Description
The final Research Proposal assignment for this course contains multiple parts that are due at different intervals in the course, with the final assignment due in Topic 8. Access and read the “Research Proposal Assignment Criteria” to understand each section of the assignment.
In this section, you will begin to conduct research on the selected social problem:
Access and use the “Literature Review Worksheet” to complete this assignment.
While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a scoring guide. Please review the scoring guide prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.
Submit this assignment to your instructor by the end of Topic 5.
SOC-480 Research Proposal Assignment
Part IV: Literature Review Worksheet
In this section of the assignment, you use this worksheet to assist you in conducting research on the social issue you selected for this course. Look up scholarly articles from one of the databases in the GCU library about your selected social issue. You are looking for a gap in services provided and a project/program solution (your proposal) that will fill the gap.
Complete each section by answering the prompts. Turn in the worksheet for instructor feedback. Use the feedback to revise your research questions and hypothesis (that will help you gather appropriate and relevant research):
Part 1: Gathering Resources
Assignment Directions:
Use the GCU library to find the scholarly sources to use for the social issues you selected for your Research Proposal assignment. Use Tables 12.4 & 12.5 in the textbook to assist you. Fill out the requested information in the table below about your sources. Add more articles if you need to.
| Article 1: |
| Title, Author(s), year:
APA 6th Edition Reference and Citation: Permalink (GCU Library permanent link): |
| Describe the Research Design used in the article. (40-50 words)
|
| Briefly describe the Study Setting. (40-50 words) |
| Write a 40-50 word response to the following question:
How is this source relevant to the topic of your paper?
|
| Write a 40-50 word response to the following prompts:
How reliable is the information in this source? How do you know?
|
| Write a 40-50 word response to the following prompt:
Remember, a research question can be answered ONLY with data or information. How does the source support your research question?
|
| List the themes of major findings across the study. Were there gaps in services provided? (For example: no counseling was suggested, no classes were suggested, etc.) If so, how will your proposal fill those gaps? If not, how can your proposed project/program complement this social research study? (50-75 words) |
| Article 2: |
| Title, Author(s), year:
APA 6th Edition Reference and Citation: Permalink (GCU Library permanent link):
|
| Describe the Research Design used in the article. (40-50 words)
|
| Briefly describe the Study Setting. (40-50 words)
|
| Write a 50-word response to the following question:
How is this source relevant to the topic of your paper?
|
| Write a 40-50 word response to the following prompts:
How reliable is the information in this source? How do you know?
|
| Write a 40-50 word response to the following prompt:
Remember, a research question can be answered ONLY with data or information. How does the source support your research question?
|
| List the themes of major findings across the study. Were there gaps in services provided? (For example: no counseling was suggested, no classes were suggested, etc.) If so, how will your proposal fill those gaps? If not, how can your proposed project/program complement this social research study? (50-75 words)
|
| Article 3 |
| Title, Author(s), year:
APA 6th Edition Reference and Citation: Permalink (GCU Library permanent link):
|
| Describe the Research Design used in the article. (40-50 words)
|
| Briefly describe the Study Setting. (40-50 words)
|
| Write a 40-50-word response to the following question:
How is this source relevant to the topic of your paper?
|
| Write a 40-50 word response to the following prompts:
How reliable is the information in this source? How do you know?
|
| Write a 40-50 word response to the following prompt:
Remember, a research question can be answered ONLY with data or information. How does the source support your research question?
|
| List the themes of major findings across the study. Were there gaps in services provided? (For example: no counseling was suggested, no classes were suggested, etc.) If so, how will your proposal fill those gaps? If not, how can your proposed project/program complement this social research study? (50-75 words)
|
| Article 4: |
| Title, Author(s), year:
APA 6th Edition Reference and Citation: Permalink (GCU Library permanent link):
|
| Describe the Research Design used in the article. (40-50 words)
|
| Briefly describe the Study Setting. (40-50 words)
|
| Write a 40-50-word response to the following question:
How is this source relevant to the topic of your paper?
