Think of a possible topic for your research study. Please remember that your study must be relevant to the field of human development.

Looking for ideas on a research topic, with one research question with one independent variable and one dependent variable?

• You might decide to examine the relationship between experiences during childhood or adolescence and experiences during adulthood. To assess experiences during childhood or adolescence, you might decide to employ a retrospective questionnaire that asks adults to recall experiences during their youth.
• Alternatively, you might examine the relationship between age and your dependent variable. You might do that by correlating age with your dependent variable or you might decide to compare two age groups. For example, you might compare Generation Z (e.g., emerging adults) and Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996).
• As you brainstorm, be sure that your ideas are possible to examine using a college student sample. You will not have the chance to include children or adolescents in your studies. All participants will be adults who are in college.
• Important Note!
• The following will not be accepted for studies:
  • The relationship between parenting style and self-esteem
    • This topic shows up every semester in multiple classes at the symposium.
  • Divorce
    • There are several problems with trying to compare adults whose parents were divorced to those whose parents are still married in a short class like this.
      • For example, you will exclude a large number of participants from your study (e.g., those who have single parents), and you want to get as many participants as possible (at least 40 participants) in a short period of time