Your final proposal should be approximately 8 pages in length (title page, original introduction,

Your final proposal should be approximately 8 pages in length (title page, original introduction, TCPS assignment, references and appendices not included). Proposals longer than 8 pages are fine, but please check with me about the page length if it will exceed 10 pages. 4 Summer 2021
Your proposal will be structured much like a primary research journal article, and should follow that basic format, except that you are not required to (and must not) carry out the study. This means that you will not be including Results/Findings, Conclusions or Discussions sections. The one slightly different twist is to remind you that this proposal is part of a methods course, so remember that my interest is more focused on the methodological issues and terminology, and the research choices you made (and why) that are applicable to your proposed questions.
 
Title Page
The title of your paper should convey the subject matter in 15 words or less. Do not call it anything like “Crim 1208 Project” (this gives no information about content), or “A Quantitative Analysis” (not specific enough). A title like “Left Out in the Cold: An Analysis of the Needs of Abused Women in Temporary Shelters in Surrey, BC ” is much better; right away, the reader can see what it is about. Your name, student number, section number and class date/time, and my name should appear somewhere on this cover page. Remember to spell my name correctly – Chris Giles.
Introduction
The literature review contextualizes your proposal within the broader literature and is related to the specific elements your research question(s)/foci. Most importantly, it should provide a useful framework for the methods section. My advice is to be specific about the research question(s)/foci you propose to address. In essence, a literature review presents past research on the specific components of your research focus/question. It should be organized thematically and is not a listed summary of past research (which is called an annotated bibliography). You may include past research from anywhere (i.e., does not have to be restricted to BC or Canada), as long as it is academic. In addition, the majority of your sources should be primary research (sources with a methods section), not books or literature reviews (referred to as secondary academic sources).
Some issues you should consider when outlining your literature review:
 _What have other researchers said about your specific topic and the elements of your topic?
o This can include theory that is relevant to your proposed research.
o However, it must be focused on research findings from past research.
 _Are there consistencies in findings or do past studies disagree?
 
For the purposes of this course a general guideline is that the literature review should be approximately 3 to 4 pages and it must include 8 to 10 academic sources (you may use 2 secondary sources total). This includes the three extra sources included in your introduction, but not the three you used in the text of your introduction. Also, please be aware that you will need to examine more primary research than the first 8 to 10 sources you find in a search list. Many of the sources you review may not be directly related to your specific topic (not just your broad topic, for example mental illness in policing). Generally, this assessment of relevance may be done quickly and we will have a tutorial on this during the semester. 5 Summer 2021
 
Method (50%)
This is a primary component of your paper and will be much more detailed than the methods sections that typically appear in published journal articles. The questions noted below are not exhaustive and should be used as guidelines. How these sections are addressed will depend on your approach to the proposed research. You must use source material, (the class text at a minimum). The key here is to explain your methods well enough so that it is clear to me what you are proposing to do and why, and the link between your research question(s) and your methods should be clear. Your method should be approximately 4 to 5 pages in length and should use the sub-headings indicated below.
I) Research Purpose (5%)
 _What is the purpose of the proposed research?
 _What are the specific components of the proposed research and why are they important?
 _What are your primary research questions/hypotheses?
 
II) Sample selection/site (10%)
 _Who or what will you study in order to collect the data?
 _What are the units of analysis in specific concrete terms?
 _What are the criteria for inclusion in your sample?
 _Identify how you will contact/acquire access to this sample? (Sample selection and solicitation)
o Who are the gatekeepers and how they will be negotiated?
 _What is your desired sample size?
 _How will you accomplish the sample selection? (Sampling technique and procedure)
 
III) Research technique/data collection procedure (15%)
 _What is the nature of the approach that is being proposed and why is it appropriate? (i.e., exploratory, qualitative, etc.)
 _How will the data be collected? (data collection technique and research instrument selection)
 _How will rapport be established with participants?
 _Are the proposed methodology and data collection techniques justified?
 _How will you collect data from participants? What is the specific process?
o Describe the location/setting.
o How will information be recorded and why is this appropriate? (Video, audio, hand written, etc.)
 _What methods will be implemented to ensure reliable and valid data? (quantitative)
 _What procedures of trustworthiness/validity will be employed to ensure the quality of the data? (qualitative)
6 Summer 2021
 
 
IV) Research Question/Empirical indicators/Key Concepts (10%)
 
This section will be quite different depending on your research questions and approach (qualitative/quantitative).
If your study is quantitative/positivist you will need to address:
 _What are the key variables in the study?
 _How will the key variables be defined and measured?
 _Do definitions and measurement methods duplicate or differ from those of previous research on this topic?
 _Was the research instrument discussed and explained with reference to the research questions? (a copy of the instrument may be provided in the appendix)
 _Is there a clear link between the research questions and the indicators?
 
If your study is qualitative/constructionist you will need to address:
 _What are the categories of information to be collected?
 _How will you ensure that detailed information is collected? (Discussion of probes, prompts and follow-ups)
 _Was a discussion of reflexivity given?
 _Is there a clear link between the research question(s)/foci and the categories of information to be collected?
 
V) Ethical Implications (10%)
 
This section addresses:
 _What are the potential impacts (harms/benefits) that the research project could have on those you plan to study?
 _How will you ensure that participants/sites are not harmed by the research? (informed consent forms may be attached in an appendix)
o Did you address Informed consent, voluntary, confidentiality/anonymity?
 _Are there specifically considerations because of the unique needs of the participants? (vulnerable populations)