Formal Research Proposal
In this course you will be completing a Formal Research Proposal. Institutions have very specific forms and processes for proposing and conducting research studies . You will not be asked to carry out a research experiment. You will, however, be required to write an abbreviate research proposal, like those that would be submitted to your Institutional Review Board (IRB).
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) exists to protect participants from all harm, review the appropriateness of the study, and to offer support and suggestions for the study as needed. Thus, one of the most important components of understanding psychological research is knowing the history, important milestones, and status of research ethics. Psychologists need to have a heightened state of awareness and comprehension of the steps and practices that must be followed when utilizing people as research participants.
Even something as “harmless” as a questionnaire can invoke feelings in people that they’d rather not experience. Thus, the concept of harm needs to be explored in a very broad way by researchers. The American Psychological Association has developed codes and guidelines for researchers to help them take the appropriate steps to reduce the potential harm that an individual could experience during a research study, no matter the type.
You will be completing the Research Proposal one section at a time. The sections include:
1. Cover page and Abstract
2. Brief literature review
3. Methods
4. Participants
5. Summary
6. Reference Page
As we begin this special course on Research Methods in Psychology, there are a few things to keep in the forefront of your mind. First, when you are in the role of a researcher, you will be thinking more critically than ever before. Although even the best research designs and subsequent results can never ‘prove’ anything to be ‘true,’ research can support or refute hypotheses. Thus, it is the hypothesis or research question that forms the foundation for the research study and what drives the methodology.
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) exists to protect participants from all harm, review the appropriateness of the study, and to offer support and suggestions for the study as needed. Thus, one of the most important components of understanding psychological research is knowing the history, important milestones, and status of research ethics. Psychologists need to have a heightened state of awareness and comprehension of the steps and practices that must be followed when utilizing people as research participants. Even something as “harmless” as a questionnaire can invoke feelings in people that they’d rather not experience. Thus, the concept of harm needs to be explored in a very broad way by researchers. The American Psychological Association has developed codes and guidelines for researchers to help them take the appropriate steps to reduce the potential harm that an individual could experience during a research study, no matter the type.
Moreover, it is important to support what is being said by the research with appropriate citations. The first person (“I” statements such as “I believe,” “I think,” or “In my opinion,”) are not used in scholarly writing. Rather, a more passive tense is used in order to underscore the importance of the research and findings.
Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:
· Critique and evaluate psychological research ethics.
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Resources
· Textbook: Scientific Advances in Positive Psychology
· Web Article: The Belmont Report
· Website: APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct
· Webpage: The IRB: Human Subject Research
· HTML: How to Write an Engaging Online Discussion Post
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Background Information
For this important discussion, you will examine some historical documents about ethics in research. The Belmont Report was created by a committee who reviewed various research studies that resulted in considerable harm to the people involved and provided guidelines and suggestions to reduce the likelihood that those same kinds of harm would occur again. The American Psychological Association has used the Belmont Report, among other resources, to develop their ethical codes and guidelines, which you will also review.
Some research studies, such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study (African American men were exposed to syphilis so that medical professionals could observe the results), very clearly show how research can cause serious harm and why this type of harm should never be repeated. Other types of research, such as questionnaires and interviews, may seem, on their face, to be harmless. While you may have never felt any emotions you would prefer not to experience when completing a questionnaire, that doesn’t mean that others have not had this experience or would prefer not to have it. Even seemingly innocuous interviews can enhance an individual’s mental or emotional status such that they feel a negative impact. Harm, thus, needs to be considered in a broader context and with shades of gray.
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Instructions
1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. Read Chapter 1, “Evaluating Scientific Progress in Positive Psychology ,” in your textbook, Scientific Advances in Positive Psychology.
3. Review the following resources about ethics in psychology:
a. The Belmont Report
b. APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct
c. The Institutional Review Board (IRB): Human Subject Research
4. Read How to Write an Engaging Online Discussion Post and apply the guidelines to your weekly discussion posts.
5. Navigate to the discussion topic and respond to the following discussion prompts:
a. What did you learn about ethics in psychological research both historically and for current times?
b. Which ethical components do you believe would be the most challenging to comply with and in what ways could you adhere to them?
c. Finally, thoroughly explore the concept of harm—in what ways could participants be harmed, even if “merely” filling out a questionnaire?
d. Use support for all of your claims.
6. Your initial post:
a. Should be between 400 to 500 words.
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