Psychology Thesis I & II

Fall (I) & Spring (II)

PSYC 4833 & PSYC 4843: Nicholson Center 471
By Appointment

  Instructor: Stephen T. Paul, Ph.D.                         
Office:    471 Nicholson Center. Office Hours: By appointment
Phone:    (412) 397-5416. E-mail:    paul@rmu.edu
I keep six honest serving-men (they taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When and How and
Where and Who.
-- Rudyard Kipling

Overview: In this two-course sequence, theory is integrated with the practical experience of conducting a research project. Students will contribute to the background study (I), design-proposal (I), research-planning (I), IRB evaluation (I), data collection (II), analysis (II), and interpretation (II) of a detailed and novel study in an area of psychology. The project will culminate with a student presentation of the research results (II) as an APA style research paper or poster at a professional conference. (Submission of the research for possible publication in a peer-reviewed journal is not expected. However, it is highly recommended and desirable.)

Because of the unique nature of these courses, students are expected to take the initiative in meeting all of the requirements. In other words, while I expect to be available to you throughout the semester, it is not my responsibility to chase you down and nag you into completing all of the tasks in a timely fashion. PLEASE see the timeline of expected goals below. The penalties associated with missing each deadline are NOT negotiable nor are there ANY acceptable excuses for missing deadlines. My advice is to PLAN AHEAD and BEAT each of the deadlines by days rather than wait until the last minute.

Objectives:Upon successful completion of these courses, each student will have:
  1. Demonstrated knowledge of reference works in psychology.
  2. Critically collected, examined, and organized data about an approved research topic. Emphasis will be placed on the intensive collection of relevant print and electronic source material.
  3. Evaluated existing work in a discipline of study and prepared an effective written analysis of that work. The student's analysis will have defined relevant concepts, summarized critical variations, presented a detailed evaluation of current conditions using APA style, and will have used standard written, edited American English.
  4. Prepared and delivered an effective visual and oral presentation of individual research to an audience of professionals (faculty members and students) at an approved research conference. The presentation will have utilized appropriate computer software and other media to have created effective support materials for the presentation and will have shown command of standard spoken and written American English and APA style.
Texts to Consider:While no text required, having one (or more) resources is strongly recommended.
  • Baldwin, S. (2017). Writing Your Psychology Research Paper. APA. [ISBN: 978-1-43-382707-5]
  • Leong, F. T. L., & Austin, J. T. (2006). The Psychology Research Handbook: A Guide for Graduate Students and Research Assistants, 2nd Ed. [ISBN: 978-0-76-193022-8]
  • Rosnow, R. L. (2011). Writing Papers in Psychology, 9th Edition. New York. Cengage. [ISBN: 290-1-11-172613-2]
  • Schwartz, B. M., Landrum, R. E., & Gurung, R. A. R. (2017). An EasyGuide to APA Style, 3rd Ed. Los Angeles. Sage. [ISBN: 978-1-48-338323-1]
  • Shuttleworth, M. (2010). How to Write a Research Paper. Lulu.com [ISBN: 978-0-55-757622-7]
  • Smith, R. A., & Davis, S. F. (2016). The Psychologist as Detective: An Introduction to Conducting Research in Psychology, 6th Ed. Boston, MA. Pearson. [ISBN: 978-0-13-400346-7]
  • Wilson, J. H., & Schwartz, B. M. (2015). An EasyGuide to Research Presentations. Los Angeles. Sage. [ISBN: 978-1-45-229267-0]
  • Etc. (Admittedly, there are also many FREE on-line resources, but be careful that they are rated highly and also up-to-date on APA writing style.)
Delivery:The basic outline of these courses is as follows:

