Use subheadings (bold ones are required)

Subjects (Participants)

Apparatus

Materials

Stimuli

Procedure

Design

etc.

Except for Subjects, Design, and Procedure, use subheadings optionally as needed.

Include explicit mention of IV & DV & design somewhere. Their operational definitions must be given somewhere.

1. make up fantasy raw data* that supports your hypothesis. (Include this in a table at the end). Calculate means and compare. Draw graphs.

2. In the narrative, describe what you will do to test hypotheses, what result is expected (e.g., which mean will be greater), and what this will indicate.

3. Explicitly address the questions, issues, or hypotheses you outlined at the end of the introduction.

4. Refer directly to tables and figures ("Table 1 shows...") and describe what is in them.

*RAW DATA = subjects' scores on the DV. (not means, correlations, etc., which are "cooked"). If subjects and/or DV's are numerous, include only a sample of raw data for each condition.

INTRO:

1. a general statement of the topic, problem, or question; its importance or significance. Briefly discuss basic literature here, mention classic studies, define your terms, set the context, etc.

2. your specific topic

3. a conflict, problem, question, etc. Discuss some literature in detail (mini-annotations) here. Here the reader should begin to feel that the research you will propose next is needed, justified, well-motivated.

4. ESSENTIAL: Give your hypotheses/question, and your way of answering it, in a nutshell (a "thumbnail sketch" of your proposal).

preview and framework of what follows --

be sure to include IV(s), DV, hypothesis or central issue

what's unique, an advance over previous research

justify and motivate your proposed research

Miniannotations: long enough to cover the important points relevant to your proposal. Brief enough to maintain proposal's focus. Emphasize aspects of the research that will contribute to developing your proposal.

Articles for miniannotations come primarily from the bibliography. However, if the "research domain", (topic, variables, subject population, etc.) for your proposal is different than for your bibliography, do another PSYCINFO search using appropriate key terms.

Most research is modeled on prior research. This is OK, as long as the introduction:

1. makes sources of the proposal explicit

2. justifies or motivates the proposed research.

See APA Manual p. 26 "report of an empirical study" checklist.

What will be done to fulfill all APA ethical requirements? If a principle is violated, explain why this is necessary, and what will be done to set matters right. Justify the ethical violation.

Include all and only those references cited in the proposal.

For additional help on the proposal, see:

1. your journal articles

2. the sample proposals on reserve

3. APA manual, especially p. 41 (sample typescript). Read Ch. 1-2. Use Ch. 3-4.

4. Ch. 11 in your text

5. A TA or me