Please I need a Research/ Thesis Topic + Proposal in the field of Psychology ( Special Educational Needs Precisely) Please find attached documents relating to the choice of options and break down of

Title Page

(Not included in the word count)

This should include your title, student number, module code and title, your institution and final word count. There is a template available on Moodle to support you with this.

Acknowledgements

(Not included in the word count)

This is your opportunity to thank those who have supported you in your research.

Contents Page

(Not included in the word count)

The contents page should be a clear guide as to what is contained in your dissertation. The template will support you with creating a contents page.

Abstract

(Approx. 250 words)

The abstract should provide the reader with a summary of the research carried out, and will include information such as research aims, methodology, ethical issues, key findings or conclusions and limitations of the research. This should be written in third person, and is usually written last.

Introduction

(Approx. 1000 words)

This section introduces the research- what the topic is, the key issues being researched, why this is important, your motivation, how this research fits within the field, your research questions, introduction to the context of your research (your setting if appropriate) and the data collected, and how this was done.

This section should also introduce the ideas of positionality and reflexivity- what assumptions have you brought with you to this research, and how are you going to mitigate the effects of these?

Literature Review

(Approx. 4000 words)

The literature review evidences critical engagement with existing texts relevant to the topic and research questions. These texts can include theoretical texts (books and papers), empirical texts (research papers or articles) and policy documents.  You are strongly advised to evidence your structure through the use of sub-headings in this chapter, and these should evidence the development of your topic.  In this section the focus is on synthesis and analysis of existing knowledge about your topic.  You aim to adopt a critical perspective by exploring assumptions, challenging arguments, questioning the existing research studies (e.g. critique of methodology adopted, or theoretical framework or research has not included practitioner or child or family perspectives) and analysing contradictory or alternative perspectives on your topic. You should also be considering the implications of the work of others, and how this relates to your own research.  The concluding paragraph of your literature review should introduce your evolving argument as informed by the existing literature.

Methodology and Ethical Considerations

(Approx. 4000 words)

The Methodology chapter evidences the rationale for your research design choices including for example your paradigm, justification for your selection of methodology, research approach and a detailed critical discussion of the data collection methods. This chapter should be informed by existing empirical studies and the research methods literature relevant to Special Educational Needs and the wider fields of education and social sciences.

Your methodology chapter should make clear links to your research topics/questions; you should aim to form an argument supporting your method design and its relevance to your study.  Throughout you must adopt a critical perspective where you consider the potential strengths and limitations with each aspect of your research design.

You should position your study in relation to ethical principles that are relevant to your topic and method/data.  There should be a detailed and critical discussion of the ethical principles/practices adopted to gain access to the data, selection of data, and where relevant information for participants/gatekeepers and the processes to obtain informed consent to obtain/use data.  

This section should include an exploration of the power relations and reflexivity from the perspective of the researcher, particularly in relation to existing literature and the data collection processes; there would also be an expectation that you would set out the strategies and actions that you as a researcher will put in place to minimise power imbalances and personal bias. Your critical engagement with ethical principles in your research must be informed by the research methods literature.

Findings and Discussion

(Approx. 4000 words)

Your findings need to be presented and discussed within the context of the literature; answer your research questions. Consider whether your findings build upon, raise further questions about, support or contradict research in the field, and current thinking in your topic of choice.

Your discussion of the findings from your study must address your research questions; you must justify your structure and how it relates to all your research questions.  In your discussion of findings, you are critically analysing and reflecting on the data collecting by considering how it relates to your literature review and applying the lens of your theoretical framework (paradigm). This will support the development of your argument first presented in the concluding paragraph of your literature review.  In the structure of your writing you must ‘weave’ by stating your finding, providing an example from the data that illustrates the finding and then interpreting this finding by relating it to literature and theory.  

Please note that no new literature should be included in this chapter- you should only draw on your literature review to support analysis.  

Conclusion

(Approx. 750 words)

Summarise and evaluate the research, discuss your recommendations (at policy or practice level for example), consider the implications and limitations of the research and how it could be developed further.

Avoid introducing new literature, findings or concepts here- conclusions should be based on what you have already presented in your dissertation.

Reference List

(Not included in the word count)

To be presented in Harvard style (see Cite Them Right) and including only sources referred to in the dissertation.

Appendices

(Not included in the word count)

All appendices should be numbered. They could include your blank research tools and any other documents that you have created and referred to in your work (for example, a coding table). The appendices will not usually contain raw data. Please do not include your research proposal or ethics form in the appendices.