Thesis - I

  1. At the beginning of the semester, the student will meet with me to outline the expectations and process of thesis preparation.
  2. The student will be guided to start planning and thinking about a possible research topic. The topic must examine a unique research hypothesis (pure replication studies are not acceptable).
  3. During the semester, we will review important issues in research methodology, finalize a research topic, and resolve any outstanding issues.
  4. The bulk of the student's efforts through this semester will be in developing the introduction and methods sections of the research proposal.
  5. The final written proposal (introduction: research rationale, hypotheses, and research questions, as well as the methods: data collection plan) will be finalized (paper due at the end of the last week of classes - see below).
Thesis - II
  1. At the beginning of the semester, the student will meet with me to outline the expectations and process of data-collection and reporting.
  2. Following IRB approval of the research proposal, most of the semester will involve the student collecting data and performing statistical analyses.
  3. Once data collection and analysis is completed, the student will work on developing the final version of the completed manuscript.
    1. Research papers will be prepared electronically following current APA style.
    2. Research papers will be evaluated according to the criteria established by the Psychology Research Paper Evaluation Rubric (linked below).
  4. During the last week or so of the semester, the student will deliver a paper or poster presentation of the research project at an approved research conference location (e.g., WPUPC, or EPA, etc.).
  5. The presentation will be graded according to the criteria outlined in the Psychology Presentation Evaluation Rubric (also linked below).
Policies:
  1. Accommodation: Students who may be eligible to receive learning support or physical accommodations must contact the Center for Student Success at 412-397-4342 to schedule an appointment with a counselor and to learn more about accommodation procedures. To receive accommodations in this course, arrangements must be made through the Center for Student Success.
  2. Lectures & Readings: I expect that you will have read all assigned text materials (if applicable) before we meet to discuss them. When you read, take note of portions that you don't understand well, or that you might have questions about. In this way you will arrive prepared for our meeting to discuss the material like a true scholar.
  3. Academic Integrity: Academic Integrity is valued at Robert Morris University. All students are expected to understand and adhere to the standards of Academic Integrity as stated in the RMU Academic Integrity Policy, which can be found on the RMU website at http://www.rmu.edu/academicintegrity. Any student who violates the Academic Integrity Policy is subject to possible judicial proceedings which may result in sanctions as outlined in the Policy. Depending upon the severity of the violation, sanctions may range from receiving a zero on an assignment to being dismissed from the university. If you have any questions about the policy, please consult me.
  4. Assignments: The graded assignments ("deliverables") for each course:

    1. Thesis I:

      1. Research Proposal DRAFT: This will include a comprehensive review of the pertinent literature, a summary of the research hypothesis and research predictions, and a draft of the proposed methodology.

      2. Research Proposal FINAL: Based on my feedback on your draft, you will revise the proposal (introduction and methods).

      3. IRB Application: Additionally, you will complete the appropriate forms and training necessary to submit your research for IRB approval.

    2. Thesis II:

      1. Research Project: You will recruit research participants and collect your data. This activity will result in an APA style paper that you will turn in to me WITH your own assessment (see the research paper evaluation rubric below). In other words, when you finish your paper, you will then grade it according to the rubric and attach that to your paper. If your score comes within 3 points of my score, I will award you a 5-point bonus.

      2. Project Presentation: You will present your research at an approved site (typically WPUPC), but other possibilities may be acceptable.

  5. Grading:

    1. For Thesis I: Meetings with me will constitute 20 percent of your final grade, the draft proposal will be worth 20 percent of your final grade, while the final proposal will be worth 50 percent of your grade. The IRB training and IRB review proposal will each be worth 5 percent of your grade (10 percent total).

    2. For Thesis II: Meetings with me will constitute 25 percent of your final grade, and the final presentation (at an approved research conference location) will contribute another 25 percent. Your final research paper will earn you 50 percent toward your final grade.

      The breakdown below will be used to determine final grades for both classes (based on overall percentage earned by semester's end):

      A = 93.0 - 100B = 83.0 - 86.9C = 70.0 - 74.9
      A- = 90.0 - 92.9B- = 80.0 - 82.9D = 60.0 - 69.9
      B+ = 87.0 - 89.9C+ = 75.0 - 79.9F = 0 - 59.9

Project Timeline: The timelines below reflect the minimum expectations for completing course requirements. The penalties noted in the table represent the minimum cost to your final grade. For example, failing to meet with me during the first week will mean that the best grade possible for you to make would be reduced from 100 percent to 99 percent (up to a maximum of 10 percent for this goal, meaning you did not meet with me at all for the first 10 weeks of the semester - in this case, of course, additional penalties might apply). NOTE: Penalties can be more easily avoided if you meet the performance expectations listed below BEFORE the deadlines! In other words, completing everything earlier than expected is a fantastic idea! Please contact me if there is any question pertaining to the timelines or expected goals depicted below.

