis: There is no statistically significant difference in DV between IV1 – Group 1 and IV1 – Group 2.

b. Example for relationship null hypothesis: There is no statistically significant relationship between DV and IV.

2. Describe the quantitative research design to be used in the study.

3. Identify the independent variable(s) used.

4. Identify the level of measurement for the independent variable(s) used.

5. Describe the operational definition(s) of independent variable(s) involved.

6. Identify how the independent variable(s) will be measured. Note: If there are multiple variables, address each separately.

7. What is the reliability of the instrument to be used, if any, for the independent variable(s)? Note: If there are multiple, then address each separately.

8. What is the validity of the instrument to be used, if any, for the independent variable(s)? Note: If there are multiple, address each separately.

9. Identify the dependent variable(s) used.

10. Identify the level of measurement for the dependent variable(s) used.

11. Describe the operational definition(s) of dependent variable(s) involved.

12. Identify how the dependent variable(s) will be measured. Note: If there are multiple, address each separately.

13. What is the reliability of the instrument to be used, if any, for the dependent variable(s)? Note: If there are multiple, then address each separately.

14. What is the validity of the instrument to be used, if any, for the dependent variable(s)? Note: If there are multiple, then address each separately.

15. Describe the setting in which the research will be conducted.

16. What inclusion and exclusion criteria will be involved for participant selection?

17. What sampling method will be used?

18. How will subjects be recruited?

19. How will the data be collected from the participants?

20. Identify the descriptive statistics for the independent and dependent variables that will apply based on the level of measurement.

21. Identify the statistical analyses or analyses to be used to answer the null hypothesis.

22. Describe generalizability of the results from the sample in the study to the population.

23. What ethical considerations will you incorporate?

24. What actions will you take to address diversity and inclusion?

25. What are some foreseen limitations of the study (e.g., interval validity concerns for the research design)?

26. Explain the implications of your proposed study to the field.

27. Describe future research ideas and directions. 

28. Explain your plan to disseminate the final results. Specifically, identify a journal for submission for publication and one conference to submit a proposal to present the findings.

Where appropriate, format each citation according to appropriate course-level APA guidelines.

Submit your assignment.

Week 8

Research Study Proposal Part D: Final Proposal

You have been working on different elements of your research proposal throughout the course. Now it’s time to incorporate feedback from your previous assignments and combine those elements into your final proposal.

Review the example(s) provided in your classroom to better understand the requirements for the assignment.

· Poster Presentation – Example

· Poster Presentation – Template

Complete Parts 1 and 2 below.

Part 1: Poster Presentation

Create a tri-fold poster presentation (single Microsoft® PowerPoint® slide that could be printed as a true poster for a conference – see examples above) to describe your research study proposal. Include the following:

· Statement of the problem: Introduce the reader to the problem to be studied. Provide sufficient background information so the reader has a grasp of the situation. 

· Review of literature: Provide the reader with a summary of salient literature, beginning with general information and narrowing the focus to the specific issues under consideration in the study. 

· Purpose of the study: Explain why the study you are proposing is needed. 

· Hypotheses research questions: List these as simple statements. Make sure they are measurable. 

· Definition of terms: Operationally define terms the average reader may not know or that have a specific meaning in your study. 

· Assumptions: Identify issues you assume to be true for your study to be valid. 

· Research methods and procedures: 

· Population: Describe the population being studied. (Refer to your Week 6 Needs Assessment paper.)

· Procedure: Explain how the study will be carried out. (Refer to your Week 7 Program Evaluation paper.)

· Instruments: Describe the specific measurements you will use to test each hypothesis (Refer to your Week 7 Program Evaluation paper.)

· Data analysis: Describe the procedures you intend to use to analyze the data produced from your instruments, as well as how these would answer the hypotheses. (Refer to your Week 7 Program Evaluation paper.)

· Results: Because you are only proposing and not conducting a research study, you will not have results. In this section, describe potential outcomes of your study:

· Review your hypotheses and discuss potential outcomes. For example, if the results allow you to reject the null hypothesis, what are the implications? If the results compel you to accept the null hypothesis, what does that mean?

· Explain the implications of your proposed study to the field of counseling.

· Describe the limitations of your study.

· Describe future research ideas and directions. 

· Include at least 10 scholarly references in your presentation (you may use sources from your Week 4 Annotated Bibliography).

Part 2: Recorded Presentation

Record a 5- to 7-minute video in which you explain each topic of your proposal.

Where appropriate, format each citation according to appropriate course-level APA guidelines.

Submit your assignment.

Copyright 2021 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2021 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.