research proposal apa

research proposal apa

The Importance of Research Proposal in APA Format

1. Introduction

Steps to write a good research proposal. Before the research proposal is developed, first, we must figure out the research problem that we want to run. A good research problem is a problem that may support something important in science on a specific field and when tackled will provide sufficient benefit. After the research problem is known, then identifying the research objective steps or goals to be achieved once the research is done. Then, this needs to be determined the research method, if we know the method with a clear goal it will facilitate the preparatory stages of research and the step is choosing an accurate research strategy. With these provisions, the researcher can continue to make a research proposal. Keep in mind, although the research problem is known, we must ensure that the research problem could sustain something new by displaying it in a research background, generally something that becomes the basis of the research ideas that have been achieved.

For students who are studying with research activity such as a doctoral program or those who are in the final year in a university, the completion of assignment writing usually there will be a time when they start to prepare research proposal. Research proposal is usually written and developed to be then taken into further research or research interest that will be performed as the last assignment to finish their study. With the existence of a research proposal, this is expecting them to get into the right path and focused on doing their research.

Research proposal is a blueprint of the researcher’s idea. It is a means to manifest the plan of the research that will be run. In detail, it explains the scope and limit of the research discussion. The researcher who is a first-timer should ask their supervisor to verify their research plan, whether it is to be approved or needs specific revision to get it through. The aim is to let supervisors know upfront the researcher’s ideas and also make sure the research is viable to be run in a specific place. Usually, a research proposal is written by an individual scientist or those who are involved in the team, especially for students.

2. Literature Review

The literature review aims to reveal why there is a need to conduct a new study and the rationale of the study has been an important element of the research proposal. It is to show the current state of knowledge on the subject and identify the gaps that the study will fill. Has the study been conducted before? You need to find out whether there is any knowledge on the topic. If the study has been done before, then you need to determine whether the previous study has been replicated or there are any valid changes in the methodology, or there is newer data. The review will go on to how the previous study has been done and the results. Are the results still valid today? There might be errors in the work and the new study can attempt to correct, make improvements, or follow the similar methodology, which can further validate the knowledge. The last indication will be to identify if there have been any significant changes in this particular field of study. All this information will be good to compare and show the relevance of the new study. The literature review should mostly be in the past tense, while the methodology and results should be written in the present and future tenses. If there are various studies with similar objectives, mention the methodological and theoretical similarities. The new study can add to or change the existing knowledge and provide a clearer picture of the topic from many different angles. This will create a more accurate and valid view of the topic and the new study could highly contribute to this. Last but not least, the literature review can help to set the foundation for the new study and can convince the reader that this study is worth doing and it will have many benefits.

3. Methodology

Next, the research population needs to be identified. The group that will be focused on is children under the age of 18 who are participating in organized sports. It is very important to identify the population because the group can have a significant effect on the results of the study. An inappropriate population might lead to findings that are not generalizable and this could be considered a threat to internal validity. A specific research sample will be taken from the chosen population to be used in the true experiment. In order to get the best possible results, it would be ideal to get a sample from two different sports teams of comparable ages. The teams should be competitive and the research can be done during the duration of a sports season. Random assignment can be done on the chosen sample in order to satisfy the true experiment method.

The second method to be used is the true experiment. The reason for using this method is because it is the best way to test a cause and effect relationship between two things. In order to be considered a true experiment, the study must have a manipulated independent variable, random assignment of participants to different conditions, and a control group.

The methodology will describe the research design and procedures used to understand the problem under investigation. This includes a detailed plan for implementing the research involving a series of logical steps and a plan for assessing the validity of the research findings. The reader needs to understand that the research methods provide data to answer the research question. The researcher must convince the reader that the data is reliable and valid. The writer of this paper has chosen to investigate the psychosocial effects of coaching a losing youth sport team relative to a winning team. The first research method that will be employed will be the data-collection method. In this method, the researcher will use a null hypothesis that the self-esteem of the youth athletes who participate on a sports team is not affected in a negative way when compared to youth athletes who are not participating on a team.

4. Expected Results

Based on the research objectives and the constraints of the project, the researcher can now begin to estimate the expected results. At this early stage, the researcher is not expected to know everything about the topic, and the expected results will be only rough guesses. Economic modeling is the process of simulating a hypothetical situation in order to understand its complex dynamics or make forecasts. This can involve the creation of a completely new model, the testing of an existing model, or the attempt to embed a simpler ad hoc model into a more comprehensive one. Usually, a more comprehensive model captures a greater number of economic interactions but is also more difficult to solve and has a greater number of unknown parameters. This researcher has developed a very simple model to capture the mechanics of an open economy undergoing economic growth. He believes that it can be embedded into the GTAP model to give a broader understanding of the dynamics involved when one of the developing countries reaches a steady state position.

5. Conclusion

Step 3 is simply developing the research proposal, using what has been learned and an idea to write a proper research proposal. Now, with the knowledge from the APA manual through this process, step three can be made a lot easier and provide information to cover all the proposed points. Step 4 is writing the literature review, and with the amount of time spent on step one to now, a well-thought-out review can be written, considering that it has all led to reaching the research proposal. Step five is using the review and proposal to guide a research project. With both a well-defined review and proposal, this won’t be difficult at all. The final draft step requires no explanation, considering all points well researched with clear examples to follow. I have used much of the website and other websites to get an understanding of what is needed. The given examples of proposals and reviews have been the most valuable information. Overall, it is clear to see that if I am well-versed in the APA manual, the research will be more efficient and productive. This is something to refer back to in the future for the wealth of information to efficiently the research process.

With all the searches, it is easy to get lost, and it wasn’t until the end of the review that I finally found the official guidelines for writing an APA paper. At first, the manual seemed daunting, but with further searching, the manual could be precisely what is needed to find information and many other tips to guide someone to a good starting point. With this manual, I have broken down the steps in the research process and pinpointed the relativity to the research proposal. With that, I found information relevant to what I was looking for. It is clear now that the research process is indeed important, and a good proposal is a key element of finding backing for your idea to further investigate. With the right idea and implementation method, the hypothesis to the results will yield a successful writing of any kind of paper. APA style seems to play a role all the way through, considering that the last draft of the paper is the report of what has been done. The right paper written in the correct format will save time and be more efficient. Now, with the aid of the manual, the examples, and the manual itself, a future research proposal of mine could be quite successful with the wealth of focal points to hit and the examples to follow. Overall, I am quite pleased with the information gathered, although the manual took me from one place to another. With another individual who knows how to find information, they could find this information more effectively. It all comes down to whether or not someone knows how to navigate around such resources and distinguish relevant information.