APA Style Research Paper Proposal Example
The American Psychological Association (APA) style is one of the most commonly used formats for research papers in fields like education, humanities, and social sciences. This style guide specifies rules for formatting manuscripts and citing research sources in-text and in the reference section. When writing a research proposal in APA style, the paper should contain several key sections: a title page, abstract, introduction, method, and references. Below is a more detailed explanation of an APA style research proposal example.
Title Page
The title page should contain a running head with the title in all capital letters and a page number flushed right. The running head is a shortened version (no more than 50 characters including spaces) of the paper title. The full title should be centered in the upper half of the page. Include your name and affiliation below the title. For student papers, the affiliation is usually the name of the educational institution.
Abstract
The abstract provides a brief but comprehensive overview of the paper. In a research proposal, the abstract typically includes the research purpose, objectives or hypotheses, participants, methods, anticipated results, and potential implications or conclusions. The abstract is usually around 150-250 words in length. It should not include citations or references. The abstract should be placed on a separate page after the title page.
Introduction
The introduction should provide context for the research question being addressed. It should describe the significance and background of the research topic. Here, you can explain the research problem and why it needs to be studied. Reference previous studies on the topic and discuss any gaps, controversies, or areas needing further research. Based on the literature review, you can identify the research hypotheses or questions that will guide your study. The introduction section ends with a thesis statement that provides a justification for the research.
Method
The method section describes the overall research design and procedures for data collection. It should allow another researcher to replicate the study. Key components of the method section for a proposal may include:
Research Design: Identify whether the study is experimental, correlational, quasi-experimental, etc.
Participants: Describe the target population and sampling procedures. Include desired sample size and any inclusion/exclusion criteria.
Materials/Measures: Describe any instruments, scales, inventories, items, software, tools, or equipment that will be used to gather data. Cite scales that have existing reliability/validity data. For newly created measures, describe development and pilot testing procedures.
Procedures: Describe the step-by-step procedures for recruiting and interacting with participants. Provide details on informed consent, testing conditions, order of measures, time commitments, compensation, etc.
Research Questions and Hypotheses: Clearly state the research questions or hypotheses to be tested. Present them in hypothesis form if possible, with directional predictions when applicable.
Data Analysis: Describe how the data will be organized and analyzed statistically to address the hypotheses. Specify the statistical tests that will be used for each analysis.
Limitations: Acknowledge potential limitations or weaknesses that may be present based on the proposed design and methodology.
Ethical Considerations
This section should describe how ethical standards will be maintained. This includes obtaining informed consent from participants, ensuring confidentiality of any identifiable data, describing any risks or benefits of participation, and obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval if required.
References
The reference section lists full citations in APA style for each source used or cited within the proposal. The references should be formatted according to APA publication manual style and double spaced, with a running head and page number on subsequent pages. Only include literature actually cited within the body of the proposal. The references help to evaluate and support the key points made throughout.
With these core elements clearly addressed, an APA style research proposal can serve as an effective blueprint for a future study. The proposal demonstrates comprehension of the relevant literature and methodology, while also laying the groundwork for obtaining necessary approvals and support for carrying out the research project. Following the APA format and style guide helps to establish credibility and organization. Proper construction of a research proposal is an important initial step toward making a scholarly contribution to a field of study.