A maximum single spaced 2 page summary of
purpose of research
• Be sure to include sufficient detail, described in terms
that do not require extensive field-specific knowledge.
The content has to include:
a) the rationale behind the research via review of
selected literature and a concise statement
regarding the significance/importance of the topic,
b) clear purpose of the study or a research
question, and
c) resulting hypotheses, where applicable.
Introduce the topic…….
In this section you will introduce the topic of interest by specifically
outlining the key constructs and concepts related to your future work, and
providing a background on the topic in a broad way
When introducing constructs make sure to operationalize them explicitly
along with a corresponding reference.
Also, you may introduce the key dependent independent variables, which
may be explicitly stated or implied
provide rationale behind the research via review
of selected literature
Here you will have to report more specifically on what is known about the topic of
interest based on previous literature. Here you will consider literature that is
relevant to your topic of interest….
However, and more importantly you will have to build an argument as to how you
will expand on what was done before, by either testing the issues with different DVs,
or manipulating different IVs, or by examining the issue in a different population.
Thus, you not only reporting on what was done, but also on how your
research will enhance the knowledge base
Your introduction has to be based on at least 10 references related to the topic
of interest.
The references can only be journal articles or textbooks. Website or other
informal sources are not permitted.
The degree to which you report on previous work really depends on what you
are doing and how, thus sometimes you may be just mentioning the studies
and their general results, whereas in other instances you may give a reader
more detailed information about what was done, how and for what reason
At the end of the document you will put forward
your “purpose” which needs to be concise and
include the key constructs, concepts, and DVs
and IVs, where applicable….
• Note that in your purpose you may include all of
the above, or just constructs and concept
Marking scheme
• Title page with a title for your study (note that the title has to include key
concepts / constructs /IVs and DVs…where relevant)
• 2 marks
• Introduction to the topic
• 5 marks
• Rationale behind the research via review of selected literature
• 10 marks
• Concise statement regarding the significance/importance of the topic
• 5 marks
• Clear purpose of the study or a research question
• 5 marks
• Resulting hypotheses, where applicable
• 5 marks
All references in the text need to be included in the Reference List at
the end of the document, and vice-versa
• All references are in APA, in the text and the references list
