PSYC 565 Psychology of Learning

Introduction:

The introduction portion of the Research Paper: Final Assignment will include a general discussion of the area of applied research and why it is important. This section will also discuss the learning principles and methods used in this area of research. Be sure to cite the papers that originally proposed a theory or model and papers that originally applied a learning principle to an applied area of research. For example, if the topic of the Research Paper: Final Assignment is “relapse among drug addicted individuals,” then the introduction would include a discussion of spontaneous recovery of operant behavior and how this learning principle has been applied to drug addiction research. Be sure to also make a strong case for why the issue, to which the learning principle is being applied, is important (e.g. how many people does it affect, how much money does it cost society). Most importantly, the introduction should also clearly state the hypothesis of the Research Paper: Final Assignment. The hypothesis will become a touchstone that you continually draw the reader’s attention back to throughout the Research Paper: Final Assignment (e.g., “These findings support the hypothesis that…” or “These findings are inconsistent with the hypothesis that…”).

2.    Paper Outline & References

Welcome to week two of our class! This week, we will lean about classical conditioning and its applications. We will consider how the human brain responds to repeated events and how memories of past occurrences lead us to anticipate future events. 

This week, we will also begin building the outline for your final research paper.

Your assignment this week is to build an outline and find five references in support of your topic. 

Here are some VERY helpful tips in completing this week’s assignment:

1.    Use the outline provided in the assignment area, but only complete sections 1 and 5 for this week.

You will be submitting your introduction (including your topic, background information, and hypothesis) and at least five references. It might also help to look ahead to the Research Paper Final Assignment instructions to get some helpful tips on the information needed in the introduction section. 

2.    Regarding your topic selection, be sure to choose a learning theory or principle to apply to your chosen topic/population. For example, you could write about the role of context conditioning in substance abuse. You could also write about the role of operant conditioning in treatment programs for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The important thing is that you pick a learning principle or theory to apply to the topic/population of interest to you.

3.    It will be important to carefully craft your research question to guide your research and writing process. As you evaluate your research question, ask yourself these questions:

a.    Is the question clear? Generally, there is so much research available on any given topic. Ensure your question is as clear as possible to direct your research and writing. 

b.    Is the question focused? Make sure your question is specific enough to be covered in the 10-page requirement for this assignment.

c.    Is the question complex? Research questions should not be answerable with a simple “yes” or “no” or by easily-found facts.  They should, instead, require both research and analysis on the part of the writer. They often begin with “How” or “Why.”

4.    It will also be important to carefully articulate your hypothesis. Remember that a hypothesis includes an educated, expected prediction of the outcome. What do you anticipate will be the findings of your paper? A good hypothesis is a statement, not a question, that tells the reader who is being studied, what variables are present, and what the prediction is based on past research. For example: “Schools that utilize operant conditioning principles as part of behavioral programming for children with autism spectrum disorder can effectively teach positive behaviors.”