Thesis proposal: Step one

The class’ consensus on our Research1 (Thesis Proposal) session last June 20, is to have a thesis by dyad. We decided to use the draw lots methods to determine our other-half with exemption to are Cel and Jen who asserted to be a pair and to Love and Chester who were both absent. Here are the six pairs: ate Cel and jen, Chester and Love, Emy and Liz, Hanzel and Sarah, July and Renin, and Karen and Yen.

Ms. Jen Semaña, our professor, emphasized that it is our discretion to have either descriptive or experimental thesis as long as we are really interested with the topic we’re going to study. She mentioned that her decision is in opposition to Sir Dan’s* request to impose experimental research. After her short narrative, she told us to sit beside our partner --- which we immediately did --- and then asked each of us to write at least three thesis title with their corresponding explanation. We raised an appeal to do it in the next meeting but our request was denied. We spent less than an hour thinking, thinking, and thinking of thesis topics. Some of my classmates were able to beat the required number of thesis titles; others even exceeded it, and few who did not.

I was able to come up with only two proposed titles. The first one is “The correlation of birth order and separation anxiety to the academic performance of First year college students.” The other on is “The correlation of birth order and communication style in the interpersonal relationship to grade school students.” I find these two topics uninteresting, so I told July that we better we’ll study the one she proposed entitled “why is it hard to break bad habits?” I just added two independent variables and one dependent variable and came up with a two (2) by two (2) factorial design thesis proposal entitled “ Effects of affirmation and appraisal in the motivation of students in breaking their bad habits” We’ll study the effects of affirmation and appraisal independently and their interaction, if there is any.

Though decided with our topic, we still need to resolve the three shortcomings we’ve identified. First, we have to find more theories and related studies that will guide us in the manipulation and control of our variables. Second, we need to identify the specific bad habit that will serve as our dependent variable. We are choosing between smoking and drinking. Lastly, we need to find a valid test that will measure our construct. I think this is the most tedious part.

I am aware that every moment counts. This one should always be inculcated in our coconut shell since the submission of chapter 1 will be before the midterm exam. Awe should exert a lot of effort to meet the deadline.

I know we’ll make it with God’s help!

“Kaya namin to ni July! Kaya naming AB Pasaway to!




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* Sir Dan is the Psychology Dept. chair person form Nov. 2004 - June 2006. he resigned to live a life in London.