Reference no: EM133190758

Developing and Honing Research Questions and Their Hypotheses & Researching Relevant Empirical Literature Using PsycINFO

• Three completed tables
• PsycINFO abstracts & 1st page of corresponding articles

Goals

• To construct empirical questions that effectively focus and guide sound investigations
• To identify aspects relevant to published, ongoing, and potential studies
• To learn how to research for and obtain empirical studies published in peer-review journals from the electronic database PsycINFO

This research activity consists of two parts that inform one another. Part I entails reporting on or developing outlines that distinguish research questions, hypotheses, and methodologies for three research scenarios. Part II requires searching for empirical literature relevant to each of the three research scenarios.

Read this entire assignment first to become familiar with the requirements, including use of blank table templates and PsycINFO instructional guidelines.

Essential Aspects of Research Questions: Investigating phenomena requires identifying the focus of the inquiry. Oftentimes, the main motivating questions that initially emerge are broad in nature, making reference to an area of study in vague terms.

These broader questions then undergo revision and honing to become specific empirical questions that identify precisely what observable “occurrence” or “event” will be examined and how it will be measured or assessed. Familiarity with existing theoretical and empirical work relevant to the inquiry and keen observation of the phenomena of interest contribute to informing the ways in which the empirical questions will be shaped and fine-tuned.

Empirical questions should comprise the following salient aspects:

a.) Concrete observable “occurrences” or “events” under investigation

b.) Explicit indication of comparisons to be made, where applicable

c.) Reference to forms of measurement or assessment

Hypotheses/Expectations are testable and unconfirmed statements that explain or predict the relationships between variables in particular circumstances.

Part I: Provide responses that address the following six aspects for each of the three research scenarios listed on page two. Record your responses in the blank table templates provided in the accompanying MS Word file.

1.) Main motivating research question that characterizes the general area of study

2.) Skeletal profile of the participants and their communities (e.g., 25 US ten-year-olds of Latin American heritage who attended music camp, 12 of whom are males and 13 of whom are females)

3.) At least one empirical question, specifying comparisons to be made, where applicable

4.) Identification of independent and dependent variables that pertain to the study

5.) Operationalized categories of what would be measured, assessed, or coded in the study

6.) Hypotheses/expectations that correspond with the empirical questions formulated.

An illustration of a completed table of responses for a fictitious research scenario is provided on page three.

Part II: Search PsycINFO for empirical articles relevant to each of three scenarios and print out requested materials described on page two.

Scenarios # 1 and #2: People often encounter difficulties attending to multiple stimuli or events at the same time. These challenges seem to affect one’s performance in activities.

Scenario #1 – Experiment #2 in Stroop (1935)

Part I: For this scenario, your responses to the six aspects listed on page one require reading Stroop (1935), particularly his description of Experiment #2.

Part II: Search PsycINFO for ONE empirical article about the Stroop Effect published in a peer-review journal (Refer to PsycINFO Guidelines on page 4). You must print out:

a.) Abstract of the article as it appears in the PsycINFO database

b.) Actual 1st page of the corresponding article as it appears in the journal (This first page will likely include the abstract. However, the abstract in this form does not qualify as the print out of the article’s abstract for this assignment. )

Scenario #2 – Class Stroop Experiment

Part I: Your responses to the six aspects listed on page one must be based on information from the following sources:

a.) Stroop Experiment website (faculty.washington.edu/chudler/words.html)

b.) Stroop (1935)

c.) Class Stroop Data on page 5

Part II: Search PsycINFO for ONE empirical article about the Stroop Effect published in a peer-review journal that is different from the article you selected for Scenario #1. (Refer to PsycINFO Guidelines on page 4.) You must print out:

a.) Abstract of the article as it appears in the PsycINFO database

b.) Actual 1st page of the corresponding article as it appears in the journal (This first page will likely include the abstract. However, the abstract in this form does not qualify as the print out of the article’s abstract for this assignment. )

Scenario #3 – Dog Companions and the Elderly

Certain dog breeds have been found to be invaluable service dogs for the blind and overall warm and comforting companions to humans of a variety of ages. Healthcare professionals wonder whether the elderly who reside in assisted living rehabilitation facilities may benefit socially and emotionally from visits with dogs.

Part I: Design one study based on this scenario that addresses the six aspects listed on page one. Keep in mind this scenario has the potential to generate multiple investigations.

Part II: Search PsycINFO for ONE empirical article about dog companions and/or the elderly published in a peer-review journal (Refer to PsycINFO Guidelines on page 4). You must print out:

a.) Abstract of the article as it appears in the PsycINFO database

b.) Actual 1st page of the corresponding article as it appears in the journal (This first page will likely include the abstract. However, the abstract in this form does not qualify as the print out of the article’s abstract for this assignment.)

Attachment:- Developing and Honing Research Questions and Their Hypotheses.pdf