The Road to Research
While the Think Tank is dedicated to making research accessible, we are also dedicated to producing the highest quality research. The process is a demanding task that requires strong work ethic and a willingness to adapt to unforeseen situations.
Steps to a Successful Research Study
While our studies cover a diverse range of topics, our research procedure is consistent. The entire process (from proposal to submission) takes on average 15 months, so you will need to stay committed to researching your idea well beyond today.
01
I Wonder...
Timeframe: 1-3 Months
This takes place within our general meetings. Members put forward their research ideas, and the club determines which of them are the most viable. At the end of each semester, two to three are selected to continue the process.
02
Research Design
Timeframe: 1-3 Months
The remainder of the research team is selected at this time; the average study has 7 student authors. Afterwards, the team defines the hypothesis, determines methodology, identifies variables, and prepares for data collection.
03
IRB Approval
Timeframe: <3 Weeks
The University of Alabama Institutional Review Board (IRB) must approve all University-affiliated human research to determine ethicality. This will not typically be a problem for the research we do, but we must secure their approval regardless.
04
Data Collection
Timeframe: 4 Months
The research team implements the study protocol, recruits participants, and gathers data. Sample sizes typically reach well over 1000.
05
Analysis
Timeframe: 4 Months
The research team works with faculty members to clean and code data, run analyses, and interpret results. We use SPSS for this process. This is the most demanding step of research.
06
Composition
Timeframe: 4 Months
The research team works together to write the research paper with all the necessary components. These include an abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and list of references.
07
Journal Submission
Timeframe: Variable
The written paper is submitted to an accredited journal, along with a cover letter. The journal typically conducts a peer review of the study to ensure that it meets their standards. If rejected, the paper can simply be edited and submitted to another journal.
Over 1000 Data Points? How?
Our faculty sponsors are teaching professors at the University of Alabama, so they simply instruct their students to collect data on our behalf as part of their grade. For example, in a group of 50 students, if each student recruits 20 participants, we get 1000 data points, a huge sample size!
This means that, using classes of 200 people, we can easily run 2-3 studies a semester, sustaining our prodigious research output while introducing psychology students to data collection.
To remain compliant with the IRB, all students who collect data on our behalf undergo the typical CITI training necessary for human subject research.
How to Make a Good Proposal
Interested in proposing a study to the Think Tank? All members of the Think Tank are permitted to propose research ideas for future semesters. When considering a research proposal, follow this three-step guide to ensure its viability.
1
Can we research it?
Our current methodology revolves around using Qualtrics-based surveys with large sample sizes (>1000). While we anticipate using more hands-on methods in the future, EEGs and MRIs are out of reach for the moment.
2
Has it been researched?
At the Think Tank, we try to research unanswered questions. Studying topics that have already been researched is a waste of resources. You will need to do some literature review on Google Scholar to ensure that someone else has not already researched your idea.
3
Why does it matter?
The best research studies have practical applications. For example, our studies on relationships have real-world implications on how couples' therapists work with their patients. When considering your proposal, imagine how it might be used by psychologists for the benefit of others.
I Made a Proposal!
What Now?
The Psychology Research Think Tank is unique among research organizations because it functions as an open forum, during which members can discuss each other's ideas. This process happens during our general meetings, particularly the last few of the semester. At the end of the semester, the two to three most promising ideas are selected to continue the research process.
If your idea is not selected, fear not! Some ideas take more time than others to refine into a workable study. Some of our current researchers are successfully running studies that took several semesters to conceive.
While proposing your idea to a room of over 80 people sounds intimidating, don't worry! Our meetings are purely constructive. No one will tear you down or discredit your ideas. For members who want to discuss their ideas in a less intimidating context, use the research channel of our official GroupMe.
Keeping it Official
To keep track of our study proposals, we request that you send them to The Prophet, Gabriel Sacasa. It is his responsibility to record all official proposals and do his own literature review to ensure that the study is feasible and original.