Theme: The choice of a scientific theme. Quoting and Paraphrasing

4. What are the various sections of a well-written research plan?

A well-written research plan contains two major sections: one, a statement of purpose; the other, an explanation of the method used.

5. What are the characteristics of a well-written statement of purpose?

A well-written statement of purpose tells the reader precisely what the author’s purpose was in doing the study and precisely what research questions the author sought to answer and/or what hypotheses she wanted to test. After reading this statement, there should be no doubt whatsoever in the reader’s mind as to what was being tested or studied.

6. What does the author focus on when discussing the method used?

A well-written research plan clearly defines the method used--that is, it gives the readers detailed information about how the study was conducted. That information pertains to the following specific aspects of the study: 1) the subjects, 2) the materials, 3) the procedures, and 4) the analyses.

7. What information should the author give about the subjects?

Each person who participates in a study is a subject, and in the method section of the research plan, the author should provide detailed information about the subjects. From this information, it should be clear to the reader 1) who the subjects were, 2) how many of them there were, 3) when and where they were studied, and 4) what their significant characteristics were. These characteristics might include age, gender, educational level, native language, level of proficiency in a foreign language, nationality, and socioeconomic status. It is also extremely important for the author to explain how the subjects in the study were chosen. Were they specifically selected, randomly selected, or self-selected?

8. What information should the author give about the materials?

In the method section of the research plan, the author should give detailed information on the materials and equipment that were used in the study. The materials will include such items as teaching materials, questionnaires, tests, and rating scales. If these materials were developed by the author or would otherwise be unfamiliar to a reader, then the author should provide detailed information about them; this information might include, for example, the range of possible scores and the scoring method, types of questions, and types of scales used. Samples of these materials should be included in the appendix. Information about the reliability or validity of tests or scales should be included in this section. Information about any equipment that was used in the study should also be given in this section.