Choose an original (unique) IT topic that you would like to research in greater detail. Each student should have their own unique topic. Please do not copy anyone else's topic - it should be entirely unique.

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Choose an original (unique) IT topic that you would like to research in greater detail. Each student should have their own unique topic. Please do not copy anyone else's topic - it should be entirely unique.

An example would be "Body Worn Cameras in Policing". I want to know if the general public feels any differently about policing now that more and more police officers are wearing body worn cameras. I would come up with a research question - "Have body worn cameras changed the perception of police in St. Paul, Minnesota? I would likely put together a quantitative study and prepare a survey that I could send out to people in St. Paul to see how they are feeling. 

My literature review would contain information on the history on the perception of police; the history of body worn cameras and how society has felt about them over time; also perhaps a section on storage and privacy concerns....

My research question might be: Is there a relationship between body worn cameras and the communities perception on police?

The alternative hypothesis for the research would be: There is a relationship between body worn cameras and the communities perception of police.

The null hypothesis for the research would be: There is no relationship between body worn cameras and the communities perception of police.

I would prepare a survey to go out to several areas and collect the data for analysis. It's important to ask the right questions, and explain how I would collect the data and make sure that it was valid and reliable.

If I were to actually complete the research I would then gather the survey information, analyze it and prepare a discussion and conclusion for future steps and future research that could be conducted.

Research various thesis and dissertation proposals to see how others have compiled their research papers. You will not actually complete this research but you should have a very high level description of your research proposal (6-9 pages).

For this assignment, follow the outline below and the sample I provided above to come up with your own high level, research proposal outline.

STUDENT'S CHOICE - TECH RELATED

A Basic Proposal Outline:

  • Title Page. The proposal title and the student's name, printed on a separate cover page.
  • Summary. A synopsis of the proposed project, including the rationale for the proposed research, a statement of specific aims and objectives, the experimental approaches to be used, and the potential significance of the research. Suggested length: one-half page.
  • Specific Aims. Provide a clear, concise point-by-point summary of the aims of the research proposed. Suggested length: one-half to one page.
  • Background and Significance. Explain background information necessary to understand the proposed project and its significance in relation to long-term research objectives. This section should include a critical evaluation of existing knowledge and should identify forward progress that the project is intended to provide. Suggested length: six pages.
  • Reference this section thoroughly with a focus on primary literature rather than review articles.
  • Preliminary Data. Succinctly describe preliminary experiments that justify the rationale and/or demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed research. 
  • Experimental Design and Methods. Discuss IN DETAIL the experimental design and procedures that will be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Describe the protocols to be used and provide a tentative sequence or timetable for the investigation. Include the means by which data will be analyzed and interpreted. Describe any new methodology and its advantage(s) over existing methodologies. Discuss potential technical difficulties and/or limitations, limitations in interpretation of the results, and alternative approaches that could be used to achieve the aims. Suggested length: eight pages.
  • References. List all references cited in the text, including all authors and the full title of the publication.


Length: 7-8 pages. 

At least eight references (all in-text citations must be listed on the references page; anything on the references page must have an in-text citation).

APA format; no first person (I, you, we, etc..)


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