Concept Paper Instructions
In this project, your task is to present a new and original research concept. It is intended to coalesce all the skills, knowledge, and professional attributes you have developed into one area of study or practice. Quantitative methodology is the only methodology acceptable for this project. As you begin to think through the focus of your course project, keep in mind that this course is designed to be a process that you, as a professional, will use to ensure that your work is evidence based, addresses a specific focus of research or practice, ensures that you have the ability and methods to measure your success, and indicates an understanding that your profession is one of lifelong learning and professional development. As a professional psychologist, you will continue to identify areas of strength and areas requiring additional knowledge, skills, and professional
development. Once their master’s degree is obtained, many professional psychologists engage in
grant seeking and in grant-funded activities. It is helpful to be familiar with the proposal aspect of this
process. All research starts with a review of the literature.
The literature review is an assignment that is covered in unit 4. While it is a standalone assignment
in this unit, it is part of the overall concept paper. Therefore, you will see it attached as part of the
concept paper template. You are encouraged to consult the assignment rubrics as you complete
each assignment, including the final paper, for an understanding of the depth and breadth required
for each level of scoring.
The following is a complete description of each section and subsection of the literature review and
the concept paper project.
[Restate the Title Here and Remove the Brackets]
The introduction to the literature review should follow immediately after the title. Its placement
signals that it is an introduction and does not require a separate heading. Follow current APA
guidance for creating a title. The title should be a statement and not a question. It should
summarize the main idea of the paper. It should be concise and include the variables in the
research and their relationship. See section 2.4 on page 31 of the APA manual. Use this space
to discuss what the reader is expected to learn from the literature review. Introduce your research
topic and describe the significance of your topic. Discuss how you conducted your literature search,
the databases and keywords used.
Theoretical Orientation for the Research Concept
Many times, the term ‘theory’ can be conflated with other uses. In research there are about
three ways that theory is applied in research. – a) empirical theories, b) theories of method, and
c) theories of content.
Empirical theories are likely to drive quantitative projects. These theories are intellectual guesses,
supported by the research literature, that become the impetus for initiating a quantitative research
study. They guide research questions, justify what is being measured (variables) as well as how
those variables are related, and guide the data collection instruments. Such theories are best
described in the research question section of the paper and should make a clear connection to the
research question.
1
Theories of method refers to the epistemological underpinnings of theories that drive decisions
associated with the planning and development of research strategies. Theories of method is also
understood as concept mapping. It’s a description of the research concept development with a
discussion that includes a justification for making such choices. It’s helpful to include this description
in the background section of the paper.
For this section of the assignment, the focus should be on theories of content. Examples of
theory related to content include psychoanalytic theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, attribution
theories, and cognitive and developmental theories. Theories of content should be identified,
defined, and described with support from the theoretical and empirical literature. These theories
should be grounded in psychology and provide a lens by which to understand the research topic.
With this in mind, be sure to:
•
•
•
Identify and define the theory(ies) that provide the foundation for the research.
Describe the theory(ies) and explain how the research topic relates to the theory(ies).
Include macro/umbrella theory(ies) from seminal source(s) that provide a reasonable
theoretical foundation for contextualizing the research concept.
Review of the Literature
The review of literature is more than a summary of the information found through the literature
search. Its purpose is to provide the context within which the project will be framed and developed. It
should include a conceptually organized synthesis of the results of the process that clearly
delineates what is known, what is unknown, and what is controversial regarding your topic. It is
expected that you will organize topics and subtopics in the literature review thematically. Reviews
that are organized article by article are not appropriate for this project.
It is important to understand that the process of finding, reviewing, synthesizing, and writing the
literature review defines the theoretical framework and gives you a strong foundation from which to
work when developing your research question. The literature review is part of the concept paper
template, which you will use and build on throughout the course.
For this section of the assignment, the review of literature should reflect an effective
understanding of the current state of empirical research on the topic. Include (1) studies
describing and/or relating to the research topic, (2) studies on related research such as factors
associated with the themes, (3) studies on the instruments used to collect data, (4) studies on
the broad population for the study, and/or (5) studies similar to the proposed study. The themes
presented and research studies discussed and synthesized in the Review of Literature need to
demonstrate a working understanding of all aspects of the research topic. Analyze the
relationships among the related studies instead of presenting a series of seemingly unrelated
abstracts or annotations. The literature review should motivate the study. The reader should
understand why the problem should be researched and why the study represents a contribution to
existing knowledge.
