In this course project, you will propose an empirical research plan to investigate a research question regarding children’s numerical or mathematical thinking development. (Yes, I’d rather you pose just ONE research question and have it adequately addressed within the space of this project. If you propose a whole series, you must have each one of them adequately addressed or points will be deducted. So don’t make it hard for yourself.) The proposal should be written in APA style (and essay style, not bullet-point style, paragraphs with grammatically complete sentences). It should include the required sections and components specified as below. As to the length, it varies by the topic you choose and the key is whether you have addressed your posed RQ adequately and appropriately. But an estimate would be about 6-8 pages, double spaced.
I. Introduction
There are three sections you must include and adequately address in Introduction.
1. The Problem & Its Importance
2. Review of the Relevant Literature by clearly pointing out (a) the knowns (i.e., the current state of knowledge related to your research goal), and (b) the unknowns that your paper identifies and aims to address.
3. The Present Study with (a) the specific research question; and (b) the hypothesis/prediction.
II. Method
Please include and adequately address the following in Method.
1. Participants: (a) sample size; (b) basic demographics and also any additional demographical information that would matter to the question you investigate (e.g., if you investigate CP-knowledge development, children’s age must be specified in not just years, but months; if you investigate home math environments, household SES and parental educational levels should be provided); (c) sampling and recruitment procedures; (d) where to run the study with participants (e.g., online via zoom videos, at public spaces in museums, parks, in a quiet private lab room, etc.)
2. Design: (a) the design method (e.g., survey, online experiment, home observation session, etc.); (b) variables & measurements: name the variables involved in the RQ and their operational definition where needed; (c) tasks or measures; and (d) measurement plans (e.g., if continuous, time length measured by “in minutes,” accuracy by “percent absolute error,” correct rate by “number of correct trials;” if discrete, how many levels, and what they are, e.g., 2 levels as “yes or no”; 4 categories as “1-, 2-, 3-, and CP-knowers”).
3. Procedure: step-by-step, how will the study be administered to the participants from the start till to end.
III. Analysis Plan
This is a proposal, so you won’t have the Results section, but will end here with a proposed analysis plan. Please address the following adequately.
1. The statistical method (hypothesis test) you will use to test the given RQ and why (e.g., I will use an independent-samples t test, because the IV is discrete with two conditions administered to two independent sample groups and the DV is continuous).
References
You must appropriately cite any original works used in the body of the writing by following APA style for in-text citations AND include all the reference entries in the References section formatted in APA style.
