Sociology research proposal

Guidelines
for Research Proposal
Due: Monday, February 28th on Blackboard by
Midnight

You are a budding sociologist who is interested
in examining a particular social phenomenon related to social justice/advocacy
(you have flexibility in how you define social justice/advocacy). For this
assignment you are being asked to submit a brief (4-5 page, double-spaced)
research proposal. This proposal should reflect your understanding of the
sociological imagination and the research methods sociologists use to study the
social world. You will not be asked to
undertake this project, but simply to propose research. In your proposal
you should:
1) Propose
a research question about a social phenomenon that you are interested in
understanding better (what you propose to study). You are free to choose any topic other
than friendship diversity.
2)
Briefly discuss why you think this is a
sociologically important (or interesting) topic to study. How is this research
relevant to understanding issues of social justice and/or advocacy?
3)
Identify the population that you are interested
in studying. If you plan to take a sample of the general population, how will
you choose this sample?
4)
Identify your dependent variable as well as
several possible independent variables.
5)
State a hypothesis that proposes a causal
relationship between your dependent variable and your “key” independent
variable.
6)
Provide an explanation that lays out why you
expect this relationship to exist.
7)
Discuss at least one other possible explanation
of the outcome you plan to study and what this would mean for your hypothesis.
8)
Propose a method and lay out a specific plan for
gathering your data.
a.
Why is this method well suited to your
hypothesis?
b.
Is what you propose realistic?
c.
Will you be utilizing a macro, meso or micro
orientation in undertaking your research?
9)
How will your project adhere to the standards of
“good research?” If you expect any shortcomings along these lines, address them
accordingly.
10) Discuss
any ethical issues that you must address when undertaking your study (and how
you will address them). If there are none, explain why.

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