Themes to be considered and addressed in your literature review include the following (this is not an
exhaustive list):
•
•
Themes in the literature that illuminate the history of the discipline or area of practice of your
project.
Themes in the literature that provide a theoretical background for the topic or area of practice
regarding your project.
2
•
•
•
Best practices in your area of practice or specialization.
Themes regarding the proposed research that add something significant to the knowledge
base of psychology.
Themes that identify the standards of your profession (values, attitudes, beliefs, professional
attributes) and the sources from which these are derived.
Synthesis of the Research Findings
The introductory paragraphs in this section are usually followed by a review of the literature. Show
how your research builds on prior knowledge by presenting and evaluating what is known about your
research topic and problem. Assume that readers possess a broad knowledge of the field but not the
cited articles, books, and papers. Discuss the findings of works that are pertinent to your specific
topic.
This section requires that you take the research findings, discussed in the review of literature
above, and integrate the findings so that they overlap and create a new understanding of the
issues that relate to your research topic. This new understanding is developed by Identifying the
connection between each of the themes from the literature and deciding what argument you are
making. Use those same sources to support the final point that you want readers to know.
Critique of Previous Research Methods
Critiquing research is part of the research process. This calls for an evaluation of the methods
that were employed in the research that informs the research topic. To do this well, a synthesis
of the methods should be conducted. This synthesis should connect with the synthesis from the
previous section. That is, the research that has been reviewed and synthesized for its findings
will be reviewed and synthesized for its methods. Evaluate the various methodologies and
designs that have been used in prior empirical research related to your research topic. Discuss
how the methods helped advance the knowledge base, discuss the strengths of the methods,
and what you might change to boost the research. Must include supporting examples with
proper citation.
Summary
Restate the main arguments/points that were made throughout the paper provide supporting
citations. The summary section reflects that the learner has done their “due diligence” to
become well-read on the topic and can demonstrate that this research concept can potentially
add to the existing body of research and knowledge on the topic. It synthesizes the information
to define the “gaps” in or “identified research needs” arising from the literature and the
theory(ies) to provide the foundation for the study.
3
The Concept Paper
Include a brief introduction of the research topic and its significance. A road map of the organization
of the paper should complete the introduction.
Background
The background of your study is a modified version of your literature review. It reflects the most
important points from the main ideas of the literature review. Provide a summary of those main
points that highlight the gaps in the literature. This section should communicate the main ideas
from the literature review, and it should restate the gaps in the literature, making a smooth transition
to the research problem.
The Background section should include three paragraphs addressing the main ideas captured in the
literature review.
Specifically, address the historical and contemporary understanding of the research problem in the
first paragraph.
In the second paragraph, address the gap in the research – where the research falls short of
addressing your specific interest related to the research topic.
The third and final paragraph needs to be a discussion of how the extension of the research
concept, as a research study, would address the research problem.
All paragraphs should include 5–7 sentences.
Research Problem
The research problem needs to be an explicit statement about the convergence and divergence in
the literature review and a clear declaration of the problem deriving from the gap in the literature. It
needs to address what the research literature states we know, what the literature indicates we
know, and what we don’t know, based on the published research. This should be a succinct, yet
detailed paragraph of 5-7 sentences. The research problem is the impetus for the research
question.
Research Question
The research question should accurately reflect the research topic, theory, population, variables, and
methodology. It should also address the research problem specifically. State it as a question. Include
the hypothesis, null hypothesis, and alternative hypothesis.
Goals and Objectives
Goals and objectives are important to address in a concept paper. It becomes the justification for
pursuing research. Anyone reading this research concept would want to understand why this is
important and what the goals would be if it were to be pursued as a full research study. State the
goals of this study as if you were going to conduct it or pursue a research proposal. Think about
the significance of conducting a study like this and the impact it could have (recall that
4
significance was addressed in week 5). State the goals in a succinct paragraph of 4-6
sentences. List the objectives (what the purpose of the study would be) in narrative – minimum
of three objectives. You can add more if needed. Cite to support your claims.
