internal attribution on social problems

Creating an Outline for your Introduction
This is only an outline. When written in paragraph form, the introduction will be more detailed (typically the longest portion of your paper). The final introduction should also read more smoothly than the outline, with transitions from one paragraph to the next. Organizing your ideas in an outline first may help you present a clear argument within your introduction section.

A.    Relevance and theory
1.    Give a brief introduction to your topic
2.    Why is your topic important?
3.    What theory describes the phenomenon related to your topic? (Remember to also define the chosen theory using previous research and proper citations for the reader who may not be familiar with it.)

B.    The 3 level IV (DO NOT WRITE: “This is my first independent variable…” or “The first independent variable is…” Know your audience.  That it is an IV is understood. Explain it in terms of what the variable is and how it is relevant to your study. ? )
1.    Operationally define your 3 level IV (remember to use specific, quantifiable parameters).
1a. Find a previous article that has used this variable in a similar way to the way you will be using it             in your study and briefly explain what the findings were. Remember to cite your source in APA             format.
1b. Find another previous article that has used this variable in a similar way to the way you will be             using it in your study and briefly explain what the findings were. Remember to cite your source             in APA format.
1c. Using the aforementioned articles pertaining to your first IV and any other relevant articles you         may find, briefly describe why these articles support the decision to include this variable in your         study.

C.    The 2 level IV or OV
2.    Operationally define your 2 level IV (remember to use specific, quantifiable parameters).
2a. Find a previous article that has used this variable in a similar way to the way you will be using it             in your study and briefly explain what the findings were. Remember to cite your source in APA             format.
2b. Find another previous article that has used this variable in a similar way to the way you will be             using it in your study and briefly explain what the findings were. Remember to cite your source             in APA format.
2c. Using the aforementioned articles pertaining to your second IV and any other relevant articles             you may find, briefly describe why these articles support the decision to include this variable in             your study.

D.    The Dependent Variable
3.    Operationally define your dependent variable (remember you must have categorical data for your proposal).
3a. Find a previous article that has used this variable in a similar way to the way you will be using it             in your study and briefly explain what the findings were. Remember to cite your source in APA             format.
3b. Find another previous article that has used this variable in a similar way to the way you will be             using it in your study and briefly explain what the findings were. Remember to cite your source             in APA format.
3c. Using the aforementioned articles pertaining to your DV and any other relevant articles you             may find, briefly describe why these articles support the decision to include this variable in your             study.

E.    Overview of the Present Study
4.    Write 3-4 sentences to inform the reader about the purpose, aim, and/or research question of the current study.

F.    Hypotheses

5a. Write a sentence about what you think will happen between the levels of the first IV. In other words, within the proposed study, what is the predicted main effect of the 3 level independent variable on the dependent variable?

5b. Write a sentence about what you think will happen between the levels of the second IV. In other words, within the proposed study, what is the predicted main effect of the 2 level independent variable on the dependent variable?

5c. Write a sentence about what you think will happen between the levels of the first IV and the levels of the second IV. In other words, within the proposed study, what is the predicted interaction effect between the 3 level independent variable and the 2 level independent variable on the dependent variable?