PSY 418
In order to help you prepare for your observational paper, you will
develop three potential paper topics. Your TA will meet with you personally
next lab to discuss your three potential topics with you.
For each topic, develop a testable hypothesis. The correlation
examples from class are testable hypotheses (e.g., "People who
live in dirty houses often become ill").
Try to come up with hypotheses that are:
- Related to psychology (not a must).
- Are testable (a must)..
- Are easy to evaluate (i.e., you can collect the data without
weeks of work).
- You can find supporting literature.
The last part about the supporting literature is important. Include
with each hypothesis two references that back up the idea you want to
test. You want your ideas to be somewhat grounded in what is already
known and not to be out of the blue (i.e., something you thought would
work out soley because your intuitions told you it would). You can use
PsychINFO or some other database to come up with your references.
Your hypothesis can extend a previous idea in a slightly
different direction. I know this may be difficult for you to do, but
do your best because this will help you in formulating your paper's
introduction (which motivates your observational study).
As discussed in class, your study should be a naturalistic observation
study. In other words, you won't interact with the subjects in
your study and they shouldn't know they are in a study. If you
are *very* interested in doing a different kind of study, please
talk to your TA or me about it.
We recommend that you talk with your TA about your paper ideas prior to next lab to ensure that you have time to finish your paper. One suggestion is turning in your lab early and meeting with your TA prior to next lab or briefly discussing the feasibility of your study over email after turning in the lab.