Population and Sample
Describe the general population, the target population (include a description of the social
setting), and study’s sample. Consider this example when describing the population:
•
the general population (i.e., students with disabilities)
•
target population (i.e. students with disabilities in one specific district geographic location)
•
the study sample (students with disabilities in the district that will participate in
the study – actual study sample).
Identify the sampling strategy, provide a sample size appropriate for the study design, include a
justification. When describing the sample size provide evidence that the sample size is adequate
for the research design. If you used the ‘Finding the Right Test’ tool linked in Assessment 4, you
should have an appropriate statistical test. As a general rule of thumb, consider the following:
•
•
Absolute Minimum: 50 cases or participants applicable to studies that use
frequencies/descriptive statistics and parametric statistical tests (t-tests, ANOVA,
correlation, regression analysis)—additional requirements related to the use of
certain statistical analysis procedures may increase that number. Survey
research = 10 subjects per survey question.
An a-priori Power Analysis is required to justify the study sample size based on
the anticipated effect size and selected design. Include this in addition to using
the literature to support your choices.
Methodology and Procedures
Quantitative Research
Define and describe quantitative research. Identify, define, and describe the research design.
Provide a description of your instruments: All surveys, tests, questionnaires, experimental
procedures, clinical interventions, inventories, and other data-collection tools should appear in an
instrument subsection. A forecast of reliability and validity should be presented. Data collection and
data analysis strategies also need to be addressed.
Instruments. Provide a detailed discussion of the instrumentation and data collection which
includes validity and reliability of the data. Describe the structure of each data collection instrument and
5
data sources (tests, questionnaires, interviews, observations data bases, media, etc.). Specify the type
and level of data collected with each instrument.
Data Collection. Describe the procedures for the actual data collection that would allow replication
of the study by another researcher, including how each instrument or data source would be used, how
and where data would be collected, and recorded.
Data Analysis. Address the what, why, and how of data analysis. Identify what statistical/nonstatistical analysis would be used. Discuss why the statistical analysis is the best selection. Demonstrate
how the statistical analysis was selected, align with the research question and design.
Conclusion
Restate your research topic, restate the research problem and research question, briefly
discuss the significance of the topic as a potential study, summarize the key supporting ideas
you discussed throughout the literature review, and offer your final thoughts on how this topic
would advance the knowledgebase.
6
Concept Paper Template
Use this template to complete assessment 1, assessment 2, assessment 4, and assessment 5.
Resubmit this document as you complete assessments, including the final paper (assessment
5). Do not modify this template with the exception of this page. You may remove this page.
Remove the instructions in each section and add your content.
1
Title
[Insert your name]
School of Psychology, Capella University
PSY5201: Integrative Project
2
[Restate The Title Here and Remove the Brackets]
The introduction to the literature review should follow immediately after the title. Its
placement signals that it is an introduction and does not require a separate heading. Follow
current APA guidance for creating a title. The title should be a statement and not a question. It
should summarize the main idea of the paper. It should be concise and include the variables in
the research and their relationship. See section 2.4 on page 31 of the APA manual. Use this space
to discuss what the reader is expected to learn from the literature review. Introduce your research
topic and describe the significance of your topic. Discuss how you conducted your literature
search, the databases and keywords used.
Theoretical Orientation for the Research Concept
Many times, the term ‘theory’ can be conflated with other uses. In research there are
about three ways that theory is applied in research. – a) empirical theories, b) theories of method,
and c) theories of content.
Empirical theories are likely to drive quantitative projects. These theories are intellectual
guesses, supported by the research literature, that become the impetus for initiating a quantitative
research study. They guide research questions, justify what is being measured (variables) as well
as how those variables are related, and guide the data collection instruments. Such theories are
best described in the research question section of the paper and should make a clear connection
to the research question.
Theories of method refers to the epistemological underpinnings of theories that drive
decisions associated with the planning and development of research strategies. Theories of
method is also understood as concept mapping. It’s a description of the research concept
3
development with a discussion that includes a justification for making such choices. It’s helpful
to include this description in the background section of the paper.
