Part One: (20 pts) Problem Definition and (partial) Research Proposal
Maximum: 2 pages, typed, double-spaced
Due: Tuesday, Jan. 29
Description: This brief analysis should include a project title, statement of the problem, purpose and scope of the project. The scope includes both the research questions you plan to investigate and those items that you will not be examining in this research.

Part Two: (20 pts) Proposed Research Design
Maximum: 1 page
Due: Thursday, Jan. 31
Description: Identify the type of research you have selected as appropriate for answering this research question and support your decision.

Part Three: (40 pts) Secondary Data Report and Data Collection Method
Maximum: 10 pages
Due: Thursday, Feb. 7
Description: For this project report, you will collect any and all secondary data you deem relevant to help define or answer the research problem with regard to your preliminary hypotheses and/or research proposal. If appropriate this data may be reported in charts, graphs, and/or tables with necessary documentation and source citations/references. Finally, you must identify and justify the primary data that you will collect to further illuminate the research problem and answer your research hypotheses and identify the method you will use to collect this data.

Part Four: (40 pts**) Data Collection Forms
Maximum: None
Due: Thursday, Feb. 21
Description: Submit the form you will use to collect your primary data.
If you are doing a survey: Include dummy tables for your planned future data analyses. NOTE: Do not blow off these dummy tables. These are extremely important and take time to design. Every question in your survey should appear in at least one dummy table. If you have a question that doesn’t show up in a dummy table, that question probably shouldn’t be in the questionnaire.
If you are doing qualitative research: (e.g., focus groups) Include the list of desired topics of discussion and the corresponding probe questions. Also, submit your plan for analyzing the data.

Important Note: The original data collection form you submit will have to be revised to meet both my and your client's approval.  This usually takes 6-8 revisions.  The faster you get your data collection form approved, the sooner you can start collection data.  Virtually everygroup from previous classes has indicated that data collection took longer than they thought it would and that they waited to long to start data collection.  PLEASE GET YOUR DATA COLLECTION FORM APPROVED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE!!!!
**20 point bonus if final data collection form is approved by Tuesday, March 5.

Part Five: (40 pts) Sampling, Data Collection and Field Procedures
Maximum: 4 pages, not including tables/charts
Due: Tuesday, March 5
Description: Define and justify your target sample. Select and support the type of sampling strategy you will use to collect data. Determine the appropriate sample size and show your calculations in a table or chart. Describe your field procedures in detail and the processes you will employ to reduce non-sampling error.

Part Six: (20 pts) Data Analysis: Part A, Descriptive Statistics
Maximum: None
Due: Tuesday, April 9
Description: Describe your sample and results of sample representativeness tests. Report descriptive statistics for each question on your survey. Depending on question type, include number of responses, number and percent in each category, number and percent valid/missing responses, mean, median, mode, and standard deviation. Interpret results of each question.

Part Seven: (20 pts) Data Analysis: Part B, Inferential Statistics
Maximum: None
Due: Tuesday, April 16 at 5:00 PM
Description: Report the results of your crosstab and inferential statistics data analysis using appropriate verbal descriptions and tables/charts/graphs. If not completely obvious from the results, include a description of the type of statistical analysis done. This report is usually best organized by having explanatory text with accompanying appendices/tables/charts. The text should identify the hypothesis being tested, tell the results of the test, and explain what it means in practical terms. The appendices should include the results of your statistical testing to provide support for the conclusions you are making. You may use the actual output from the data analysis as support IF it is neat, well organized, and properly referenced in the text.

Part Eight: (400 pts) Written Research Report (200 pts) and Oral Presentation (200 pts)
Maximum: Written Report - 20 pages, including Title Page, Executive Summary, and Text. Figures, Graphs, Charts, Tables, and References are not included in the 20-page maximum.
Oral Presentation - 30 minutes.
Due: Written - Tuesday, April 23 at 5:00 PM
Oral - Tuesday, April 30 or Wednesday, May 1