Final Project Guidelines: Can Different Types of Music Lead to Different Physiological Responses

Problem Statement

The profound influences of music on both emotive and physiological states are such that several real-life challenges can be addressed based on this form of intervention. This paper outlines the various genres of music, rock, and jazz, and their physiological responses in heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance. Measurable responses like these give a good overview of the functioning of the autonomic nervous system in times of stress and relaxation. Understanding such effects significantly finds its application in therapy, stress management, and performance enhancement: Final Project Guidelines: Can Different Types of Music Lead to Different Physiological Responses.

For example, classical music can reduce anxiety in therapeutic settings, considering its calming nature, while rock music, which essentially energizes, might effectively increase focus and motivation at work or school. Then again, jazz has calm, stimulating qualities and versatile applications in enhancing creativity and dissipating stress (Malakoutikhah et al., 2022). This study has provided actionable insight into how therapists and educators might use music to maximize well-being and productivity through the science-to-art gap in practical and meaningful ways, especially in today’s fast-moving environment where mental health concerns are an issue for all walks of society.

Literature Review

Existing Research

Research into the physiological consequences of music has increased phenomenally over the last three decades, and indeed, findings indicate that different genres of music elicit specific physiological responses. On that note, Kulinski et al. (2021) researched the effects of classical, rock, and jazz genres of music on cardiovascular markers, including heart rate and blood pressure. Their study concluded that classical music significantly decreased these markers due to the soothing effects of the music. At the same time, rock music caused an increase in the arousal indices, such as skin conductance.

In jazz, it was both soothing and exciting; hence, mixed results were found depending on the song and listener’s context. Tervaniemi et al. (2021) further explored these findings by considering the role of the environmental context. They demonstrated that using slower tempos serves to decrease physiological activity more effectively in low-arousal environments than when using fast-tempo music in high-arousal conditions or when performing on stage. The effects of tempo group and genre on cognitive workload and physiological activation were studied by Lin et al. (2023), concluding that fast-tempo music increased students’ attention level and physiological activation while slowing-tempo music favored rest.

Other research has suggested that personal characteristics may either amplify or attenuate various physiological changes. For instance, Rasing et al. (2022) examined the effect of music intervention on stress-related biomarkers, including cortisol, while focusing on stressed groups of patients, including dementia patients. They found that music can influence physiological functioning, depending on the specific emotions and thought processes that happen in response to a piece of music. This study, therefore, provides a pointer to the tripartite Music–Individual–Physiological interface.

Research Designs

The various research on the physiological effects of music has employed many designs which, in their own ways, contribute to the store of knowledge. Controlled experimental designs, as in Kulinski et al. (2021), can isolate specific variables and measure different music genres’ direct effects on physiological markers. For instance, skin conductance, heart rate, and blood pressure were taken before, during, and after listening to preselected musical pieces to afford stringent internal validity. An exploratory design, as also implemented in Tervaniemi et al. (2021), investigates contextual features, such as what circumstances exist upon exposure to music.

These studies also investigate ecological validity, which is the fact that each study takes place under real-world conditions that shed light on the exact impacts of music. Thus, listening to classical music in a quiet and wholly dimmed room significantly heightens its calming implications compared to listening in loud and noisy conditions. Lin et al. (2023) conducted an RCT, widely regarded as the gold standard, to establish causality. In their study, participants were randomly assigned to different music conditions, reducing selection biases and improving the reliability of results.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Each of these research designs possesses particular advantages and limitations. For example, controlled experimental designs such as Kulinski et al. (2021) allow for very fine-grained measures and thus easy, direct attribution of physiological changes to specific genres of music. However, the artificiality of their settings may not generalize to the actual conditions under which people listen to music; thus, ecological validity may be compromised. These exploratory designs, such as those by Tervaniemi et al. (2021), help explain how music functions in naturalistic settings, thereby enhancing ecological validity.

However, they have a general weakness in establishing causality, for there is no control over extraneous variables. Randomized controlled trials, as also used in Lin et al. (2023), offer a balance of control with some degree of applicability. However, these are resource-intensive and logistically complex, often well beyond what might be feasible for a small-scale study.

