Assessment 2: Research Proposal
Name
Capella University
PSYC-FPX4600: Research Methods in Psychology
Instructor’s Name
June 2024
Research Proposal
Tomaszewski et al. (2020) highlighted that socioeconomic status (SES) significantly impacts students’ academic performance. Researchers argue that students from higher SES backgrounds tend to perform better academically due to greater access to educational resources and support systems. This advantage arises because these students often have access to better study environments and extracurricular opportunities (Tomaszewski et al., 2020). The hypothesis for this study suggests that socioeconomic status has a substantial effect on students’ academic achievements. In this context, SES will be the independent variable, representing the unchangeable factor being studied, while students’ grades will be the dependent variable, showing the outcome influenced by socioeconomic status.
Methods
Sampling
I will use the stratified sampling method because it ensures that various socioeconomic status (SES) groups are adequately represented within the sample. Stratified sampling method is crucial for analyzing how SES impacts students’ academic performance comprehensively (Oyshi et al., 2021). Participants will be recruited from existing educational records, categorizing them into distinct SES strata based on their family’s income levels and access to educational resources. Utilizing archival data in this manner is considered a form of probability sampling, as it allows for the systematic selection of participants to reflect the diversity within the population.
To conduct this research, we will employ a correlational research design. This method is suitable for examining the relationship between SES and academic performance without manipulating any variables (Campbell et al., 2020). By analyzing pre-existing data, we can identify patterns and correlations between SES and students’ grades. This approach ensures that the findings are based on real-world data, enhancing the study’s ecological validity. Moreover, correlational studies are efficient and cost-effective, making them ideal given the resources available for this research. The data will be analyzed using statistical software to assess the magnitude and nature of the correlation between the variables, providing insights into how SES influences academic outcomes.
Measures
I will use standardized academic performance assessments and socioeconomic status (SES) surveys to measure the variables in this study. SES will be measured using a comprehensive survey that includes indicators such as family income, parental education levels, and access to educational resources. Academic performance will be assessed through students’ standardized test scores and grade point averages (GPAs) (Jerrim et al., 2020). To analyze the relationship between SES and academic performance, the appropriate inferential statistic is the Pearson correlation coefficient, given that both variables are measured on a continuous scale. This statistical method will help determine the strength and direction of the relationship between SES and academic achievements.
The measurement strategies employed in this study have distinct strengths and weaknesses concerning reliability and validity. Standardized academic performance assessments are highly reliable due to their consistent administration and scoring procedures, which enhances the validity of the results by ensuring that they accurately reflect students’ academic abilities (Waters et al., 2021). However, these measures may be limited in capturing all aspects of academic performance, such as creativity and critical thinking skills. The SES survey is comprehensive, providing a significant understanding of the participants’ socioeconomic backgrounds, which is essential for the study’s validity. Nevertheless, data collected through self-reporting can introduce biases, including social desirability bias, potentially affecting the reliability of the SES measure. By acknowledging and addressing these potential limitations, the study aims to maintain high standards of ethical and methodological rigor.
Procedure
I will employ a cross-sectional design for this research. This approach involves gathering data at one specific time to investigate the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and academic performance. According to Kropko & Kubinecn (2020), cross-sectional studies are efficient for assessing correlations between variables across a wide population in a relatively short period. All participants will be volunteers, ensuring that they willingly provide their information without coercion. Participants will complete a demographic questionnaire to gather information on age, gender, SES indicators (e.g., family income, parental education levels), and other relevant characteristics. All participants will be in one group, where they will report their SES, followed by their academic performance, measured through GPA and standardized test scores.
Several variables might affect the study’s outcomes, including individual and sociocultural differences. For instance, cultural attitudes towards education, parental involvement, and access to educational resources can vary widely across different SES groups, potentially influencing academic performance (Gubbins & Otero, 2020). Additionally, individual differences such as motivation, learning disabilities, and personal stress levels may impact results. To control these variables, we will ensure a diverse sample that represents various SES backgrounds and use statistical controls in our analysis to isolate the effect of SES on academic performance. By doing so, we aim to reduce bias and ensure that the findings accurately reflect the relationship between SES and academic achievements, accounting for potential confounding factors.
PSYC FPX 4600 Assessment 2 Research Proposal Conclusion
This research proposal aims to investigate the significant impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on students’ academic performance, hypothesizing that higher SES correlates with better academic achievements due to enhanced access to educational resources and support systems. By employing a cross-sectional design and comprehensive sampling methods, this study seeks to provide robust evidence on the influence of SES, controlling for individual and sociocultural variables. The findings are expected to contribute valuable insights into educational disparities, guiding policy makers and educators in developing targeted strategies to bridge the achievement gap and foster equitable educational opportunities for all students.
PSYC FPX 4600 Assessment 2 Research Proposal References
Campbell, S., Greenwood, M., Prior, S., Shearer, T., Walkem, K., Young, S., Bywaters, D., & Walker, K. (2020). Purposive sampling. Journal of Research in Nursing, 25(8), 652–661. NCBI. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987120927206
Gubbins, V., & Otero, G. (2020). Parental involvement and low-SES children’s academic achievement in early elementary school. Educational Studies, 46(5), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2019.1620691
Jerrim, J., Lopez, L. A., & Marcenaro, O. D. (2020). Posh but poor. The association between relative socio‐economic status and children’s academic performance. Review of Income and Wealth. https://doi.org/10.1111/roiw.12476
Kropko, J., & Kubinec, R. (2020). Interpretation and identification of within-unit and cross-sectional variation in panel data models. PLOS ONE, 15(4), e0231349. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231349
Oyshi, F. J., Suhi, S. S., Sultana, A., Jahan, N., & Hossain, M. T. (2021). The academic achievement of secondary students in Bangladesh: Assessing the role of socioeconomic status, school attributes, and academic activities. Education Research International, 2021, e5360672. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5360672
Tomaszewski, W., Xiang, N., & Western, M. (2020). Student engagement as a mediator of the effects of socio‐economic status on academic performance among secondary school students in Australia. British Educational Research Journal, 46(3), 610–630. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3599
Waters, N. E., Ahmed, S. F., Tang, S., Morrison, F. J., & Davis-Kean, P. E. (2021). Pathways from socioeconomic status to early academic achievement: The role of specific executive functions. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 54, 321–331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2020.09.008
