Developing a Comparative Cognition Research Proposal: Requirements and Guidelines

Background on the Research Proposal

This is a FORMAL APA style Research Proposal. The goal is for you to develop (but NOT run) your own comparative cognition research proposal. DO NOT run this project. The project must: 1, Be based on and expand on previously published research. Do not duplicate previous research, add something new to previous research. This MUST be a COMPARATIVE COGNITION topic. As soon as you can, send topic ideas and early drafts to me before starting on your final proposal. You will get feedback from me on the various sections of your paper.

 

Let me provide feedback to help you with:

a) is your topic acceptable?

b) have you given enough theory and developed your literature review and hypothesis sufficiently?

c) does your methodology need tweaking?

 

2. Contain a theory or controversy in the field, and you must fully explain this, using a literature review and critical thinking skills. You are required to have a minimum of five research/experimental journal articles that are relevant to your study. These must be from peer-reviewed professional scientific journals.

3. Have a testable hypothesis.

4. Use a valid and legitimate methodology. You may need to modify the methods or develop a variation, but you have to select and develop your methodology based on sound techniques we've learned about in this course.

5.. Must have at least one nonhuman species. I suggest dogs or cats, but they are not required. Any nonhuman species will do. Remember that your literature review must relate to your hypothesis so be prepared to tie the literature to this species.

6. Demonstrate excellent critical thinking and scientific reasoning skills.

7. Meet ethical requirements for the animals to be used.

8. Be complete enough that you could submit it for review for approval (but we will NOT do this). Style: This report MUST BE in essay form. No outlines, no lists. This assignment is where you submit your FINAL research proposal. No revisions will be possible. The last day to submit this final research paper is December 5, 2021 Failure to submit this by that date will result in an "F" for this part of the course. Scoring: Final Paper (200 points):

 

Your final proposal will put everything together. It will include all of the paper sections: Title Page, Abstract, Introduction, Method, Results, and Discussion Sections, References page. Parts of it are written in present tense (the current topic and theories) parts in past tense (what others have done and found) and parts in future tense (what you propose to do). Do not instruct the reader. For example say "The dogs will be shown the three treats in the experimental bowl." Do NOT say "You can show the dogs the three treats in the experimental bowl). Do NOT say "I will test the dogs." Instead say "Dogs will be tested..." You are writing what will be done, not what to do. Use APA style throughout.

Requirements for the Comparative Cognition Research Proposal

 

You are to write a full Research Proposal, using APA Style, including:

1. Title Page (including 4 word running head). Look up how to do this in APA style. It is different than MLA (English class style).

2. Abstract (75-250 words). Although it comes first, write this last. It's easier. An abstract contains a brief summary of the proposed study, including ALL sections in the full report. Writing the full report first makes it easier to pick out the important points to make up your abstract. There are no tables or figures in abstracts.

3. Introduction: Use the Inverted Pyramid organization. Introduce the general topic (for example: object permanence in animals). Incorporate your literature review from at least five scientific research experiment articles from peer reviewed journals, and from the textbook. Minimize the critiques of these, and use the research to build the case and the rationale for your hypothesis. Present your hypothesis at the end of this section. Your Introduction/Lit Review develops your topic.

4. Methods Section: Will have Participants, Apparatus and Materials, and Procedures sections. It strongly recommended that you provide pictures (Figures) or diagrams (Figures) of the apparatus to be set up, in appropriate places.

5. Results Section: Indicate the form your data will take (e.g., percentage correct, rates, frequencies). Indicate which type of statistical analysis you will use. For example "Because the data was percent correct, an ANOVA will be used.” Your statistics may be different, depending on your particular data. Demonstrate that you understand statistics well enough to select the correct type. Predict possible results (both positive and negative/significant and insignificant). You will not have actual numbers, but you can discuss significant and insignificant results possibilities.

 

6. Discussion Section: Do NOT write a only summary conclusion paragraph. This section should be a full discussion, it will be at least as long as your Introduction. Interpret both types of possible results and discuss how each type of findings relate to your hypotheses, theory, literature reviewed (yes, discuss them again!). How would your two possible types of results support or refute the theory? What new information will the results add. What will be (or not be discovered). Contrary to popular opinion, insignificant results can be just as important as significant results. Do NOT present the data again. Instead, talk about the possible data and its importance for your hypothesis and the theory tested. Draw final conclusions.

 

7. Reference List in APA style Other Points:

1. You MUST use APA style. If you are unfamiliar—look it up. Go to Purdue Owl. APA style ie expected for all sections of the paper. 2. You MUST submit as a Word doc or as a PDF. No other format will be accepted.

3. You have two submissions possible. After your first submission, check Safeassign to ensure that you have not plagiarized. If you have more than 18% (and if that’s not because of using information from your previous papers for this course), you will want to rewrite and submit a second time.

4. Only the LAST submission will be reviewed and graded.