MPH Dissertation Proposal Template

MSc Psychology Dissertation Proposal Template

Student Name: _______________________________

Student Number: _____________________________

Your Classrooms: RMT Classroom: DA Classroom:

Student Support Manager (SSM) & Email Address:

Name: _______________________________eCampus Email: _______________________________

Your Local Time Zone: __________ (GMT+/-? __________)

Campus Email Address: __________________________________

Dissertation Advisor (and eCampus email): ________________________

GDI (and eCampus email): _______________________________

PROPOSED DISSERTATION TITLE:______________________________________________________________

ETHICAL CHECKLIST COMPLETED? YES/NO (Delete as appropriate)

Degree Programme: _________________________________________

DATE: ______________

Dissertation Proposal ContentsMSc Psychology ProgrammesIn creating your proposal, use the guidelines in the materials section to help you. Also, use the Dissertation Proposal Checklist located at the end of this document to make sure that you have covered all areas. You will work on the proposal in your Dissertation Module, but you will ultimately submit it to your Dissertation Advisor (DA) for approval.Title This should include setting and sample and should reflect the research question.Introduction This is only 1 paragraph in length. You need to establish a problem based in psychology that is relevant to your specialization. Include any relevant statistics, and define any specific terms that you use (spell out acronyms in full the first time you use them.)Literature Review Find about 10 sources of information (references) connected to the work you propose to do and analyse them as to how your work fills a gap or extends them. Compare and contrast them with each other and with the approach you plan to take for your study. Some (at least 5) must be academic publications, preferably from refereed (peer reviewed) journals, that can be found in our online library (as well as other libraries to which you might have access). Citations from the main textbooks used for your modules are NOT sufficient here. The literature review needs to be targeted at studies which focus on the same topic as your own study. But if there is no study in your country on your topic, you need to look at similar country studies and state what they have found; you need to include studies using the methodology you propose, or state there are none if that is the case. At the end of this section you must state how your study will fill a gap in psychology-related knowledge. If this is a quantitative study and you will be using a validated tool, describe the tool and how it has been used previously. Research Question Word this as a question, and it must be consistent with the title. Use words that reflect your methodology. For example, in qualitative you might use the word, 'Explore'. Most studies will have one key research question.Aim This is the overall goal of your study and should start with 'The aim of the study is to' and have 'in order to'(outcome) in it. The aim should be related to the RQ and use the same wording. Objectives 3 to 5 objectives are required. The first one should be on your literature review and its focus, the last one on what you intend to do with the results; the ones in the middle should follow the aim, be clear, and indicate what you want to achieve through specific data collection method (e.g. by survey, by interviews etc.) Epistemological Approach Both qualitative and quantitative methods need to have this included. You need to state the approach, give a description of what the approach is and why this is appropriate for your study, use a reference and also state briefly what the disadvantage might be. The assumptions of the approach need to be included.Methods There are numerous subsections within this area (see below), please make sure you cover all of them.Study Design For qualitative, this is where you justify further why you have chosen particular qualitative methods are being used. For quantitative, include the design (e.g. cross-sectional) and use references to justify your choice.Setting This is the country and the places of data collection. You must justify why you chose the setting. Sampling approach/frame You must describe the population from which you will be drawing your sample and how you intend select your sample (use references.) Be specific. For example, if you are using a random sample, indicate how you will determine the pool from which to draw your specific respondents from, and then how you will do this randomly. Sample and inclusion/exclusion criteriaThis is specifically who you want to select out of the population (inclusion/exclusion criteria) and you need to be specific about how many from each group and why you have determined the criteria you have. You are cautioned that, if you want to use those under 18 years of age, extra time for approvals may result (these studies, as those with any vulnerable population, require full board approval). For quantitative studies, you will need to show sample size calculations and reference the method you have used. Check that the sample size calculation is appropriate to the research question you are asking. You should include a discussion of non response / missing data and increase in sample size due to this. For qualitative, please pick from the data collection methods below. You must have a minimum of 8 hours interview time stated in your proposal. You will be asked to go back into the field by your DA if you do not collect enough data.

In-depth interviews (at least 45 minutes): 12Moderate interviews (30 minutes): 16 Short interviews (20 minutes): 24

Small focus groups (4-6 respondents; 90 minutes): 5Large focus groups* (7-10 respondents: 120 minutes): 4

You may also use a combination of methods. For example: 10 moderate interviews and 2 small focus groups. You will need to justify why this combination is necessary.

* Not suggested as the only source of data unless you are very skilled with focus groups.

