Students will write a report (APA format) describing a research study they design in their area of study. This report will include the introduction, participants/sampling method, procedures, data analysis, and results/conclusions.
STAT500 Spring SE
1
2013
Final Project
Due Date:
MONDAY 7-01-2013
Total Points: 150 points (see scoring rubric)
Description
Students will write a report (APA format) describing a research study they design in their area of study. This report will include the introduction, participants/sampling method, procedures, data analysis (using one of the statistical tests covered in this class), and results/conclusions. This should be your own research study that you design. This is not an evaluation of published research. YOU CANNOT USE ONE OF THE STUDIES THAT YOU ALREADY PRESENTED IN THE WEEKS 5 – 7 FORUM.
NOTE: You are NOT required to collect data or run the analysis. Based on your understanding of your research question, make-up numbers that would be appropriate for your study. These numbers should make sense in the context of your research, however.
Requirements:
Report – maximum of five pages, double-space. Be sure to include a cover page, abstract and reference list (these 3 pages do not count as three of the five pages). You must use APA for the report. For an example, see
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/18/
. I recommend that you have no more than two direct quotes in your paper. You must submit your project to Turnitin (see page 2).
Components of the Report:
Introduction:
Description of the study including the purpose and importance of the research question being asked. What is your null hypothesis? What is your research or alternative hypothesis? Your introduction should include at least two resources. These resources MUST be from peer-reviewed journals. You must use other resources and correctly cite (such as our text) when describing statistical concepts.
Participants/Sampling Method: Describe the sample collected for the study, as well as the sampling method. How were your participants selected? Who is your population of interest? If you did a survey, how many will you survey to ensure your target sample size? How did you come up with that number? What do you expect your response rate to be? What was your sample size? How representative is the sample of the population under study?
Procedures: How were the data collected? Was a survey or questionnaire used to collect data? What are the independent and dependent variables? How are the variables defined and measured? Are the variables nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio measurement scales? Are the data collected in a way that avoids bias? What is your selected alpha level?
Data Analysis: What statistical test was used to analyze the data? Describe the statistical test. What are the requirements? Did you meet those requirements? Describe why your selected method was appropriate to answer your research question. Make up a test statistic value. Given that value, do you reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis? Is your p < .05 or p > .05 (assuming alpha = .05)?
Results & Discussion: Did your analysis answer your research question? Explain. What are the practical implications of your results?
References: All references should be included in APA format.
Steps for Turnitin:
1. Under Weekly Materials, Week 7, click on Week Seven: Forum Tasks & Assignments; Final Project Turnitin Submission.
· Submit your final project to Turnitin by clicking on ‘View/Complete’ under ‘Final Project Turnitin Submission’. Follow the instructions to upload. Turnitin will generate an Originality Report for your work. Please note, it may take up to 20+ minutes for it to complete the review. You can log out and come back later, if you like. If you wait until the last minute to submit, you may experience greater delays in receiving your originality report.
2. Review your Originality Report and evaluate your work.
· At the MBA level, we are aiming for an index number from Turnitin.com between 25-30%. That means that 70-75% or your written work is in your own words. To earn the max of 10 points on the final project for Turnitin, your Originality Report must not exceed 30%.
3. Once you have finalized your final project, upload your final project in Blackboard by clicking on ‘Final Project Upload’. You must upload a Word document in Blackboard to receive credit for the final project.
PAGE
1
STAT500 Final Project Scoring Rubric
Name_________________________
___25_Introduction
__5____ Purpose
__5____ Importance of research
__10___ Null and research/alternative hypothesis
__5____ 2 Peer-Reviewed resources (other resources used to summarize statistical concepts (e.g., Triola) must be used but do not count as the two peer-reviewed resources)
___25_Participants/Sampling Method
__5____ Description of sample
__10___ Sampling method and why that method was appropriate
__5____ Population of interest/representativeness of sample
__5___ Sample size/rationale behind sample size
___25_Procedures
__5____ How will data be collected – was a survey or questionnaire used?
__10___ Independent and dependent variables defined/how measured
__5____ Level of measurement of variables
__5____ Alpha level
___30_Data Analysis
__10___ Correct statistical test to answer research question and description of test
__10___ Rational behind selection of statistical test/why was this statistical test appropriate to answer your research question
__10___ p value < or > alpha level; reject or fail to reject null hypothesis
___15_Results & Discussion
__10___ Correct interpretation of statistical test (Conclusion based on whether or not the null hypothesis was rejected)
__5____ Implications
___20_Overall
__10___ Readability of paper
__10___ APA format
___10_Turnitin
__10___ Turnitin
___150_Total
