Research Ideas Flashcards
What is the research process?
Step 1: Find an Idea
Step 1a: Find the search words that allow you to explore that idea
Step 1b: Find out that we already know A LOT about your idea
Step 1c: Refine your idea
Step 1d: Find out that we know A LOT about that idea too!
Step 1e… Refine your idea
What is applied research?
Applied research is directed toward solving practical problems
What is basic research?
Basis research involves studies that are intended to solve theoretical issues
How do you get started with research ideas?
Pick a GENERAL issue that interests you
- A specific type of behavior: I.e. risk-taking, narcissism, sleep, sustained attention,
prosocial behavior… - A particular group of individuals: I.e. children, adolescents, gen Z, middle-age,
elderly - A general topic: I.e. problem-solving, social media use, academic performance,
social support - Brainstorm!!! Use your peers…
When will informal sources such as google, science blogs, etc. be useful?
These might be useful when you are searching for relevant keywords to trying to understand an unfamiliar concept
When will formal sources such as PsychIN, PsycARTICLES, etc. be useful?
These are library databases that contain brief summaries of psychology-related articles and information on where to find the original publication
What is exploration not exhaustion?
Exploration should be fun (although it might feel a bit overwhelming!)
- The first steps should really just be for background information
- Do NOT try to read everything just enough to gain a good grasp of your topic
- Keep an open mind while you are exploring
- Let your background reading lead you to a more specific topic
- Ask questions as you read and write those questions down using the Source Grid
What are three common mistakes during the research process?
- Trying to come up with a research study instead of an interesting question
- When you are searching the literature you should not be worrying about designing a research study. Your goal is to come up with a Question that could eventually serve
as the basis for a research study - Trying to come up with a totally novel idea
- Your goal is not to come up with a completely novel question. Your goal is to expand on what is already known - Questioning your competence
- “I’m not smart enough”
True or False: Existing research will eventually lead you to an interesting question
True
What is a literature review?
A Literature Review will give you a wealth of
information about a topic (and the more recent the date of publication, the better)
Is a literature review a primary or secondary source?
A Secondary Source: It provides a summary of
many empirical studies
- Points out problems with prior research
- Often discusses questions that still need to be
addressed
What is an empirical study?
An empirical study will give you examples of how researchers are answering their own questions
Is an empirical study a primary or secondary source?
A Primary Source: It provides a firsthand report in which the authors describe their own observations
- Provides a background describing why the question is important
- Provides a model for how to frame a research question
- Provides ideas about study design
What is finding a “gap” in the research?
The “gap” is the missing piece or pieces in the research literature. It could be:
- An area that has not yet been explored
- An area that is under-explored
How do you identify a gap in research?
Identifying a gap in the research is not always easy
- It might require A LOT of reading to get familiar with what people have and have not explored
- Researchers often do not explicitly state that a gap in the literature exists
- But, you could try using search terms such as “literature gap” or “future research” “along with your subject keywords to pinpoint articles that include these types of statements.
What is an abstract?
An abstract is a brief summary of a psychology article
What is an introduction?
The introduction section of an empirical paper often provides information about what is NOT yet known
What is a great section of an empirical article to look for gaps?
The Discussion section of an empirical paper is a GREAT place to look for “Gaps”!!
-It describes the limitations (or shortcomings) of the study
- It typically suggests directions for future research
