Lecture 2 Choosing a Topic

Page 1: Choosing a Topic

• Dr. Valerie Todd

• Contact: vat8@aber.ac.uk

Page 2: Overview

• Topics Covered:

  • Choosing a Topic

  • Barriers

  • Example Topics

  • Methodological Considerations

  • Next Steps

Page 3: Choosing a Topic

• Considerations:

  • Must hold attention

  • Attainable within the timescale

  • Suitable for ethical approval

  • Realistic access to participants

Page 4: Barriers

• Challenges Faced:

  • Working within the NHS

  • Working in prisons

  • Recruiting participants with existing mental health issues

  • Recruiting individuals in recovery (e.g., gambling addiction)

  • Sensitive subjects (e.g., suicide)

  • Working with vulnerable groups (e.g., children)

Page 5: Example Topics 1

• Updated Versions of Classic Studies:

  • Doll Test (Clarke, 1940's): Impact of racism on self-esteem in black children; adapted for Muslim children in the UK.

  • The Bouba/Kiki Effect (Kohler, 1929): Linking shape to sound; applied to food texture and sound.

Page 6: Example Topics 2

• Adaptations of Recent Topics:

  • Media impact on attitudes towards asylum seekers in the UK.

  • Media effect on minority groups.

  • Instagram use and self-esteem in adolescent girls.

  • Instagram influence on self-esteem in middle-aged men.

Page 7: Example Topics 3

• Current Expertise:

  • Qualified dietician: Impact of diet on disordered eating.

  • Working with adolescents in specialist settings.

  • Experiences in wild water swimming: Impact on wellbeing.

Page 8: Example Topics 4

• Personal Experience:

  • Influence of epilepsy on short-term memory.

  • Parental experiences with autism.

  • Impact of sex on self-esteem in obese women.

  • Experiences surrounding diabetes diagnosis.

Page 9: Methodological Considerations

• Steps to Consider:

  • Choose broad topics followed by methodology selection.

  • Select based on research aims, not comfort.

  • Correct methodology is essential for project success.

Page 10: Importance of Design

• Design Affects:

  • Recruitment processes.

  • Time for setup, execution, and analysis.

  • Overall rigor of the project.

  • Supervisor allocations: Changing supervisors is difficult after allocation.

Page 11: Quantitative or Qualitative?

• Key Questions:

  • Do you have a hypothesis?

  • Are you examining cause-effect relationships?

  • Interested in trends or correlations?

  • Exploring individual experiences or generalizable information?

Page 12: Lab Studies Considerations

• Lab Studies:

  • Supervision limited to specific staff.

  • Discuss ideas early for lab use.

  • May require training and ethical approval.

Page 13: Support for Using Equipment

• Equipment Support:

  • Responsibility to organize materials.

  • Compulsory training if using lab equipment required.

  • Supervisor is the main support resource.

Page 14: Methodological Approaches 1: Attention

• Examples of Tasks:

  • Physiological responses in attention tasks (Alex T).

  • Influence of auditory stimuli on attention (Nigel).

  • Visual stimuli impacts (Victoria).

  • Conversation attention using focus groups (Antonia).

Page 15: Methodological Approaches 2: Bilingualism

• Individual Projects:

  • Language acquisition in bilingual learners with varying confidence (Hanna).

  • Influence of language structure on cognition (Victoria).

  • Healthcare experiences in first/second language (Rachel).

  • Language status effects on employability (Saffron).

Page 16: Methodological Approaches 3: Wellbeing

• Wellbeing Studies:

  • Discussion of wellbeing in relationships (Martine).

  • Humor in wellbeing discourse (Gil).

  • Gender's role in social constructs of wellbeing (Alison).

Page 17: Methodological Approaches 4: Performance

• Performance Research:

  • Underachieving students' perspectives on performance (Heather).

  • Self-efficacy effects on academic performance (Val).

Page 18: Next Steps

• Next Actions:

  • Decide on a topic and broad methodologies.

  • Organize meetings with staff for project development.

  • Engage with ideas to refine approaches.

Page 19: Questions

• Open floor for questions.