Sample Proposal

The effect of (independent variable) on (dependent variable)

 Author(s)

 University of Illinois at Chicago

Abstract

Here put an abstract of your proposal. In the first sentence say what you are interested in studying. Give some reasons why there might be an effect based on previous work.  Tell how you are going to test this. Tell what you predict should happen, based on your hypothesis.  Say all this in the future tense (in this experiment I will test...)
 

Introduction

Now you are going to make each of those sentences into a paragraph. The first paragraph is an opening paragraph that just describes what you are interested in studying. You can establish why it might be interesting to study this --

In a second paragraph, you need to cite and summarize atleast one paper that gives you reason to believe that there might be an effect.

In a third paragraph, either cite and describe a second paper that supports your proposed effect, OR cite a paper that explains why you might not find an effect (or might find the opposite of the expected effect).

 In a fourth paragraph, state the main question. Say how you are going to test your question (in the future tense). Briefly describe the participants, materials and the task they will do. Finally, state what you expect to happen and support it with reference to prior studies.

Method

Participants.
Describe your sample and population.
The participants will be undergraduate students enrolled in the Cognitive Lab. Describe any pertinent demographics. How many subjects will be run in each condition? How many conditions will there be?

Materials.
Describe the stimulus materials. Put a print out of your materials in an appendix, but describe them here: How many words/problems/lists etc. will participants receive? Also describe the content, purpose, and the source of the information if possible. Describe any differences in materials between conditions.

Procedure.
Describe exactly what students will do from the moment they walk in to the room. What instructions will they be given. What will they do. What will be measured? How will it be measured (what are your dependent measures -- reaction time, accuracy)? If the manipulation is in the method -- in the task that students are asked to do -- describe the manipulation here (give both sets of instructions). Describe how students will be assigned to condition (randomize or block randomize).

Prediction.
Explain what your hypothesis is and how you will analyze your data to test your hypothesis.