Refining a Potential Research Topic
Write a 5–6 page paper that describes your proposed research topic. Include a cover page and reference list in addition to the 5–6 pages in your paper that address the following components:
- Write a brief introduction that orients the reader to your topic and the contents of your paper.
- Be sure you are addressing the appropriate audience, using familiar, discipline-specific language and terminology.
- Identify a researchable proposed topic and explain why it's appropriate for your specialization and understanding of human behavior related to the profession of psychology.
- Support your explanation with 3–5 resources appropriate to your specialization.
- You may want to use data to support your explanation of the importance of the topic.
- Defend your proposed research topic as an area in your specialization needing further research (clearly identify the gap or need) using 3–5 resources.
- Evaluate theoretical approaches that you have identified in your past literature reviews and course work that deepen your understanding of your proposed research as it relates to your specialization.
- This is a place for you to explore theories that are relevant to your topic. You will refine these in your final paper.
- Develop potential research questions to be asked that are related to the chosen topic.
- These are not questions you might ask study participants—rather, they are questions you wish to answer through the research study.
- Write a conclusion that is a brief summary that ties together the sections of your paper.
- Be sure you are addressing the appropriate audience, using familiar, discipline-specific language and terminology.
Structure
Your paper should follow the outline below:
- Title page.
- Introduction.
- Proposed research topic.
- Defend the need for further research.
- Evaluate theoretical approaches.
- Proposed research questions.
- Conclusion.
- References.
Remember to write concisely to meet the page requirements.
Research Topic: Neglecting a child's emotional needs and how it affects their adult life.