Appropriateness

The most appropriate design for this study is a controlled experimental design. The research question will find how the differing genres of music influence skin conductance, heart rate, and blood pressure. For a controlled design, an independent variable will be the music genre, while the other factors that generally vary are kept constant, such as volume, duration, and listening environment (Malakoutikhah et al., 2022).

This is necessary to have precise conclusions on what is caused by music genres. While exploratory designs make seminal contributions to contextual influences, such an approach would be very deficient when assessing well-specified hypotheses about the genre-specific effects of the genre. Given the logistics and the small sample size of the respondents in this study, its rigorousness precludes the ability of randomized controlled trials.

Unknown or Uncertain Aspects

Notwithstanding the impressive progress in this line of research, there are still various open issues concerning the physiological effects of music. First among these are individual differences due to the baseline physiological states, cultural background, and musical preference, which make a massive difference in responding to music. For example, an individual who prefers rock music would have a lower stress level after listening to it, which is opposite to general findings about the arousing effects of rock music. Other areas of uncertainty concern the long-term effects of repeated exposure to particular types of music (Haslam et al., 2022).

Although short-term responses, such as heart rate or blood pressure, have been documented to some extent, little is known regarding whether these effects persist or alter over time. Environmental distractions and emotional states further complicate the relationship between music and physiology because such factors might mediate or moderate observed effects.

Data Analysis and APA Standards

In most of the reviewed literature, the data analysis follows the principles and guidelines dictated by the American Psychological Association (APA). The statistical procedures range from repeated-measures ANOVA to regression analyses in analyzing physiological data. The use of such a procedure not only validates the comparisons across conditions but also controls for intra-subject variability. However, several studies do not report essential details like the effect size, the width of the confidence intervals, and the assumptions for the statistical tests performed.

Such omissions can limit the transparency and reproducibility of findings. For instance, Kulinski et al. (2021) make a strong case for genre-specific effects but fail to provide any information about the spread of responses within their sample. Closer adherence to the APA guidelines would involve complete reporting of statistical output, including assumptions, effect sizes, and confidence intervals, to further strengthen and validate findings.

The data analysis in this study will ensure the application of APA guidelines to such parameters. All descriptive and inferential statistics reported will be transparent and present all assumptions. All the effect sizes and their respective confidence intervals will, wherever applicable, be used to provide completeness of findings, ensuring results are interpretable and reproducible.

Research Question and Hypothesis

Research Question

How do different musical genres—classical, rock, and jazz—affect physiological responses, as measured by shifts in heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance, among individuals?

This question is testable and addresses a gap in existing knowledge regarding the influence of musical genres on the autonomic nervous system. It allows for the quantification of physiological markers in response to auditory stimuli, potentially leading to actionable insights for therapeutic applications, stress management strategies, and performance enhancement techniques.

The research question is about the pattern of physiological responses, as measured by shifts in heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance, different among people upon stimulation with various music conditions, namely classical, rock, and jazz. Notably, this question is both testable and highlights what was missing in knowledge for a long time: the concept of genres within musical contexts does have different modulations on the autonomic nervous system. Quantifying physiological markers will allow the investigation of specific impacts due to auditory stimuli that provide actionable insights that may inform applications such as therapy, stress management, and performance enhancement.

Hypothesis

H1: Listening to classical music will lead to a significant decrease in heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance due to its soothing and rhythmic nature, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system and promotes relaxation.

H0-1: Listening to classical music will have no significant effect on heart rate, blood pressure, or skin conductance compared to baseline measurements.

H2: Exposure to rock music will result in a significant increase in skin conductance, reflecting heightened arousal due to the fast tempo and dynamic intensity that engage the sympathetic nervous system.

H0-2: Exposure to rock music will have no significant effect on skin conductance compared to baseline measurements.

H3: Listening to jazz music will produce moderate changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance, as its rhythmic complexity and variations in tempo provide a combination of relaxation and stimulation.

H0-3: Listening to jazz music will have no significant effect on heart rate, blood pressure, or skin conductance compared to baseline measurements.

This study hypothesizes that there are different physiological responses to different genres of music. Classically, music should lower heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance due to its soothing and rhythmic nature, which has been known to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and induce relaxation. On the other hand, rock music is expected to increase skin conductance as a reflection of heightened arousal, given that fast tempo and dynamic intensity are characteristics of stimuli that engage the sympathetic nervous system. With a combination of relaxation and stimulation, jazz music’s rhythmic complexity and variations in tempo are hypothesized to make moderate changes on all markers.

