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PSYC 461/561: Learning and Memory

Research Guide for PSYC 461/561

Building an Outline Of Your Research Proposal

For your outline you will organize sources and evidence into themes and arguments, and then organize themes and arguments to logically build the narrative for your research study (and its importance) and also your methods section. Use these outline examples and the Write Your Research Proposal page to help you structure your outline.

Step 1: Identify the information you want to use from your sources

  • What key information, issues, theories, approaches, evidence, and/or arguments will you use to build your literature review and study methods?

Step 2: Identify relationships, links, and common themes

  • What relationships and links do you see between the information you want to use from each of your sources?
  • What common themes and arguments can you build from the information and evidence in your sources?

Step 3: Arrange themes and arguments

  • How can you arrange your themes and arguments hierarchically and sequentially so that they logically build towards a compelling narrative of the studies that build to your research study and why your study is important?
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