Research Proposal (80 marks)

A Straits Times article on 20 August 2017 reported the findings of an international study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that Singapore students suffer from high levels of stress. This was surveyed specifically with 15 to 16 years old students who were preparing for their GCE N and O levels whose biggest worries are about tests and results. This survey result caused parents and educators to be concerned about the high risk the students might have in developing mental disorders in the future.

Assume you are a working for a Family Service Centre and have an interest to conduct meditation courses in schools to equip students to cope with stress better during the exam period. Design an appropriate experimental study to examine how a meditation programme for students can improve their levels of stress during exam period.

Prepare a detailed research proposal comprising the following sections to present your proposed study:

Your research proposal should include the following sections:

1. Introduction

2. Literature review and hypotheses development

3. Methodology

4. References (APA Referencing)

5. Appendices (optional)

Tips for developing your research proposal:

1. The research topic and general purpose are given in the TMA question above. Decide on the specific aspect that you wish to investigate. Read relevant academic articles to guide you. There is an ample scholarly literature that you can access at the library and its electronic resources.

2. Evaluate what previous research says, focusing particularly on findings related to meditation and stress.

3. Once you have narrowed your focus, formulate your study’s main research question (RQ) and the more detailed hypotheses that address your main RQ. Explain how past research led you to this point.

4. Design your research study to address the RQs that you have constructed.

5. Write your research proposal using the following guidelines. The number of words suggested for each section is only a rough guide –your sectional word counts may differ from the suggested ones but your overall word count should not exceed 1,500.

6. Research proposal:

Introduction (200 words) –The aim of the Introduction section is to give the reader an overview of your proposed study. Have a strong lead in that engages the reader.

Tell the reader why it is important to study the effect of meditation on stress levels, and how your proposed study would add value to students’ overall health and wellness. Define key concepts. Express the purpose of the study. Include an overview of how your proposal is structured.

Although this section would be the first in your written proposal, it often makes sense to finalise it only after you have drafted the other sections.

Literature Review and Hypothesis development (600 words) – The aim of this section is to provide the reader with background information about what other research on this topic has found, and how that led you to develop your hypotheses.

Summarise the most relevant past research. Comment on studies. Tell us how your review guided the development of your research questions. This section should convince the reader that your proposed study will make a valuable contribution.

Present your main research question and its hypotheses.

Methodology (700 words) – The aim of this section is to allow the reader to understand how you intend to conduct an experiment on this topic. You will need to decide what experimental design that would be most appropriate for your study.

You should be able to demonstrate your knowledge of the various elements of the chosen experimental design.

Methodology typically covers: the proposed study’s design, sample (target population, sampling frame, sample characteristics and size, sampling methods), data collection methods (including any instruments), data analysis methods, research ethics, research rigour (reliability and validity), and anticipated limitations.

Briefly explain how your methods are suitable and appropriate for testing your hypotheses. Be as clear as possible, to the extent that you can pass your proposal to someone else who would then be able to conduct the study based only on what you have written.

References (not included in word count) – Give the full reference for every citation in your proposal. Strictly follow the APA style guide. You are required to cite at least six journal articles or book chapters (excluding the textbook and study guide). Do note that internet references such as Wikipedia and YouTube are not counted. Note: Filter out your Reference List when you use Turnitin.

Appendices (not included in word count) – Appendices are optional for TMA02. If you have an overflow of relevant literature, consider presenting it in an appendix. You may wish to present, for instance, a draft questionnaire or observation checklist as an appendix as well. If you have appendices, remember to filter them out when you run your TMA02 through Turnitin.

Students are expected to choose and design an appropriate experiment (true or quasi experimental design) to be conducted in the school environment. The experiment should investigate the effect of meditation on students’ stress levels during the exam period. Although the study’s purpose and design are already specified, there is a lot of room for demonstrating competence and creativity. The TMA answer is to be in the form of a detailed but succinct research proposal for such a study.

The research proposal should comprise three sections: (1) Introduction (2) Literature Review and Hypotheses Development (3) Methodology. There should be a reference list of all citations. In addition, students are encouraged to include appendices.

Textbook: Gravetter, F.J., & Forzano, L.B. (2016) Research Methods for Behavioral Sciences (5th Edition.). NY: Wadsworth Cengage Learning

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