For this section of the assignment, the focus should be on theories of content. Examples
of theory related to content include psychoanalytic theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs,
attribution theories, and cognitive and developmental theories. Theories of content should be
identified, defined, and described with support from the theoretical and empirical literature.
These theories should be grounded in psychology and provide a lens by which to understand the
research topic.
With this mind, be sure to:
•
identify and define the theory(ies) that provide the foundation for the research
•
describe the theory(ies) and explain how the research topic relates to the
theory(ies)
•
include macro/umbrella theory(ies) from seminal source(s) that provide a
reasonable theoretical foundation for contextualizing the research concept.
Review of the Literature
The review of literature is more than a summary of the information found through the
literature search. Its purpose is to provide the context within which the project will be framed
and developed. It should include a conceptually organized synthesis of the results of the process
that clearly delineates what is known, what is unknown, and what is controversial regarding your
topic. It is expected that you will organize topics and subtopics in the literature review
thematically. Reviews that are organized article by article are not appropriate for this project.
It is important to understand that the process of finding, reviewing, synthesizing, and
writing the literature review defines the theoretical framework and gives you a strong foundation
4
from which to work when developing your research question. The literature review is part of the
concept paper template, which you will use and build on throughout the course.
For this section of the assignment, the review of literature should reflect an effective
understanding of the current state of empirical research on the topic. Include (1) studies
describing and/or relating to the research topic, (2) studies on related research such as factors
associated with the themes, (3) studies on the instruments used to collect data, (4) studies on the
broad population for the study, and/or (5) studies similar to the proposed study. The themes
presented and research studies discussed and synthesized in the Review of Literature need to
demonstrate a working understanding of all aspects of the research topic. Analyze the
relationships among the related studies instead of presenting a series of seemingly unrelated
abstracts or annotations. The literature review should motivate the study. The reader should
understand why the problem should be researched and why the study represents a contribution to
existing knowledge.
Themes to be considered and addressed in your literature review include the following
(this is not an exhaustive list):
•
Themes in the literature that illuminate the history of the discipline or area of practice of
your project.
•
Themes in the literature that provide a theoretical background for the topic or area of
practice regarding your project.
•
Best practices in your area of practice or specialization.
•
Themes regarding the proposed research that add something significant to the knowledge
base of psychology.
•
Themes that identify the standards of your profession (values, attitudes, beliefs,
professional attributes) and the sources from which these are derived.
Synthesis of the Research Findings
5
The introductory paragraphs in this section are usually followed by a review of the
literature. Show how your research builds on prior knowledge by presenting and evaluating what
is known about your research topic and problem. Assume that readers possess a broad
knowledge of the field but not the cited articles, books, and papers. Discuss the findings of works
that are pertinent to your specific topic.
This section requires that you take the research findings, discussed in the review of
literature above, and integrate the findings so that they overlap and create a new understanding of
the issues that relate to your research topic. This new understanding is developed by Identifying
the connection between each of the themes from the literature and deciding what argument you
are making. Use those same sources to support the final point that you want readers to know.
Critique of the Previous Research Methods
Critiquing research is part of the research process. This calls for an evaluation of the
methods that were employed in the research that informs the research topic. To do this well, a
synthesis of the methods should be conducted. This synthesis should connect with the synthesis
from the previous section. That is, the research that has been reviewed and synthesized for its
findings will be reviewed and synthesized for its methods. Evaluate the various methodologies
and designs that have been used in prior empirical research related to your research topic.
Discuss how the methods helped advance the knowledge base, discuss the strengths of the
methods, and what you might change to boost the research. Must include supporting examples
with proper citation.
Summary
6
Restate the main arguments/points that were made throughout the paper provide
supporting citations. The summary section reflects that the learner has done their “due diligence”
to become well-read on the topic and can demonstrate that this research concept can potentially
add to the existing body of research and knowledge on the topic. It synthesizes the information to
define the “gaps” in or “identified research needs” arising from the literature and the theory(ies)
to provide the foundation for the study.