Indeed, studies prove this hypothesis: for example, Kulinski et al. (2021) have found that classical music reduced heart rate variability, skin conductance, and temperature (cardiovascular markers), while rock music significantly enhanced the arousal-related skin conductance response. Similarly, Tervaniemi et al. (2021) elaborated on the impact of tempo and intensity, where slower music could be associated with relaxation and faster music with arousal. These findings provide a sound basis for differentially predicting the effects of the selected genres.

Variables

The genre of music could be considered the independent variable in this study, manipulated by exposing participants to different preselected excerpts of classical, rock, and jazz music. These genres were chosen due to their distinct characteristics, such as tempo and intensity, which are important in determining the nature of their effects on physiological responses. The dependent variables measured will include heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance, all reliable autonomic nervous system activity indicators. Heart rate is measured in beats per minute using a heart rate monitor, reflecting the body’s response to stress or relaxation (Kaliyadan & Kulkarni, 2019).

Blood pressure is measured by millimeter mercury values using a validated cuff, with higher values suggesting stress or arousal. Skin conductance is measured in Siemens through a galvanic skin response sensor, where more conductive skin shows greater arousal. They were chosen because they strongly resemble changes in the body that occur in its autonomic responses to auditory stimuli.

They were chosen because they are related to the change in the autonomic responses of the human body to auditory stimuli. The study will adopt a focused and scientifically sound approach to answering the research problem by isolating the practical features of each genre expressed on these particular markers.

Proposed Methodology

Participants

Participants will include seven individuals enrolled in PSY 510 or PSY 520 courses. The sample size will be enough to facilitate a controlled experimental design yet still within realistic expectations to collect meaningful data. Subjects will be preselected for familiarity with research methodologies in psychology, through which minimal difficulty in following experimental set procedures can be expected.

Increasing generalizability of findings due to participation in several demographic groups will also be assured, as subjects vary in age, gender, and musical preference. In choosing participants who are familiar with experimental conditions and represent varied characteristics, the study tried to ensure liability and applicability for the findings.

Materials

The materials used in this study are biomedical devices and preselected musical excerpts. Physiological markers will be measured with heart rate monitors, blood pressure cuffs, and galvanic skin response sensors. Such tools have been validated in the literature as instruments that capture autonomic nervous system activity with high fidelity, which is relevant to the study. On the other hand, the musical stimuli include classical, rock, and jazz genres selected based on a standardized duration and volume.

The music will be delivered using high-quality headphones to reduce the possibility of any external auditory interference (Osmanoğlu et al., 2024). The materials selected here are related to the purpose of the study since they are specific and give a precise measurement of the physiological responses caused by the music. Since all the tools utilized are validated and the auditory stimuli are well controlled, the research question becomes scientific and apt for the study.

Procedures

The procedures for data collection start with informed consent, followed by an explanation regarding the purpose and process of the study. Physiological measurements involve participants’ heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance for basal values. Later, this would be followed by sequences of classical, rock, and jazz music being randomized among participants, with inter-submission rest periods to enable these physiological markers to reach their baseline levels.

The randomization of the music sequences controls for order effects, which will ensure that the observed changes are due to the genres of music and not due to the sequence of exposure (Poon et al., 2024). The laboratory environment will be tightly controlled, maintaining consistent temperature and minimal ambient noise to eliminate external factors that might influence the results. These procedures are well catered for since they will isolate music genres’ effects on physiological responses in an experimentally sound way to address the research question.

Ethical Considerations

The most important consideration in this study is ethical concerns. All information concerning the purpose of the research, the procedures involved, and possible risks will be provided to participants in advance, and only then will their written consent be sought. Participants will be reassured that participation is entirely voluntary and that they can withdraw from the experiment without penalty. The data obtained will be anonymized; each participant will be assigned an identification code for confidentiality (Resnik, 2020).

The use of biomedical devices will be explained to the participants in detail for their comfort and understanding. The risks that will occur in this study are minimal, as non-invasive physiological monitoring of participants is involved, in addition to exposure to the preselected music genres. However, steps will be taken to reduce any discomfort.