Recruitment This is required in all proposals except for those using secondary data. This is where you describe in detail how and where you will recruit your sample become very practical here. Reviewers are looking to make sure you have thought through the process and know how and where and what you are going to do. Describe where you will recruit from, who will help you, and what resources you will use (e.g., flyers). Also state how participants will receive information about the study (participant information sheet) and what happens then if they want to take part. Data collection methods Describe and justify your methods (e.g. by in-depth interview, by survey etc.) If you have different methods within either the quantitative or qualitative approach you have decided on, you must justify each and identify with what population. However, you must only use either quantitative or qualitative approach.Instrument For quantitative, this needs to be a validated tool (unless the focus of your research is actually developing an instrument such as a questionnaire); you must provide evidence of validity. If you develop your own instrument, you need to discuss how you will assess the various aspects of reliability and validity. For qualitative you should describe the main topic areas you will be assessing.Pilot-testing Describe how this will be done and with how many people, or with how many cases. For qualitative, two people is usually enough. For quantitative, the number should be sufficient to determine that the new survey/or extraction tool for secondary data, gets at what you want and works with the sample you have chosen. For quantitative, you may indicate that this is how you will determine a new sample size after determining missing data. For secondary data describe the checks that you will make to ensure your data is sufficient for purpose.Data analysisThis should be a specific approach for qualitative (and reference it) and a progression in analysis for quantitative, indicating and briefly justifying it (and reference it). For qualitative, you should indicate which compare/contrast aspects you will be reviewing. For example, if you have two samples (experts and community members), will you be analysing this as one group or comparing their responses across groups?Ethics This section should include what you foresee as the ethical issues needing to be addressed in your ethics application (e.g. does the researchers normal role in that setting create a perception of power for participants? Is written consent required?) How you intend to deal with these issues?) If research assistants are involved describe how you will ensure good ethics. Confidentiality and anonymity should also be covered; both UoL and local ethics need to be discussed. If it is a quantitative study using secondary data that is not publically available how you will gain access should be described.Research Outcomes This should be the bigger picture. Where can your results be used and for what purpose? Costs You must indicate all costs in numbers, even if small, and state who will pay for this.Timeline Have this run as a sentence to save space, include only broad headings (proposal approval, ethics approval, pilot-testing/literature review, data collection, data analysis, draft dissertation, final submission.) Remember that you need to submit your draft dissertation one month before final submission.References Editorial Remember to use grammar, citation, and referencing consistent with the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association throughout. Use 12-point type size with font that is easy to read, such as Arial or Times New Roman Margins should be 1.00 inch margins all around. All type should be left justified (e.g., do not use blocked text).Timeline

You should produce a final proposal for approval by your DA by the 8th week of the Dissertation Module. However, please aim for 7 weeks from your start date (class date) at the latest, to ensure time for any necessary revisions and final approval by the 8 week cut-off.

Refer to the MSc Psychology Personal Planner, as well as the MSc Psychology Dissertation Guidelines, to assist you in planning your personal timeline.

Dissertation Proposal Checklist

Title

Is the title reflective of the study?

Are all of the words spelled out? (Words in full rather than using acronyms: HIA or PAR?)

Introduction and background

Does the introduction include a clear link to clinical research? The case needs to be statedeven if it seems obviousclearly state what it will be.

Is this section one paragraph long?

Does the introduction include sufficient data to support the significance of the problem?

Is the intent of the research clear?

Does the background information provided support the development of the Research Question (RQ)?

Literature Summary

Do the studies and citations justify the conclusions? Are there any major gaps in the literature identified?

Does the summary identify any gaps in research? If yes, how will this study add to the understanding of the question?

Research Question (RQ)

Is the RQ clearly stated & is actually a question (as opposed to a statement)?

Are the research questions answerable?

If more than one question, are they separated appropriately? They still need to be linked so that they are not two separate studies.

Does the RQ accurately reflect the conclusions from /identify a gap in the literature?

Aim(s) & objectives

Is the overall goal or aim(s) clearly articulated in a sentence? The aim(s) should begin To..

Are the objectives clearly articulated, are they steps to achieving the aim(s), i.e., setting out a road map to achieve the aim(s)?

Are the objectives specific enough?

Is the theoretical nature of your research methodology described? Together with a brief description of the potential pitfalls of your approach? For example:Quantitative Positivist approachwhat this is likely to mean? (i.e.,, likely to be other questions/other ways of approaching the issue/ecological fallacy)Qualitative Theoretical approaches that they are using and their implications for the findingspositional (i.e.,, role of the researcher in the research/recognizing that they may have made a difference to the nature of the research collected)

Methods

Is there a summary and justification of the methods that will be used? Has the student stated the study design that they are using?

Is the approach clearly either quantitative or qualitative (a mixture of the two is not recommended for the Dissertation due to the complexity of mixed methods studies)? Do the methods match with RQ?

the sample clearly defined? For qualitative: 812 interviews and/or 46 focus groups maximum. For quantitative studies the sample size calculation and workings need to be included.

Is the data collection method(s) described, including pilot-testing? (i.e.,, what the student is actually going to do)

Are the methods ethical? Does it conform to the expedited criteria set out by UoL (i.e., avoids sensitive issues, invasive clinical interventions, etc.)?

Is confidentiality and anonymity protected and is it described how?

Is the setting described?

Are ethical considerations addressed? To work directly with children in the UK (interviews or focus groups), the researcher will need criminal records bureau clearance (CRB certificate).

Research Outcomes

Are the intended outcomes described?

Is it clear how the outcomes will contribute to society or to knowledge?

Is the so what clear? (i.e.,, how the findings can be used to influence health)

Costs

Is there a total cost figures, as well as line-item costs?

Is there a statement acknowledging how additional costs will be paid?

Does the cost estimate appear too unrealistic?

Timetable

Is the timetable realistic? Is there enough time for each part of the Dissertation to be realistically achieved? Is the student aiming to complete the first full draft at least a month before it needs to be handed in?

References

Are key references listed in American Psychological Association style?