Foundations of Research Inquiry 7001HSV Assignment

ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

COURSE

7001HSV_3521 Foundations of Research Inquiry

ASSESSMENT

A2 Proposal Part 1: Literature Review & Research Question

DUE DATE

WEIGHTING

40%

GENERAL INFORMATION

In this assessment item, you will develop a specific, focused, and answerable research question grounded in a critical review of existing literature. Your literature review should identify and highlight a gap in knowledge, demonstrating why your proposed research question is necessary and significant. To strengthen your justification, you will analyse and critique previous studies, identifying key theoretical, empirical, or methodological limitations that have not yet been addressed. Consider how your proposed study could build upon or extend prior research, offering new insights or addressing unresolved issues. A strong submission will:

• Conduct a critical review of relevant literature, focusing on gaps and overlooked

• Identify limitations in previous studies, including methodological or conceptual

• Clearly define a researchable question based on existing

• Articulate how your proposed study advances knowledge in the field as well as the impact to the

KEY INFORMATION

GUIDELINES FOR STRUCTURING A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Title page (not included in word count)

Your title page should include the following elements:

Title

• The title should be concise, specific, and informative (avoid vague or overly broad titles).

• It should reflect the main focus of your

Author

• Include your first and last name and sNumber

Affiliation

• Include the authors university, school, and program of

Date of submission

Main section (all elements included in word count)

Begin the main section on a new page and include page numbers, with the first page of the main section being labelled page 1 of xx. The main section of your research proposal should be organized with clear subheadings to enhance readability and coherence. Below is the recommended structure of the main section and word guideline:

Introduction

• 1?2 paragraphs; ~250 words

• The introduction should clearly articulate the real?world problem that your research addresses. This section should be accessible to professionals across different disciplines.

• Introduce the real?world problem and define key concepts. Clearly define the issue using laymans terms, ensuring accessibility for readers outside your If necessary, provide concise definitions of key concepts.

• State the importance and implications of the issue. Explain why this problem matterswhat are the broader implications? Who is affected, and why is change needed?

• Provide an overview of existing knowledge and highlight the research Provide a brief overview of the current state of knowledge. What has been explored in previous studies, and what remains unknown?

• Discuss the potential impact of filling this gaphow might your research contribute to improved practice, policy, or well?being?

• End with a preview of what your literature review will

Literature review

• 3?6 paragraphs; ~700 words

• The literature review should provide a critical analysis of existing research relevant to your topic, highlighting gaps in knowledge that justify your study.

• Use subheadings to organize major

• Discuss theoretical and conceptual frameworks relevant to your study. Reference relevant theories that underpin your research.

• Provide a critical analysis of previous studies (highlight limitations and gaps). Analyse existing research, identifying limitations in methodology, scope, or findings.

• Highlight what previous studies have not addressed and why this presents an opportunity for your Demonstrate how these gaps justify your research question.

• Your literature review should logically lead to your research aim and

Research aim, question(s), and hypothesis

• Subheadings and dot points; ~100 words

• Research aim ? Clearly articulate the overall goal of the

• Research Question(s) ? Formulate a concise, answerable question (limit sub?questions to 1?2).

• Hypothesis ? State a clear, testable hypothesis (If there are multiple hypotheses, list them concisely).

Statement of significance and impact

• 1?2 paragraphs; ~200 words

• Justify why this study is important

• Explain how it builds on existing literature

• Explain how it could influence policy, contribute to basic scientific knowledge and/or applied practice

• Explain how it might impact certain individuals and/or

References (not included in word count)

• Start the reference list on a new page

• Provide 15?35 references formatted in APA 7^th edition

• Only include scholarly and credible

• Format all references according to APA 7th

• Ensure that all in?text citations correspond with full references in the reference

Formatting and academic writing

To maintain professionalism and readability, follow these key academic writing principles:

Word count, language, tone, and clarity

• The total word count should not be exceeded

• Language should be clear and conciseavoid

• Maintain a formal academic tone (avoid conversational language).

• Write in third person (e.g., This study examines instead of I will examine).

Flow and structure

• Use signposting phrases to guide the reader (e.g., This section explores, The following review highlights).

• Ensure smooth transitions between

Proofreading and formatting

• Double?check grammar, spelling, and

• Use consistent

Frequently asked questions

If you have any questions, we encourage you to post this on the Discussion thread so that this will help out your peers as well.

Do I need to include my search strategy?

When writing up your Proposal Part 1 assignment, you do not need to include a search strategy. If you look at the marking criteria, you will see that this literature review asks you to do a broad search that connects different bodies of literature and includes theoretical/conceptual works. Your marker will be able to make decisions on how many sources you have found, and the quality of your literature from your reference list, and your analysis/critique contained in your body paragraphs.

Should I include literature that is more than ten years old?

In this assignment, we encourage you to include the latest empirical studies on your topic, and also to include theoretical/seminal/conceptual works which may be older. It is fine to include older works if they add value to your topic. Do not rely solely on articles that are 10+ years old. A few are OK but there must be recent literature in your review.

Can I go 10% over the word limit without losing marks?

No the marking team will stop reading when the word limit is reached, so anything over the word limit will not be marked.

Do I need to attach a cover sheet?

No physical or electronic cover sheet needs to be completed or attached to your assignment. The academic integrity declaration is located in the Course Profile. Acknowledgement and agreement of this declaration is automatically assumed upon enrolling in the course.

My text matching score is really highis this a problem?

You are encouraged to use the draft submission points to review your text matching score before submitting. Students often receive high text?matching scores on this assignment, given the tight word limit and the high number of references needed. If you have written the assignment in your own words, you will be fine. If you are concerned about accidental plagiarism, please reach out to the teaching staff, or you can read more about academic integrity.

Can the teaching staff review a draft of my work?

The teaching team cannot review full or partial drafts of your work. You can receive feedback on your work through SmartThinking, run through Griffith Library. While the teaching team cannot read your draft, they can offer feedback on your ideas so please share your thoughts in the online tutorials.