Attitudes Toward Drunk Driving by Race, Age, and Gender
This paper presents a research proposal investigating whether attitudes toward drunk driving differ as a function of race, gender, and age. Using a survey methodology with a sample of 30 university students, evenly distributed by race (Caucasian and African-American) and gender, the study measures attitudes toward drinking, attitudes toward drunk driving, personal drinking behavior, and social desirability. Participants are recruited through semi-random selection from university enrollment lists. Data analysis employs two-tailed t-tests to compare group means, with social desirability scores used to identify potential response bias. The proposal outlines recruitment procedures, informed consent protocols, and the rationale for the chosen statistical approach.
- Introduction and Research Question: Research question on drunk driving attitudes by demographics
- Sample and Participants: Thirty university students stratified by race and gender
- Materials: Survey instruments and social desirability measure
- Procedure: Recruitment, consent, and lab-based survey administration
- Data Analysis: Two-tailed t-tests and social desirability controls
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What makes this paper effective
- The proposal clearly articulates a research question and links it directly to the methodology, showing logical coherence from question to design.
- It anticipates a potential confound — social desirability bias — and incorporates a measure to detect and address it, demonstrating methodological awareness.
- The rationale for choosing a two-tailed t-test is explicitly stated, including the reasoning behind not specifying a directional hypothesis, which reflects sound statistical thinking.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates the technique of justifying methodological choices. Rather than simply listing procedures, it explains why each decision was made — why semi-random selection is used, why a two-tailed test is appropriate, and why social desirability must be controlled. This habit of linking design decisions to theoretical and statistical reasoning is a hallmark of strong research writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper follows the standard IMRaD-adjacent structure for a research proposal: it opens with a research question and population rationale, describes the sample composition and recruitment strategy, details the survey instruments, outlines the lab procedure step by step, and closes with a thorough data analysis plan including contingency measures if group differences in social desirability emerge.
Introduction and Research Question
Do attitudes toward drunk driving differ as a function of race, age, or gender? In order to examine comparative differences in attitudes toward drunk driving as a function of race, gender, and age, a survey methodology will be used with a sample of 30 participants. Drinking is an important issue on college campuses, and thus attitudes toward drinking and driving are an important topic of investigation within a university population.
Sample and Participants
The sample will consist of 30 participants, evenly distributed by race and gender. Half of the sample will be male and half female, with each of these groups further divided equally into participants who are Caucasian and participants who are African-American. The sample will be recruited using semi-random selection methods based on the university's enrollment statistics. Enrollment lists will be divided by the categories of interest — gender and race — and from these lists, equal numbers will be selected and invited to participate in the research. Invitations will continue until the appropriate number of participants has been recruited in each of the four categories.
Although age is also a variable of interest, the sample will not be selected based on age. The target population this study aims to address is therefore the broader university community from which the sample is drawn.
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