Okay, here’s my attempt at a blog post reflecting the given persona and instructions:
## My Psy 328 Project One Milestone: A Brain Dump
Alright folks, lemme tell ya, this Psy 328 project is already proving to be a beast! It’s only Milestone One, but I’ve been wrestling with it all week. Figured I’d share my process, the good, the bad, and the downright confusing.
First off, I spent like, a solid two days just trying to figure out what the prof actually wanted. The instructions were… dense. I re-read them like five times, highlighting key words and phrases. I even made a freakin’ mind map! Seriously, I grabbed a big sheet of paper and started scribbling. “Variables,” “Hypothesis,” “Research Question,” all that jazz. It kinda helped, but honestly, I still felt a little lost.
Then, I decided to tackle the research question. This was the hardest part, no joke. I originally started with something super broad, like “Does social media affect happiness?” Big mistake! The prof would have eaten me alive! It was way too general. So, I had to narrow it down. I spent hours brainstorming, bouncing ideas off my roommate (who, bless her heart, has zero interest in psychology but pretends to listen).
Eventually, I landed on something more specific: “Does the amount of time spent on Instagram daily correlate with levels of self-reported anxiety in college students?” Much better, right? At least it sounds more research-y.
Next, I had to come up with a hypothesis. This is where I started to feel like I was actually doing science! I figured, the more time someone spends on Instagram, the more anxious they’re likely to be. So, my hypothesis is: “There will be a positive correlation between daily Instagram usage and self-reported anxiety levels in college students.” Fingers crossed that it’s testable!
After the hypothesis, the real fun began – identifying the variables. Independent variable: time spent on Instagram. Dependent variable: self-reported anxiety levels. Confounding variables? Oh boy, where do I even start? Age, gender, pre-existing mental health conditions, academic pressure… the list goes on and on. I spent a good chunk of time trying to figure out how to control for some of these. I decided to mention controlling for pre-existing mental health conditions and academic pressure by including a screening questionnaire.
Then came the methodology section. I had to describe how I would actually conduct this study. I imagined myself, clipboard in hand, roaming around campus, accosting unsuspecting students. Okay, not really, but you get the picture.
I decided on a survey method. I’m thinking a Google Forms survey would be easiest. I’d include questions about Instagram usage (hours per day), a standardized anxiety scale (like the GAD-7), and some demographic questions (age, gender, major). I’d probably need to get like, 100 students, just to be sure.
Ethical considerations? Of course! I made sure to include informed consent, anonymity, and the right to withdraw at any time. Gotta keep it legit!
Finally, I wrote up the whole thing, trying to make it sound all professional and academic-like. It probably still sounds like I’m just winging it, but hey, that’s my process!
Now, I gotta proofread the heck out of it and hope my prof doesn’t tear it to shreds. Wish me luck! And if you’re taking Psy 328, let me know – misery loves company!
I am beat. Time for pizza and Netflix.