Include a brief introduction of the research topic and its significance. A road map of the
organization of the paper should complete the introduction.
Background
The background of your study is a modified version of your literature review. It reflects
the most important points from the main ideas of the literature review. Provide a summary of
those main points that highlight the gaps in the literature. This section should communicate the
main ideas from the literature review, and it should restate the gaps in the literature, making a
smooth transition to the research problem.
The Background section should include three paragraphs addressing the main ideas
captured in the literature review.
Specifically, address the historical and contemporary understanding of the research
problem in the first paragraph.
In the second paragraph, address the gap in the research – where the research falls short
of addressing your specific interest related to the research topic.
7
The third and final paragraph needs to be a discussion of how the extension of the
research concept, as a research study, would address the research problem.
All paragraphs should include 5–7 sentences.
Research Problem
The research problem needs to be an explicit statement about the convergence and
divergence in the literature review and a clear declaration of the problem deriving from the gap
in the literature. It needs to address what the research literature states we know, what the
literature indicates we know, and what we don’t know, based on the published research. This
should be a succinct, yet detailed paragraph of 5-7 sentences. The research problem is the
impetus for the research question.
Research Question
The research question should accurately reflect the research topic, theory, population,
variables, and methodology. It should also address the research problem specifically. State it as a
question. Include the hypothesis, null hypothesis, and alternative hypothesis.
Goals and Objectives
Goals and objectives are important to address in a concept paper. It becomes the
justification for pursuing research. Anyone reading this research concept would want to
understand why this is important and what the goals would be if it were to be pursued as a full
research study. State the goals of this study as if you were going to conduct it or pursue a
research proposal. Think about the significance of conducting a study like this and the impact it
could have – the significance. State the goals in a succinct paragraph of 4-6 sentences. List the
8
objectives (what the purpose of the study would be) in narrative form – minimum of three
objectives. You can add more if needed. Cite to support your claims.
Population and Sample
Describe the general population, the target population (include a description of the social
setting), and study’s sample. Consider this example when describing the population:
•
the general population (i.e., students with disabilities)
•
target population (i.e. students with disabilities in one specific district – geographic
location)
•
the study sample (students with disabilities in the district that will participate in the study
– actual study sample).
Identify the sampling strategy, provide a sample size appropriate for the study design,
include a justification. When describing the sample size provide evidence that the sample size is
adequate for the research design. You can use the Finding the Right Test tool to find the
appropriate statistical test. As a general rule of thumb, consider the following:
•
Absolute Minimum: 50 cases or participants applicable to studies that use
frequencies/descriptive statistics and parametric statistical tests (t-tests, ANOVA,
correlation, regression analysis)—additional requirements related to the use of
certain statistical analysis procedures may increase that number. Survey research
= 10 subjects per survey question.
•
An a-priori Power Analysis is required to justify the study sample size based on
the anticipated effect size and selected design. Include this in addition to using the
literature to support your choices.
9
Methodology and Procedures
Quantitative Research
Define and describe quantitative research. Identify, define, and describe the research
design. Provide a description of your instruments: All surveys, tests, questionnaires,
experimental procedures, clinical interventions, inventories, and other data-collection tools
should appear in an instrument subsection. A forecast of reliability and validity should be
presented. Data collection and data analysis strategies also need to be addressed.
Instruments. Provide a detailed discussion of the instrumentation and data collection
which includes validity and reliability of the data. Describe the structure of each data collection
instrument and data sources (tests, questionnaires, interviews, observations data bases, media,
etc.). Specify the type and level of data collected with each instrument.
Data Collection. Describe the procedures for the actual data collection that would allow
replication of the study by another researcher, including how each instrument or data source
would be used, how and where data would be collected, and recorded.
Data Analysis. Address what, why, and how of data analysis. Identify what
statistical/non-statistical analysis would be used. Discuss why the statistical analysis is the best
selection. Demonstrate how the statistical analysis was selected, align with the research question
and design.
Conclusion
Restate your research topic, restate the research problem and research question, briefly
discuss the significance of the topic as a potential study, summarize the key supporting ideas you
discussed throughout the literature review, and offer your final thoughts on how this topic would
advance the knowledgebase.
10
References
11