Topic, Key Variables, and Research Questions/Hypotheses
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NewMicrosoftWordDocument4.docxSTEP 1: Choosing a topic is a critical step in writing the capstone paper. It is impossible to write a successful paper with a poorly chosen topic. Try to select a topic you already know something about and in which you have an interest. The best topics may come from other classes you have taken. Thus, if you have not had classes in intercultural communication or nonverbal communication, it may be unwise to write a paper on these topics. Your topic must be related to the communication discipline and be one in which you can locate research from communication publications.
Your topic must be specific. You need to focus on a small aspect of a theory or a phenomenon that you find interesting and decide what specific key variables you would like to examine within this specific theoretical framework. The easiest approach is to start with completing the The following statement: I want to investigate the effect of X (ie, an independent variable) on Y (a dependent variable). There could be multiple Xs or multiple Ys. Note, however, that simplicity is key to a successful Capstone proposal. Avoid complicated study designs since you are not graded based on the complexity of your ideas.
Note that a theory is NOT a variable. Thus, a statement “I want to study the effect of reactance theory on attitude change” is incorrect. The theory of psychological reactance is about the effects of a threat to freedom on people's behaviors and attitudes. Therefore, one of the correct alternatives to the above statement is: "I am interested in the theory of psychological reactance. Within this theory, I want to study the effect of a threat to freedom on attitude change."
STEP 2: Label your IVs and DVs. Your variables must be clearly labeled to indicate how these variables vary: For example, if you want to study physical attraction (a continuous variable), then the label should be the amount of physical attraction. Based on this label, it is clear that this variable can vary from zero to a larger amount of attraction. If your variable is nominal, for example, communication medium, first, provide the overall label for your variable (ie, communication medium) and then in parentheses list the options (eg, face-to-face vs. computer-mediated). From this label, it is clear that your variable varies between two dichotomous options: face-to-face communication versus computer-mediated communication.
STEP 3: Operationalization deals with how you are going to measure or manipulate (if you are designing an experiment) your variables. At this stage, you might not be able to fully answer this question, but I would like to see that you have some initial ideas about how to approach your variables. To operationalize “the amount of attraction,” you will eventually need to look for some existing scale of measuring attraction. To operationalize the communication medium, you need to describe briefly your experimental procedures, mentioning that some participants in your study will be asked to interact face-to-face, and others will be asked to interact via instant messenger.
STEP 4: Write out your hypotheses (Hs) and/or research questions (RQs).
You can have multiple hypotheses and research questions. If you have multiple Hs and RQs, they must be labeled consecutively: H1, H2, H3, etc. or RQ1, RQ2, RQ3, etc.
All of your IVs and DVs must be represented in your Hs and RQs (see an example below).
How do you know whether you have a hypothesis versus a research question? If you do not have a specific directional prediction, then you have a research question. If you are making a specific directional prediction explaining what you expect to happen in a particular case, then you have a hypothesis. For example,
RQ: What is the relationship between the communication medium (face-to-face vs. computer-mediated) and the amount of self-disclosure?
H: Communication medium affects the amount of self-disclosure such that computer-mediated communication results in less self-disclosure as compared to face-to-face communication.
Note that the RQ and H above deal with the same general issue, but the prediction in the H is much more precise than the suggestion that there might be a relationship between communication medium and self-disclosure proposed in the RQ. There should NOT be redundant predictions: Thus, you need to keep either the research question or the hypothesis. In social sciences, it is always preferred to keep a hypothesis because the more precise the prediction, the better.
Hs and RQs are written in the present (or future) tense.
Example 1 (an experiment)
Topic: I am interested in the role anger may play in social identity theory. In particular, I am interested in the effects of anger-provoking media messages on people’s attitudes toward political candidates of different parties.
