When engaged in the research process, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of information you are taking in. Sometimes writers begin to lose track of how the content they are reading will be helpful in supporting the claims they make in their papers or in addressing their research question. A working
annotated bibliography helps writers organize potentially useful resources and streamlines the process of identifying relevant research.
When drafting a proposal, it is important to make a compelling case why the proposed project can improve practice in an applied setting. As a psychologist, you do this by pulling from examples of theoretical and applied research from the field. Works of theoretical research establish foundational theories and offer
insight as to why problems exist in an applied setting. Applied research studies observe practice in an applied setting and suggest strategies and techniques to improve a problem based on collected data. Together, these types of research comprise a well-balanced argument that explains why a problem exists and how it
can be fixed.
In Module Four, you will submit a working annotated bibliography with at least four assignments, including scholarly books or articles, pertaining to your proposal topic, applied setting, and the research questions identified in Module Two. Two of the articles you find should be related to the theories you related to
your topic that you intend to feature in your final proposal. The other two articles should discuss applied research related to your topic area.
For each article, include one paragraph summarizing how the article relates to your chosen topic and setting and a second paragraph addressing the following questions:
• How do the research results and statistical findings in the article apply to your research question and your applied setting?
• What are the strengths and limitations of the research results and findings in supporting the research question?
• How could you expand on available research to more specifically address your research question?
Conclude each assignment with a brief critique of the article. What are the strengths or limitations of the research? How could future research build on these
findings?