ANY CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO THE GOALS AND DEADLINES LISTED BELOW MUST BE APPROVED BY THE INSTRUCTOR AT LEAST ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE REQUESTED MODIFICATION.

STAY ON TARGET, STAY IN TOUCH WITH ME, AND DO NOT DISAPPEAR!

  1. Thesis I: FALL SEMESTER

      WEEKDEADLINESPENALTY
      1 Meet with me to discuss the course requirements. Minus 1 percent for each week that passes without a meeting [10 percent maximum].
      2 Meet to discuss research question and library research strategy. Minus 1 percent for each week that passes without a meeting [10 percent maximum].
      3 Meet to review and discuss at least 3 relevant articles. N/A
      4 Meet to review and discuss at least 4 relevant articles. N/A
      5 Meet to review and discuss at least 5 relevant articles. N/A
      6 Meet to discuss how to organize the introduction portion of your paper. Minus 1 percent for each week that passes without a meeting [10 percent maximum].
      7 Meetings and/or emails as needed to cover issues/problems with writing the introduction. N/A
      8 Meeting to cover methodological issues and research design plan. N/A
      9 Meetings and/or emails as needed. N/A
      10 First draft of research proposal due (introduction and methods). Minus 2 percent for each 3-day sequence, or fraction thereof, that passes beyond this deadline (including weekends) [26 percent maximum].
      11 Meet to discuss IRB requirements and application. N/A
      12 Finalized methodology due (i.e., you demonstrate that you know what you will do for data collection, materials are selected or created, etc.). Minus 5 percent for each week (or fraction of a week) that passes without this completed [20 percent maximum].
      F A L L - B R E A K
      13 Deadline to complete the IRB training and IRB review request (to be able to begin collecting data next semester.) N/A
      14 Final draft of Introduction and methods due (minimum of fifteen recent and relevant journal references; additional relevant articles published prior to the past decade are acceptable in addition to the 15). Minus 5 percent for each day (or fraction of day) beyond the due date that passes without this being completed [20 percent maximum]. If the paper is not provided, you will receive a failing grade for this course.

  2. Thesis II: SPRING SEMESTER

      WEEKDEADLINESPENALTY
      1 Meet with me to discuss the course requirements. Minus 1 percent for each week that passes without a meeting [10 percent maximum].
      2 Meet with me to discuss how to organize the remaining portions of the paper (results, discussion, and miscellaneous details). Minus 1 percent for each week that passes without a meeting [10 percent maximum].
      3 Deadline for obtaining permission from instructors to recruit participants from their classes. Minus 1 percent for each day beyond our meeting time that passes without this being completed [10 percent maximum].
      4 Data collection; Meetings and/or emails as needed. N/A
      5 Data collection; Meetings and/or emails as needed. N/A
      6 Data collection; Meetings and/or emails as needed. N/A
      7 Data collection; Meetings and/or emails as needed. N/A
      8 Meet to discuss statistical analyses that must be performed on the collected data. N/A
      S P R I N G - B R E A K
      9 Data collection completed. Minus 10 percent for each week (or fraction of a week) that passes without this completed [30 percent maximum].
      10 Statistical analyses completed. We will also discuss how to interpret the outcomes as well as how to present them in APA format. N/A
      11 First draft of the Results and Discussion sections of manuscript completed. N/A
      12 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION CONFIRMED Minus 10 percent for each week (or fraction of a week) that passes without this completed [20 percent maximum].
      13 Presentation format of final paper completed (usually a PowerPoint presentation file). Minus 5 percent for each day that passes without completing this task [20 percent maximum].
      14 Professional conference presentation completed (extension into finals week acceptable). Minus 15 percent of the final grade if the presentation is not completed.
      Final paper due (BEFORE finals week). If the paper is not provided, you will receive a failing grade for this course.

Documents:The documents below should be helpful in completing the requirements for this course:
  1. Research Paper Format

  2. Presentation Evaluation Rubric

  3. Research Paper Evaluation Rubric