Research proposal presentation

1. Title of Study Goes Here
Bryant Sutton BS
EDUC 6033: Research Design and Analysis

2. Introduction
 Since Paleolithic times the Essential Fatty
Acids n-3 and n-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
(PUFA) have been in a 1:1 balance. In the
past 150 years this ratio has been skewed to
as much as 1:20 n-3 to n-6. This imbalance
prevents the full potential of brain
development, therefore impeding the amount
and complexity of tasks our children are
capable of learning.

3. Study Purpose:
 The purpose of this study is to find
evidence that serving n-3:n-6 PUFA
balanced meals through school lunch
programs will stimulate cognitive
development.

4. Summary of Review of Literature
 It is known that balancing n-3:n-6 PUFA
increases cognitive development in infants
and toddlers, it reduces the loss of mental
ability in the elderly, and aids in the
recovery of brain trauma victims.
 There is no reliably collected data on if a
balanced n-3;n-6 PUFA diet benefits high
school aged children.

5. Hypothesis
 The balancing of n-3:n-6 PUFA in
school lunch programs will increase
mental development in high school age
students

6. Methodology: Design
• This is an experimentalminimizewith
random assignment to
design
validity
issues. There will be post-treatment
evaluations of TAKS release tests and
Wechsler IQ exams between control and
experimental groups.

7. Methodology: Sample and Setting
• The gender split is 47% Male and 53%
Female. The ethnic break down is 41%
White, 40% Hispanic, 14% Black, and
5% other. 63% of the students at the
school are considered high risk.
• Subjects will be provided free school
lunches in return for participation.
• Groups will be randomly assigned.

8. Methods: Ethical Considerations
• maintained by assigning students case
Confidentiality and anonymity will be
numbers.
• Institutional Review Board permission will
obtained through UHCL.
• Informed consent/ assent will be attained
during class registration and schedule pick up.
• Permission from the school board will be
obtained

9. Methodology: Instruments
 TAKS release tests will measure subject
mastery. TAKS tests have a reliability
coeffcient alpha of .87 - .90. The validity
ratings of the TAKS tests are p>.5.
 Wechsler IQ test are one of the best
measures of general intellectual
functioning available.

10. Methodology: Procedures
• To secure governmenttied to national financial
student growth will be
funding for the project
security.
• Taking the expense of food away from the
district and freeing up funds for instruction all
but guarantees district participation.
• Feeding participants free of charge should get
the required population involved.

11. Methodology: Data Analysis
 To illustrate the central tendency of the
subjects scores the mean of each groups
scores on their exams will compared.
 Post treatment scores on the TAKS release
and Wechsler IQ test of the control group and
experimental group will be compared.
 To compare the TAKS release scores since
there are multiple tests the ANOVA test will be
utilized. To compare Wechsler IQ test scores a
t-test is all that is needed.

12. Any Questions?
 An imbalance in n-3:n-6 PUFA in the diet
of high school age children is inhibiting
brain development.
 Balancing n-3:n-6 PUFA in school
provided meals will increase brain
development.