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 Topic Some “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 communication clear, 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