Urban Ecology Research Design

Final Paper

Due March 11, 2003

The final paper will articulate the research design for the team project. It will include: a revised research question, testable hypotheses, specific research design and methods.

1) Statement of the Research Problem

- Introduction: brief statement describing the importance of the topic. What are the social, theoretical, and normative implications of your research?

- Research question: What is the central research question that you are investigating?

2) Literature review

Using your annotated bibliography, briefly summarize previous research. Please keep the review relevant to the central question of the paper, which should be the central organizing theme of your paper.

- How existing research has previously addressed your question.

- How does your research improve upon the existing literature?

3) Conceptual Model and Research Hypothesis

Develop a conceptual model to describe your question and hypothesis.

- How do your research question and hypothesis fit in the Urban Ecology Framework

- Define important concepts and definitions that you will use in your research

4) Research Methods

Describe and explain the actual design or your proposed research.

- Sampling: What is the target population? What sampling procedures will you use?

- Measurement: describe how you plan to operationalize important variables. How are the variables related to the concepts used in the conceptual/theoretical framework?

- Data Collection Protocols: Specific data collection strategies including detailed Survey Questionnaire

- Statistical Analysis: What specific statistical analysis techniques and tests will be used in your research?

6) Expected Results

Explain how your chosen strategy will answer your questions. Why the methodology selected is most appropriate.

7) Limitations

Are any relevant shortcomings/limitations? Describe and evaluate measurement reliability and validity. Discuss limitations of your approach.

8) References