For instance, participants will always be able to stop listening to a particular musical excerpt if the same produces distress. Debriefing sessions will be held at the end of the study to explain the findings and allow the participants to ask questions or relate their experiences. The measures put in place ensure that the study is conducted in the best interest of ethical standards, hence complying with set guidelines by the American Psychological Association, APA.

Data Analysis Plan

Preparing Raw Data

The raw data preparation will systematically record the physiological markers captured by the biomedical devices, including heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance. These raw values are checked for validity; any erroneous and incomplete data are corrected. The baseline measurements taken before the intervention will be subtracted from subsequent readings of the same parameter in the subject to normalize these data, accounting for individual differences in physiological states.

Thereafter, outliers from a normal distribution will be extracted using statistical methods like a z-score to prevent data from being skewed by extremes. Because this study does not include open-ended survey questions, coding is not required; however, aggregated datasets will be developed for each participant and condition, enabling consistent analysis across the three genres of music. This rigorous preparation ensures that the data are clean and ready to be analyzed, enhancing the reliability and validity of the results.

Analytic Procedures

The data will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Repeated-measures ANOVA will be used to compare the physiological responses across the three music genres since this statistical test accounts for within-subject variability in a repeated-measures design. Specific pairwise differences between genres will be further identified with post hoc tests, such as Bonferroni adjustments, which will provide insight into which genres produce significant effects (Agbangba et al., 2024).

These analyses are appropriate for the study’s design and the research question in that they allow the detection of general trends and specific differences. These robust analytical methods will ensure that this study’s findings are valid and reliable and will add meaning to the field of music psychology.

Descriptive Statistics

Descriptive statistics will, therefore, play a critical role in summarizing and interpreting the data. In general, physiological responses to each genre will be described using means as measures of central tendency and standard deviations as a measure of variability to show the consistency of responses. Observed effects’ confidence intervals will also be computed to indicate their reliability. These statistics are remarkably insightful for the research question because they summarize in a prominent and accessible way how classical, rock, and jazz music influence heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance (Kaliyadan & Kulkarni, 2019). Descriptive statistics complement inferential analyses by providing a basic understanding of the data; as such, they form an essential basis for the meaningful presentation of findings.

Principles and Standards

These will present the data analysis methods proposed as being considered ethical and put forth by the principles and standards of the American Psychological Association, APA. All statistical procedures will be thoroughly documented, and their assumptions will be explicitly stated to ensure the interpretability and reproducibility of the findings. Data are presented without overgeneralization or exaggeration, guided by the APA priority on integrity in reporting (Quenneville & Gabbidon, 2019).

Participants’ anonymity will be upheld throughout the analytic process, wherein all data will be securely stored and stripped of identifying characteristics. In prioritizing transparency, rigor, and ethical consideration, the data analysis plan secures the best practices of scientific research to ensure findings contribute credibly and ethically to an understanding of the physiological effects of music.

Anticipated Results

The expected outcomes indeed indicate specific physiological reactions to each of the three genres: classical, rock, and jazz music. Classical music is expected to lower heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance, reflecting its calming effects and engaging the parasympathetic nervous system. This hypothesis is in line with studies such as Kulinski et al. (2021), demonstrating the therapeutic impact of classical music on cardiovascular markers of stress.

On the other hand, rock music is expected to enhance skin conductance and arousal-related measures because of its fast-paced rhythm and high energy that activates the sympathetic nervous system. This agrees with Lin et al. (2023), who associated dynamic, fast-paced music with increased physiological and cognitive arousal. Tervaniemi et al. (2021) suggest the moderate effects of jazz in between classical and rock styles, and the authors mentioned that effects can be influenced by rhythm and tone.

These findings enrich the understanding of how music genres impact autonomic nervous system activity by complementing and expanding prior studies with methodological precision. By standardizing conditions and targeting specific physiological markers, the study represents a gap in the existing literature, further contextualizing genre-specific effects (Bezet, 2023). The likely results stem from prior research, and any change could reveal other aspects, such as personality or context, that may shed light on the effects of music on physiological conditions. Finally, the findings could have an applicative purpose in which music would be employed to alleviate stress, boost performance, or even modulate one’s mood.

