Objective and Overview
Once you have prepared and analyzed your data, received feedback, and refined your analyses (if necessary), the next step is to produce the Method and Results sections of your research paper. This is the ‘final product’; it is the part of the research process where you describe how you conducted your study and what you found from your analyses. A final research paper would never just present the Method and Results of a study but, for the purposes of this course, this is what we are most interested in. Therefore, your main objective for this assignment is to draft the Method and Results sections of a research paper, covering the details of (1) how your study was conducted and (2) what you found. This is a formal written report and is based on the particular research scenario you have chosen and your proposed research question (Assignment One) and the accompanying data analyses (Assignment Two).
This formal report is part three of a three-stage project for this course. The assignment has two major aims. The first aim is to describe the details of your data and statistical analyses, such as: the nature of the dataset and the sample; the variables that you used in your study, as well as how they are operationalized and coded; the statistical techniques you used to analyze the data, and the steps you took to conduct the analyses. The second aim is to effectively organize, display, and report the results from your analyses (e.g., using tables, figures, in-text summary, etc.). As per Assignment One and Two, for this final assignment you are focusing on the topic ofprison misconduct and victimization.For Assignment One, you were to chooseONEof the major research scenarios and create a research proposal around this. Assignment Two was a follow-up of Assignment One, where you were to conduct your statistical analyses, show/explain the steps you took to conduct your analyses, as well as provide some interpretation of the output (i.e., results). For Assignment Three, you are bringing the quantitative research project “full-circle”, describing the details of your study (the Method section of a research paper) and displaying/reporting your findings (the Results section of a research paper) in a formal manner.
**REMINDER**
This is an individual project and you should in no way collaborate with fellow classmates on this assignment, nor should you attempt to submit work by previous students. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense and will result in a failing grade. For more information, seeacademic integrity and plagiarismLinks to an external site..
Structure / Format
This report will follow the structure outlined below:
ELEMENT
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CONTENT
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METHOD SECTION
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- Describe the sample/data (e.g., the setting for the study, where data come from, the sampling procedure used to obtain the sample, how the study was conducted, the participants included in the study, the original purpose of the data collection, etc.)
- Describe the measures (e.g., the variables used in your study, how they are operationalized and coded, etc.)
- Describe the analytic procedure (e.g., the methodological procedures used to conduct your analyses)
- With respect to writing the Method section, it will be helpful to follow instructions/guidelines covered by the learning materials in Module 7.
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RESULTS SECTION
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- Effectively organize, display, and report findings from statistical analyses (NOTE: The way that results are organized, displayed, and reported will largely depend on what ‘works best’ for the data, variables, and type of statistical techniques used).
- With respect to writing the Results section, it will be helpful to follow instructions/guidelines covered by the learning materials in Module 7.
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REFERENCE PAGE
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- Reference the source for the dataset and other works cited in the Method/Results sections (using APA 7thed. guidelines)
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TABLES/FIGURES
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- Organize and display tables and/or figures that summarize the results of your statistical analyses
- With respect to organizing/displaying tables and/or figures, you should refer to the instructions/guidelines on reporting results of statistical analyses in Modules 3 to 7
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Content:
Method section: For this component, you are required to describe in detail, the dataset that you used and your sample, the variables included in your study and how they are operationalized/coded, and the procedure(s) you took to conduct your statistical analyses. As noted in the table, you will want to draw on the learning materials in Module 7 to write this section of the formal report.
Results section: For this component, you are required to effectively organize and report the findings of your analyses. The Results section of a research paper should be used to summarize all the important findings from statistical analyses. In this case, findings may be reported solely in-text without the use of tables/figures (especially if a table/figure is ‘overkill’), or through the use of tables/figures which are then summarized in the Results section. Above all, the researcher must aim to organize, display, and report findings in a way that will optimize reader comprehension of what was found in the study. As noted in the table, you will want to draw on the learning materials in Module 7 to write this section of the formal report.
Reference page: You must cite/reference the dataset and any other works drawn upon in drafting the paper. Use the citation guidelines for the American Psychological Association (APA) 7thedition.
Tables/Figures: For this component, you are required to organize and display tables and/or figures to present results of your statistical analyses. It should be noted that you are not required to include tables/figures to present the findings for ALL of your statistical analyses, but you are required to includeat least onetable and/or figures to display the results of particular statistical analyses. Following the guidelines for the American Psychological Association (APA) 7thedition, tables/figures should be displayed (each on separate pages) after the reference page. As noted in the table, you will want to draw upon the learning materials in Modules 3 to 7 to prepare this section of the formal report.
NOTE 1: Assignment Three should be prefaced with important information on your research project, such as the scenario you have chosen and your proposed research question.This will aid in the accuracy of marking your assignments.
NOTE 2: The formal reportMUSTinclude each of the listed elements and address pertinent content under each of the listed elements.
Formatting:
- The research paper should be formatted according to the guidelines for the American Psychological Association (APA) 7thedition, including citations.
- Include a title page (should include the title of your study, your name, course, instructor, date) and reference page.
- The report should be written in Times New Roman 12 pt. font, double-spaced, with margins set at 2.54cm, and headings must be used to organize the elements of the research paper.
- With all components (Title page, Method section, Results section, Reference page, and Tables/Figures), the report should be, at the very least, 4-5 pages in length; there is no maximum page length, but the report should not reach excessive lengths (e.g., over 15 pages).
Grading
This assignment is worth 20% of your final grade, and your performance will be evaluated according to the Rubric.