Assignment 1: Description Of Research Methodology
In this assignment, you will write an essay about the research methods and ethical implications of a social psychology study. You will get information about the study from one of the entries in the SPARQ “Solutions Catalog”, which is a web site maintained by Stanford University at https://sparq.stanford.edu/solutions?&&. SPARQ is an acronym for “Social Psychological Answers to Real-world Questions.” Each entry in the Solutions Catalog names a problem, and then offers a solution to that problem, based on a research study in social psychology
To keep this assignment short and manageable, your only sources for this assignment should be from the SPARQ site and your course materials, such as your textbook. There is no need for you to cite any of the course materials. Therefore, no additional citations or references are needed, beyond those from the SPARQ site
In this exercise, you will choose one of the entries in the SPARC site, and then write a two to three (2-3) page paper that meets the following requirements.
- Begin your paper with a short introductory statement that clearly identifies the article from the SPARQ site that you are using, as well as the corresponding research article. Model your statement after the following example:
The article I selected from the SPARQ website is entitled “Boost Grades by Reframing Failures” (Wilson, n.d.), which summarizes a research article (Wilson & Linville, 1982) on the topic.Briefly summarize the main details of your chosen social psychology research study. Identify the main research method(s) used in the study (e.g., case study, experiment, observation, etc.).
- Explain whether or not you believe the research methodology that the researchers used in the study was the most appropriate for the study. Provide a rationale for your response.
- Discuss whether or not you believe the research methodology used in the study is the one (1) method that provides researchers with the most information in general. Explain the main reasons why or why not.
- Explain the major ethical implications of the selected study (e.g., informed consent, debriefing, etc.). Describe the main reasons why you believe the study was or was not ethical. Provide a rationale for your response
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
- Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.