References

Bezet, A. (2023). LibGuides: Research Process: Literature Gap and Future Research. Resources.nu.edu. https://resources.nu.edu/researchprocess/literaturegap

Chenneville, T., & Gabbidon, K. (2019). Application of the APA ethics code for psychologists working in integrated care settings: Potential conflicts and resolutions. Ethics & Behavior, 30(4), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2019.1683739

Agbangba, C. E., Sacla Aide, E., Honfo, H., & Glèlè Kakai, R. (2024). On the use of post-hoc tests in environmental and Biological Sciences: A critical review. Heliyon, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25131

Poon, E. T.-C., Kwan, W. L., Chow, C. C., & Chan, D. K. (2024). Music timing differentiates fatigue perception and performance during isometric strength exercises: A crossover randomised trial. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 258–264. https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2024.258

Haslam, R., Heiderscheit, A., & Himmerich, H. (2022). A systematic review of scientific studies on the effects of music in people with personality disorders. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(23), 15434. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315434

Osmanoğlu, H., Dizdar, H. T., & Koçyiğit, A. A. (2024). The effects of music listening time with headphones on hearing thresholds among the young population. The Egyptian Journal of Otolaryngology, 40(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43163-024-00574-9

Kaliyadan, F., & Kulkarni, V. (2019). Types of variables, Descriptive statistics, and Sample Size. Indian Dermatology Online Journal, 10(1), 82–86. https://doi.org/10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_468_18

Kulinski, J., Ofori, E. K., Visotcky, A., Smith, A., Sparapani, R., & Fleg, J. L. (2021). Effects of music on the cardiovascular system. Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine, 32(6). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcm.2021.06.004

Lin, H.-M., Kuo, S.-H., & Mai, T. P. (2023). Does a slower tempo make a worse performance? The effect of musical tempo on cognitive processing speed. Frontiers in Psychology, 14(14). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.998460

Malakoutikhah, A., Dehghan, M., Ghonchehpour, A., Afshar, P. P., & Zakeri, M. A. (2022). A randomized controlled trial on the effects of different music genres on physiologic parameters and emotion. Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-022-03245-x

Rasing, N. L., Janus, S. I. M., Kreutz, G., Sveinsdottir, V., Gold, C., Nater, U. M., & Zuidema, S. U. (2022). The Impact of Music on Stress Biomarkers: Protocol of a Substudy of the Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial Music Interventions for Dementia and Depression in Early Care (MIDDEL). Brain Sciences, 12(4), 485. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12040485

Resnik, D. (2020). What is ethics in research, and why is it important? National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis

Tervaniemi, M., Makkonen, T., & Nie, P. (2021). Psychological and Physiological Signatures of Music Listening in Different Listening Environments—An Exploratory Study. Brain Sciences, 11(5), 593. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11050593

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Overview

The field of psychology is built upon rigorous research. Theories are constantly proposed, tested, supported, and invalidated through research studies communicated to the field via peer reviewed research papers. As such, individuals in the field of psychology must be both informed consumers and educated producers of psychological research.

This course is the first in a sequence of two research methods courses. In this first course, you will create a research proposal centered on a testable research question. In the second course, you will actually conduct research around your research question, guided by your proposal, and using your classmates as your research participants.

Keep in mind when creating your research question and proposal that the topic must be approachable and able to be answered by your colleagues.

Research proposals that ask questions about diagnosable mental health disorders, suicide, or abuse of any kind will not be allowed, as these topics may be triggering for some students. The project is divided into four milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions.

These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two, Four, Six, and Eight. The final product will be submitted in Module Ten.

This assessment addresses the following course outcomes:

• Evaluate research designs in published studies for their appropriateness in addressing psychological research questions
• Synthesize peer–reviewed research in psychology for supporting testable research proposals
• Propose data collection strategies for developing methodologically sound research proposals
• Select appropriate data analysis methods for informing valid and reliable research results
• Apply the American Psychological Association’s principles and standards for creating professional, ethically sound research proposals

Prompt

For this assessment, you will create a research proposal centered on a testable research question and hypothesis, substantiated with peer–reviewed research. In the following course, Research Methods II, you will actually conduct research around your research question, guided by your proposal.

