PSY2280 Winter – 2023 Page 1
PSY2280 – RESEARCH PROPOSAL – TERM PAPER ASSIGNMENT
To: PSY2280 – Social Psychology

PURPOSE & OVERVIEW:
For this assignment, students must prepare a Research Proposal that builds on an existing body of
knowledge in an area of Social Psychology that is of interest to the student. The purpose and intent of
this assignment is to provide students with a pragmatic experience and personal understanding about the
nature and rigor in the development of Behavioral and Social Science research. This exercise will
provide students with an understanding of the knowledge, skills, and abilities to conduct Academic,
Ethical and Biased-free research.
Upon successful completion of this assignment, students will have gained a practical experience of
writing an academically based Research Proposal. In addition, students will pragmatically demonstrate
their ability to research, write and defend the value of a Research Proposal for a body of research.
THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL ASSIGNMENT
Students will write a Research Proposal for a body of research they would like to conduct in an area of
Social Psychology that they personally find interesting. This Term Assignment must have a minimum of
five (5) Academic – Peer Reviewed – Journal Article sources (in addition to their Textbook) with a
discussion of at least two (2) Social Psychology theories, which come from the class course Textbook.
Students are strongly advised to review and follow the Marking Rubric to ensure they address all the
salient and essential areas of discussion that the instructor will be looking for. Please use the Marking
Rubric as your Essay Outline.
ASSIGNMENT PARAMETERS
This Term Paper Assignment is worth 25% on your final grade:
– Students must choose a Social Psychology topic that is discussed or derived from the readings
within the Chapters 4 – 11 of the Class Course Textbook,
– Students must address all points four (4) sections of the Research Proposal Assignment that are
listed on page 3 of the document,
– Students must have a minimum of five (5) Academic – Peer Reviewed – Journal Article sources
discussed in their Literature Review (Students MUST NOT use any Non-Academic sources),
– Students must identify, define, and discuss at least two (2) Social Psychology theories that help
explain or say something about the topic of their research proposal,
o The discussion of theories MUST COME FROM the class textbook ‘Social Psychology’
by ‘Kassin, Fein & Markus,’ and
– Students must use the APA 7th Ed. writing style.
PSY2280 Winter – 2023 Page 2
TERM PAPER ASSIGNMENT
Students must choose a specific Social Psychology topic from within the list of nine (9) Chapters found on
page 2 of this document. Exactly what Social Psychology topic students choose is up to the individual, but it
must be a topic discussed within Chapters 4 – 11 in the Class Course Textbook. Students will write a
Research Proposal for a body of research they are personally interested in on a Social Psychology topic.

A Research Proposal is presented using Outline Format Lettering, as noted below.
– But each section must be written in paragraph form.
YOUR PROPOSAL MUST ADDRESS ALL FOUR (4) OF THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS:
A. Introduction
– Provide a brief overview of what the body of research you propose to complete;
– Identify the Research Question your research will answers
– Explain why this is important research to perform; and,
(i.e., how it fills a gap in the present body of knowledge).
B. Rationale for the Research
– Provide a background discussion that argues why this research is important to do; and,
– Explain what observation(s) led you toward this body of research (i.e., what tweaked your
interest in this).
C. The Literature Review (or Review of the Literature)
– Research what is already known about the related topic;
– Write a building and cohesive argumentative discussion in an essay format.
– Did not simply recite what each author did, learned or said, but build a discussion; and,
– Discussed how their research would then fill a gap in the existing research.
D. Discussion of Social Psychology Theory
– Students must identify and discuss a minimum of two (2) Social Theories.
– These theories MUST come specifically from the Class Course Textbook:
‘Social Psychology’ by ‘Kassin, Fein & Markus’.
– Students must name and fully define the theory in your own words; and,
– Students must discuss how this theory helps to guide and explain something about nature of
the topic of their proposed research.
PSY2280 Winter – 2023 Page 3
Chapter List for Term Paper Topics
Student should review discussions in the various chapters listed below to find a topic that is of
particular interest and appeal to the student.
– Students must then review what is already known about the general topic in literature and then
write a proposal for an area of research that needs to be addressed.

Chapter 4 Perceiving Persons
Chapter 5 Stereotypes, Prejudice and Discrimination
Chapter 6 Attitudes
Chapter 7 Conformity
Chapter 8 Group Processes
Chapter 9 Attraction and Close Relationships
Chapter 10 Helping Others
Chapter 11 Aggression
PSY2280 Winter – 2023 Page 4
PARAMETERS – FOR THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
The Research Proposal Term Paper must be submitted in APA (7th Ed.).
You must learn the APA writing style for College/University courses.
– The APA (7th Ed,) Publication Manual is available in the College bookstore, or alternatively you
review Purdue Owl available at: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/
– For the most current information on citing electronic sources (such as online articles from
Academic Journal Article databases), go to the APA site: http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html
THIS IS AN ACADEMIC – PEER REVIEWED – RESEARCH BASED RESEARCH PROPOSAL
This is Research Proposal (not a typical essay) that is written with outline lettering.
– This is not an Opinion Paper where you state your own beliefs.
– Your discussion of the Literature Review is a set building, cohesive argumentative discussions.
– The content of your Literature Review will only use empirical evidence from Academic – Peer
Reviewed – Research.
WRITING STYLE FORMAT
Typically, the length is around 6–8 typed pages (8-pages maximum), but this does not include the
required Title & Reference pages).
– Your margins must be 2.5cm (1 inch) – all around.
– Double space all paragraphs and the References page
– Must appropriately use outline Headers and Sub-headers (see sample paper)
– Use only Times New Roman – 12-point font.
– Always Write in 3rd Person (i.e., the Objective – Academic Voice)
— No use of: ‘I, me, we, us…’
PROOF READING TIP:
Please proofread and edit your proposal before you submit your paper.
– Read your proposal out loud (to yourself or a friend), or
– Use the ‘Read Aloud’ feature on WORD – REVIEW to hear all your mistakes, and
– Then let it sit for 24-hours – and then read/review it again…
DUE DATE:
– Thursday evening March 16, 2023.
– No later than 11:59pm (mid-night).
– No late papers will be accepted after the due date/time…
SUBMISSION:
– Upload your Academic Research Paper electronically to the CANVAS Drop Box (found within your
Assignment Module); and,
– The CANVAS – Assignment Drop Box will automatically submit your Annotated Bibliography to
www.turnitin.com, a website that checks your paper for plagiarism.