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Qualitative Assignment 2023

The PSY3007S Research Proposal Assignment requires students to conceptualize a qualitative research project by writing a proposal that reflects their understanding of qualitative methodologies and theoretical perspectives. Students must choose a research topic related to motherhood among university students, South African masculinities, intimate partner violence, or farmworkers' experiences, and justify their methodological choices. The proposal should include sections on literature review, research aims, questions, methods, ethical considerations, reflexivity, significance, and a conclusion, with a submission deadline of September 29, 2023.

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Qualitative Assignment 2023

The PSY3007S Research Proposal Assignment requires students to conceptualize a qualitative research project by writing a proposal that reflects their understanding of qualitative methodologies and theoretical perspectives. Students must choose a research topic related to motherhood among university students, South African masculinities, intimate partner violence, or farmworkers' experiences, and justify their methodological choices. The proposal should include sections on literature review, research aims, questions, methods, ethical considerations, reflexivity, significance, and a conclusion, with a submission deadline of September 29, 2023.

Uploaded by

mkajee08
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PSY3007S: Qualitative Research Methods

Research Proposal Assignment


Due Date: Friday 29th September 2023 (12h00 noon)

The aim of this assignment is to give students the experience of conceptualising a


qualitative research project. You are expected to write a research proposal which reflects not
only your understanding of qualitative research methodologies, but also the theoretical
perspectives that inform our research practices.

In writing a research proposal you are expected to think about the theoretical and
methodological decisions you are making and clearly justify your decisions by explaining to
the reader why the methods and approaches you have chosen are most suitable for your study.

The proposal should tell the reader the following:


• What your study is about
• Why the study is important or why it warrants an investigation
• Who it is important to/who is affected by the phenomenon you want to study
• What the contribution is that you want to make to that particular research area
• How you will go about conducting your research - methodology
• What informs how you go about conducting your study – theoretical perspectives

Research topics:
You need to choose one of the following research topics:
• Motherhood among university students at UCT
• South African Masculinities
• Intimate partner violence experiences within university spaces
• The experiences of farmworkers in the Western Cape

Keep in mind:
• The list above presents four broad topics. You will be responsible for formulating
qualitative research questions around the topic that you choose. For example, if
you choose the topic on motherhood among university students, you would need
to formulate specific research questions that you would want to ask about it. You
should reflect on the following:
o What is it that I want to know/study about motherhood among university
students (or any of the above topics)?
o What does existing research say about being a mother/mothering while in
university?
o What does research not tell us or what is missing in these existing
studies?
o Who are the participants in the existing studies and who has not been
studied?
o What methodologies are used in these studies and which methodologies
are not used?
o In what way, then, can I contribute to the knowledge that is already out
there in relation to this topic?

Your proposal should reflect:


• The philosophical foundations that inform your research
• Your own theoretical standpoints or perspectives from which you think/write that
shape how you approach research
• The approaches and methods you will adopt in your study and why these are
most suitable

Proposal structure:

• Introduction and literature review: give the reader an overview of the


topic/issue you want to study, why this is an important topic, what research has
been conducted on the topic and what that research has found, and how these
existing studies inform your own questions. You need to source literature that is
relevant to your chosen topic and reference these studies.
• Research aims and rationale: What are the aims and objectives of your study?
What is your contribution to existing knowledge/work in this area? What
theoretical/methodological gaps does your study address?
• Research questions: You need to frame a specific question that your study
seeks to ask in relation to the topic chosen. This question can be informed by
your own interests or experience (what you have observed about the topic), as
well as gaps within existing literature that you think need to be addressed or
specific questions that existing studies raise but do not quite address. Explain why
this is an important/relevant question to ask and who it is important/relevant to.
You need to have one main question and 2-3 sub-questions that explore your
main question in more detail (see examples of research proposals).
• Methods: Here you will discuss how you will go about conducting your study. You
do not only list the approaches and methodologies, but also have to explain why
the methods and approaches you choose are most suitable for your study. This
section should reflect:
o The philosophical foundations of your research
o The theoretical perspectives that inform your work
o The approach that is relevant to your study and why (e.g. ethnography,
grounded theory etc.)
o Who your target participants are and how you will go about recruiting them
(sampling strategies).
o The specific methods of data collection and why these chosen methods
(e..g interviews, observations etc.). You need to outline the procedure for
how you will go about collecting your data.
o The methods of data analysis and why these chosen methods (e.g.
thematic analysis). You need to outline the steps you will follow in your
analysis.
• Ethical considerations: Discuss the relevant ethical issues for your studies and
reflect on how you will address these issues. Here you need to discuss questions
of informed consent, voluntary participation, confidentiality etc. in relation to how
they apply to your study.
• Reflexivity: You need to explain how your own positioning (identity – class, race,
education, gender etc.) in relation to the research and participants will
shape/influence how you approach the study, the kinds of questions you ask, how
you engage participants and the kinds of information/data you will receive. You
also need to reflect on your own biases and assumptions about the topic and how
these inform/influence the study.
• Significance of your study: Discuss the significance/relevance of your study
and the potential impact/changes it will make in not only the lives of those you
study (if it all), but also in society more broadly and to the research community
and the project of knowledge creation. Would the findings of this study make any
policy impact in society?
• Conclusion: Here you draw together your main argument for the study and
discuss briefly what it is you expect to find through this research project.

Due date and instructions:

This assignment is due on Friday the 29th of September 2023 at 12h00 (noon). Late
submission penalties will apply.
• You must submit your assignment in a single Word document on Vula (no
hardcopies will be accepted). Your assignment will also go through Turnitin to
check for plagiarism.
• Marks: This assignment will count for 12% of your overall mark for the course.
• Length: 5-8 (8 pages max) typed pages EXCLUDING the reference list
• Format: Times New Roman / Arial, 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing
• Please note that your assignment must be in a Word document. If you submit
your assignment in any other format, you will be asked to re-submit and your
assignment will be considered late (the 5% deduction for every 24 hours will take
effect).
• Your assignment should follow general assignment guidelines in that it should
have:
o A cover page
o Plagiarism declaration
o A reference list (at least 8 sources and use APA)

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