SOC 3111 Research Methods
Final Research Proposal Guideline (the Second Draft)
Due _______________
Introduction: In this exercise, you consider the qualitative mode of
observation. You will apply this mode of observation to the research topics
that you were interested in studying in preliminary research proposal. If you
have any questions concerning this assignment, please bring them up at the
beginning of class, email me, see me during my office hours, etc. There will
be no additional feedback after you submit it other than final grade.
You HAVE to consider your overall research question in the form of two
qualitative paradigms. If your initial research question does not lend itself to
qualitative analysis, you will have to modify it. In addition, if you received any
comments regarding revision process for the preliminary research proposal,
you may want to consider modifying your answers for this final draft.
Part I: re-introduce me to your research question: (20 points)
For this section, I basically want a condensed version of preliminary proposal
(hopfully in 2 pages, maintaining the 3 page cap we had for the preliminary)
with the following parts:
A. Problem or Objective of the Research: (8 points)
1. What are you interested in studying? (Be as specific as you can.) (2 points)
2. Why do you think that it is worth studying? What contribution do you think
it will have? (2 points)
3. What is/are the primary goal(s) or purpose(s) of your study? Explain how
the goal fits with part a. (2 points)
4. Why is the qualitative strategy best for your research proposal? (2 points)
(In your answer, you must demonstrate that you understand what the
qualitative strategy IS, as well as WHY it applies to your particular
research question).
NOTE: In lieu of a literature review, I expect you to incorporate at least 2
citations (journal articles) in this section that help guide your proposed
research. These should be incorporated in this section, most appropriately in
subheading: what you are interested in studying.
B. Subjects and Variables for Study: (7 points)
1. Whom or what will you study in order to collect data? And why? (2 points)
2. What will be your unit of analysis? (2 points)
3. What are some variables that are important for this study? What are your
dependent variable and the independent variable(s)? (3 points)
