TO: Professor Stone

FROM: Kimberly Paez

DATE: September 20, 2014
SUBJECT: Research Proposal for Inquiry into the Discipline of Psychology
In what follows, I introduce my research project, provide background information on the project
and a review of literature, and discuss my research procedure and methodology. I submit this
research proposal for your review and approval.

Introduction:
The reasons behind conducting this project are to acquire more knowledge on the disciplinarity
of Psychology. I believe this project will help others and myself learn more about mentioned
discipline, allowing us easier access to be accepted in this discipline. This project will also fulfill
the objectives to give the audience, people interested in this discipline, persuasive information
important to become a more successful novice or member in given discipline. I intend to gather
important information usually not obtained until one has already become a novice, to give others
an advantage and insight of the discipline of Psychology.
Literature Review/ Background:
In this project, Inquiry into Disciplinarity I will be focusing in the discipline of Psychology,
keeping the original ideas which are to engage in the environment of a certain discipline to learn
and observe how everyone and everything that hold part of it become pressured and affected to
meet their high standards. By doing this I will fulfill my exigence-motivation- which is to
acquire more knowledge that will help me adapt to the future discipline in which I wish to
become part of. I also know I will have to get passed any dissonance-conflict- that might present
itself as this research as it is being done.
Throughout this project I will explore:
1. What are the discipline's traditions, how do they prepare a novice to become successful
student/member, and how might I best learn these traditions in order to become a
successful insider within the discipline?

2. What are the customs and habits of the discipline, how do they prepare a novice to
become a successful student/member, and how might I best learn these customs and
habits in order to become a successful insider within the discipline?

3. How does creating relationships with other members of the discipline help a novice
become a successful student/member, and how can I successfully create a relationship
that will help me become successful within the discipline?

4. What are the initiations and terminations of discourse that will help a novice be more
engage in the discipline and its culture to become a successful student/member, and how
will knowing these initiations and terminations help me become a successful insider of
the discipline?
To my knowledge no one has created or observed this discipline the way I wish to accomplish,
perhaps many have taken interest in it but has done nothing to acquire information of it.


Procedure/ Methodology:
For this project I will have to conduct primary research, or information unknown to us that is
then acquired by our own research, that is crucial to the understanding of this discipline. For this
to become possible I will need the contribution of at least two professors or advisors who are
already part of this discipline. The three types of primary research I will be doing are interviews,
surveys, and sight observations. I will also do some secondary research to help me have a better
insight of the discipline through other point of views.
Interviews:
The preparation on questions will be needed to know what exactly I want to ask a certain
subject needed for this research. Interviews are normally given face to face, or maybe through
video chat. One of the advantage points of interviews are that depending on the answers given to
you by the subject other question could appear and lead you to topics that you hadnt originally
planned. During the interviews I will ask about required courses, theories or practices,
assignments and projects, teaching style preferences, degree plans, course/ instructor evaluations,
discipline specific terminology, the importance of creating relationships with your professors,
and many other important questions. These questions are usually particular to the person being
interview.
Surveys:
I will create a survey that will be given to students who are currently being part of this
discipline only with the permission of the professor giving lessons. Questions asked at the
surveys will consist of topics like study groups, time management, learning styles, source of
knowledge, research methods, and other needed information. By doing a survey I will be able to
generalize on all or most of the members.
Sight observations:
I will then become an observer during the lesson of a professor of this discipline to learn
the behaviors of those who are pressured by the current environment. I will observe the way each
person in the classroom will react to the lesson given to them, ex. Students take notes, or listen
intently or dont show interest in topic.
Secondary research:
Knowledge that can be gathered by reading papers that have been written about a certain
topic, will also be needed for this project, this information can be found by going to the main
offices or going to the advisor assigned to that certain discipline. All of this will be done a time
frame given to us.

Conclusion:
I am positive that by doing this research I it will help me understand a lot more about the
discipline in which I plan to one day become part of. Once I have become a successful insider in
this discipline I believe being accepted into this discipline will be a lot easier. I am hopeful for
this project to become a reality because the knowledge acquired about this discipline will not
only help me but also anyone else who wishes to become part of the discipline of Psychology.