Research Proposal Prompt
Research Proposal (450 points)
SCWK 350 Applied Research Methods
The research proposal is an opportunity for students to investigate a topic of interest to them and apply the knowledge they have learned through the course. You will choose one of the case scenarios from the list posted on Canvas. Consider the population you serve and your role at the agency, including the level of research you would like to conduct. What do you want to know? How will this benefit the clients/ the program/ the agency/ the community?
Around the midterm, students will submit a draft of Part 1 of the proposal. Additionally, students will submit peer review drafts around the midterm and last week of class. The final proposal will be submitted on Canvas.
Objectives:
To propose a research study relevant to social work practice that integrates all course content and concepts and that will demonstrate the student’s mastery of the course.
To demonstrate mastery of a scientific and scholarly writing style consistent with the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
To demonstrate writing skills that evidence appropriate organization, development and presentation of ideas, and excellent grammar, syntax, and critical thinking skills.
To effectively use office hours and consultation with the professor in the process of completing the final draft of the proposal.
Requirements:
Your proposal must conform to all aspects of APA style in both formatting and language.
Your proposal must contain the following sections in the following order:
Title Page
Abstract
A short (less than 250 word) introduction to your study, focusing on Part 2.
Part 1
Part 2
References
You must cite a minimum of 10 references from peer-reviewed journals.
Your proposal should be about 8 pages in length, double-spaced—excluding abstract, title page, and references.
Part I: Background and Significance (4-5 pages)
A strong Part 1:
Contains a lot of specific facts from outside sources, few sentences without citations.
Provides a clear argument in each paragraph, using facts and theories to support each argument
Contains very few quotes, if any
Synthesizes facts from other sources into a coherent argument
Is clearly organized around the author’s arguments (not by the questions below)
Uses transitions, topic sentences, and other elements of formal writing
Problem statement and implications contain specific facts and citations to support arguments
A weak Part 1:
Relies heavily on one or two sources
Quotes heavily from sources
Includes irrelevant details from sources
Has long passages with no citations or sources
Uses first-person language, idioms, stigmatizing or biased language, or informal language
Part 1 must address the following questions:
Problem Statement (1-2 paragraphs)—What problem does your proposal address?
How many people are affected by this problem?
Why is this an important social problem?
How does it affect other important social issues or focal populations?
Why is your population an important one to study?
Literature Review (what do we already know? what do we need to know?)
Describe all of the information from the literature that is important to know about each variable in your research question
Describe all of the information from the literature that is important to know about the relationship between the variables in your research question
What other variables or social forces influence the variables in your research question?
Describe what is known about your target population
Define key terms and explain theories that are important for understanding your topic
Identify consistent findings across studies
Identify gaps and controversies in the literature
Research question and hypothesis
State your research question and hypothesis. You can have more than one, but you need to explain how you conceptualize and measure each question in this proposal.
Part II: Methodology (short answer)
Base Part 2 on your answers to Homework Study Design. You don’t need to cite any sources for this section. Just correct any feedback from Homework Study Design and put it into a short answer format. For Part 2, it is a good idea to use a new paragraph to address each heading (design, sampling, etc.).
Design:
What design are you using? (e.g., online survey, classic experiment)
What are the specific steps you will take from beginning to end to carry out your design?
Sampling:
What sampling approach will you use? (e.g., availability sampling, quota sampling)
What is your sampling frame?
What are your inclusion/exclusion criteria?
How will you recruit your participants?
Ethics:
How will you ensure confidentiality and informed consent?
What are the risks and benefits of the study? Why do the benefits outweigh the risks?
Measures:
What is the operational definition for your independent variable?
What is the operational definition for your dependent variable?
Data Analysis: (very brief—less than 5 sentences)
If the data showed your hypothesis was true, what would you conclude?
If the data showed your hypothesis was false, what would you conclude?
Critique of methodology
What are the strengths and limitations of your approach to sampling, ethics, measures, and design?
Implications and conclusions:
Discuss how your study will benefit the discipline of social work, your target population, and the literature on your topic.
Research Question is” Are there racial and ethnic disparities served in domestic violence
shelters”?