You are required to use your Southern New Hampshire University classmates as your research participants, so keep in mind when creating your research question and proposal that the topic must be approachable and able to be answered by your colleagues. You are prohibited from using anyone outside of Southern New Hampshire University for your study.

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Problem Statement: Describe the general topic you will address and its importance and relevance to real–world issues.

II. Literature Review: In this section, you will use existing research on your subject and draw conclusions for informing your research proposal.

a. Summarize existing, applicable research in the field around your topic, utilizing peer-reviewed sources.

b. Identify the different research designs that have been used to generate knowledge on this topic, and describe how they differ.

c. Differentiate between the research designs for their advantages and disadvantages in addressing the research questions, providing specific examples from the research.

d. Evaluate the appropriateness of the research designs to the research questions, providing justification for your assertions. Which design seems most appropriate in addressing the question and why?

e. Summarize what is unknown or uncertain about your topic, synthesizing applicable existing research.

f. Discuss the appropriateness of the data analysis procedures used in the literature as they relate to the American Psychological Association’s principles and standards. Consider the assumptions made and presentation of data.

III. Research Question and Hypothesis

a. Create a testable research question based on your research about the topic.

b. Create a testable hypothesis based on your research question and research about the topic, explaining the extent to which the research supports your hypothesis.

c. Describe the variables that will be measured and manipulated in your study, and explain the selection of variables. Specifically, what independent and dependent variables will be used to test your hypothesis?

IV. Proposed Methodology

a. Outline whom you plan to use as participants and how many participants you will need, providing justification.

b. Describe the materials (such as surveys) that will be used in your study and why these materials are most appropriate for your proposal, justifying claims with resources.

c. Describe the procedures you will use to collect your data and how these will appropriately address your research question.

d. Discuss the ethical concerns involved in your study and the steps you will take to remedy them. Consider who will be studied, what risks they will be exposed to, and what steps will be taken to maintain their responses‘ confidentiality and obtain informed consent.

V. Data Analysis Plan

a. Explain what procedures you will use to prepare your raw data for analysis. If you have open-ended questions, how will they be coded? If you collected responses to multiple survey questions, how will the data be aggregated for analysis?

b. Propose general analytical procedures that you will use to analyze your data, and explain how these procedures will help obtain valid and reliable research results.

c. Describe which descriptive statistics that could be obtained from your data would be most informative in answering your research question and why.

d. Discuss how your proposed data analysis methods are ethical and aligned with the American Psychological Association’s principles and standards.

VI. Anticipated Results: What do you expect the results of your study to be, and how do your expected results complement or contradict the results in previous literature?

Milestones
Milestone One: Topic Selection, Search Terms, and Preliminary Research Question

In Module Two, you will submit a description of the topic that you will focus on for the final project as well as a preliminary research question that will guide your paper. It is understood that your research question will likely change and evolve as you read the literature on your topic, but it is important to have a research question to guide your reading.

You will also submit a list of search terms that you will use to find peer–reviewed articles on your topic in the Shapiro Library’s electronic databases. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.

Milestone Two: Research Question, Hypothesis, and Annotated Bibliography

In Module Four, you will submit a revised description of the research question and hypothesis (or hypotheses) that will guide your research. You will also submit an annotated bibliography of at least six peer-reviewed sources.

For each article, you will need to provide full bibliographic information, the abstract, and a summary of the key findings of the article and how they relate to your research question. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.

Milestone Three: Problem Statement and Literature Review

In Module Six, you will submit your problem statement and literature review. In addition, you will revise your previously submitted research question and hypothesis based on the feedback from your instructor in Milestone Two.

This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.

Milestone Four: Methods, Data Analysis, and Anticipated Results

In Module Eight, you will submit your methods, data analysis, and anticipated results sections. The methods section should describe the participants to be studied and the methods to be utilized for the proposed research project.

The data analysis section should discuss the basic plan for analyzing the data, and the anticipated results section should discuss the expected findings. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Four Rubric.

Final Submission: Research Proposal
In Module Ten, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course.

This submission will be graded with the Final Product Rubric.

What to Submit
Your research proposal must be 10–15 pages in length and adhere to standard APA formatting with double spacing, Times New Roman 12–point font, and one–inch margins. You must include a title page, citations, and a properly formatted reference page.