|
| Write a 50-75-word response to the following prompts:
How reliable is the information in this source? How do you know?
|
| Write a 40-50 word response to the following prompt:
Remember, a research question can be answered ONLY with data or information. How does the source support your research question?
|
| List the themes of major findings across the study. Were there gaps in services provided? (For example: no counseling was suggested, no classes were suggested, etc.) If so, how will your proposal fill those gaps? If not, how can your proposed project/program complement this social research study? (50-75 words)
|
| Article 5: |
| Title, Author(s), year:
APA 6th Edition Reference and Citation: Permalink (GCU Library permanent link):
|
| Describe the Research Design used in the article. (40-50 words)
|
| Briefly describe the Study Setting. (40-50 words) |
| Write a 40-50-word response to the following question:
How is this source relevant to the topic of your paper?
|
| Write a 50-75-word response to the following prompts:
How reliable is the information in this source? How do you know?
|
| Write a 40-50 word response to the following prompt:
Remember, a research question can be answered ONLY with data or information. How does the source support your research question?
|
| List the themes of major findings across the study. Were there gaps in services provided? (For example: no counseling was suggested, no classes were suggested, etc.) If so, how will your proposal fill those gaps? If not, how can your proposed project/program complement this social research study? (50-75 words)
|
Part 2: Literature Review:
Next, use the research you have collected to complete the following:
| Describe the social issue you have selected for your capstone proposal: (50 words)
Next, answer the following: (50-75 words) On what assumptions are you basing your work? Which assumptions are verifiable with research? Which assumptions are more speculative? |
| Identify an existing theory that explains your selected social issue. Consider the causes of the selected social issue, correlations, and possible solutions when selecting a theory. For example, “theoretically,” how would you explain this issue to another scholar? (Do you take a behavioral view? Social systems view?) Use chapter four in the textbook to explain the type of theory you have selected (100-150 words): |
| Research Gathering: Next, you should be able to use your selected theory to conduct research about the social issue. Consider the following questions as you review the research you gathered: (75-100 words)
Is there an existing strategy, a community program, agency, or grant-funded project already addressing the social issue you selected? If so, describe it. Is it evidence-based? What theory is it based on? If not, briefly describe a possible evidence-based strategy, program, or project that could address your selected social issue. |
| Literature Review: What, in general, does the literature say about your topic? Review the research you gathered and explain the findings. How have other social researchers approached the social issue you selected? (100-150 words). [Remember, you are looking for a gap in services provided and a project/program solution as to how your proposal will fill that gap in services.]
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| Theory-Based Question: After you have completed the “Part 1: Gathering Resources” section of this worksheet, compose a theory-based question. Use Table 4.3 in the textbook to help you focus on what type of study your research question is based on. Remember…a research question can be answered ONLY with data or information.
Write your theory-based question here:
Next, answer the following prompts about your research question: Explain how your question derived from theories or existing programs, projects, agencies. (50 words). Is the question specific enough? Can it be answered with evidence? Explain (50 words). Does it pass the “so what” test? Explain (50 words). How is the question relevant to your field of study? (50 words) |
| Hypothesis: Use the information you have gathered to compose a hypothesis. Your instructor will provide feedback here. Use the feedback to revise your hypothesis.
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| Conceptualize the social issue- According to the textbook, in order to ensure your theory is based on a solid foundation of assumptions, concepts, and interrelated propositions, it helps to identify the core concepts (“mental images,” “ideas,” or “understanding”).
Use the Table 4.4 located in the textbook to assist you in identifying concepts in your theory. Explain (50-75 words) the concepts found in your theory about your selected social problem. Explain (50-75 words) the importance of evaluating your theory for central concepts. In general (100-200 words), how would you propose to conduct this research study so that it answers your research questions? What kind of existing data will you gather (specify type, such as surveys, observations, interviews…or some combination of these types) to support your theory?
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