Final+Project

Your Final Project

Question and Hypothesis - due Monday, 5/21 Your topic does not have to be something you can actually test in real life.

40 points

Develop a question you would like to answer through your research and experimentation. Your topic does not have to be something you can actually test in real life.
 * I. Question **
 * Example **: Why does cramming for an exam right before the exam when I don't know anything about the material not help me do well on a test? Why does it help me a little when I know a little about the material?

After conducting some research, develop a hypothesis, or educated guess, to answer your question. This will be what you try to prove through your research and experimentation.
 * II. Hypothesis **
 * Example **: Short term memory contains only 5 – 9 spaces for information, so students cannot "cram" all the information required to succeed on most tests or quizzes if they know nothing of the material beforehand. When students know some of what is required, cramming can be effective in retaining bits of information because they become linked to what the student already knows.

Mini Research Paper - due Tuesday, 5/29 100 points

This section of your report will summarize research you have found that supports your hypothesis. This section will be at least 2 pages long, ultimately depending on the depth of your research and the extent to which you explain it thoroughly. You need at least three sources.
 * III. Research **
 * For the example ** on memory, your research would include things like: how do scientists study short-term memory? What have other scientists learned about short-term memory? How have other scientists experimented to learn about short term memory and its limits? This section will explain how you know your hypothesis is a reasonable possible answer to your question and will use evidence taken from other sources to support your hypothesis.

Experiment - Due Monday, 6/4 50 points


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 18px;">IV. Experiment **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Design an experiment and describe your justification for the type of research you have chosen. Use Chapter 1 in your text for more information. You may also want to use this virtual text: @http://allpsych.com/psychology101/intro.html

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Follow the steps below:


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Decide on a question. Your topic does not have to be something you can actually test in real life.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Form your hypothesis. What do you think is the answer to this question?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Identify the Dependent Variable and the Independent Variable.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Make sure you supply the operational definitions. (ex: “improve” would be defined as scoring 10% higher)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">What types of bias are possible in such an experiment?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">How would you standardize the experiment? Explain the steps involved in completing the experiment.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">What //type// of research would be done to complete this study - case study, survey, naturalistic observation, etc.? Explain.

Click to view some topics that students have chosen. Project Topics