Research Paper Assignment

Must be a non-verbal communication research paper.
Instructors directions: If you don’t have a starting point for what topic you might want to research, I thought I’d list a few of the research topic choices students have done in the past. You aren’t limited to this list! Be creative! It is also important to think about what you will be able to accomplish in the time we have in this session, as well as being aware that you cannot conduct research on anyone considered a “protected research population” which includes:

Prisoners (even if you work in a jail).
Minors (anyone under the age of eighteen) THIS INCLUDES YOUR OWN CHILDREN!
Pregnant women
Those with mental or physical disabilities. THIS INCLUDES YOUR OWN CHILDREN.
Veterans

Here are some topics other students of mine in COMM 341 have researched:

Attraction
Consumer influence based on design
Olfactory signatures of exotic dancers in relation to earning potential
The effect of appearance on earning potential for servers
Male versus female speaking distances
Effect of appearance on academic performance
Para-dating (flirting) behavior-typologies at bars versus restaurants
The effects of study music on exam scores
High-density versus low-density living conditions
The link between physical affection and relationship satisfaction
The effect of color on mood (in terms of behavior…not emotion!!)
Perception of privacy behaviors (i.e., what do people do when they don’t think you can see them?)

This is just a sampling– there are literally endless research possibilities. Be creative, be realistic, and be proactive. This assignment accounts for over twenty percent of your total grade in this course, and I cannot emphasize enough the importance of not leaving it until the last few weeks of the session.

The Research Paper is a six to eight-page academic research paper, and must address and include the following:

APA title page and abstract.
The first part of the paper states your hypothesis and discusses the nonverbal concept/study from the COMM 341 textbook upon which you based your hypothesis.
The paper must provide a brief literature review, in which you summarize and discuss material about the topic found in at least five credible academic written sources– this means no “pop culture” sources.
You will need to describe the following:
The research methodology you designed to test your hypothesis using human subjects. Possibilities include interviews, surveys, and activities.
A detailed discussion (results) of your three hours minimum, hands-on research.
The overall conclusions regarding the experiment/activity, including suggested avenues of future research.
Typed, double-spaced pages in twelve-point Times New Roman font, with one-inch margins all around, and APA format, including a cover page, abstract, and an APA reference page listing all sources.
Cover page, abstract, reference page(s) and any appendices do not count toward the page limit.
A six to eight-page limit needs to be adhered to– you will lose points for a paper shorter than six pages and longer than eight to nine.