25+ documents containing “Mixed Methods Research”.
Literature Review Outline and Annotated Bibliography.
Locate three published research articles: one quantitative research study, one qualitative research study, and one mixed methods research study. Each of the three studies must have been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Choose the Analysis of a Qualitative Research Report and Create an outline for the chosen article.
Create an Annotated Bibliography for each of the three articles.
Format your Annotated Bibliography consistent with APA guidelines.
Analysis of a Qualitative Research Report: Problem statement: 1.) What is the problem the study was conducted to address? 2. ). Why is the problem an important one for someone in your discipline to study?
Study purpose: 1.). what is the purpose of the study?
Research question: 1.). What is the research question? If one is not stated, what would you say the research question is?. 2.). Is the question stated broadly enough for a qualitative study? Why or why not?
Study design: 1.). What qualitative design is used? 2.). In what way is the chosen design an appropriate one for this study?
Subjects and setting: 1.). How were the study subjects obtained? 2. ). What was the method of obtaining subjects and its appropriateness? 3. ). Is the size of the sample adequate to the research design and variables? Why or why not? 4. ) How is the setting in which data were collected appropriate or inappropriate for this study?
Data collection procedures: 1.). To what degree were the data collection procedures consistent with the purpose of the study? 2.). To what degree were the data collection procedures appropriate for the research design of this study? 3.). What steps taken to protect the rights of subjects? Were they adequate? Why or why not? 4.). What evidence is there that data saturation was achieved?
Data analysis procedures: 1.). To what degree are the data analysis procedures appropriate for the type of data collected? 2.). To what degree are the data analysis procedures consistent with the qualitative design used? 3.). Were the data triangulated? How does triangulation affect the validity of the results?
Strengths and limitations: 1.). What are two major strengths of the scientific merit of this study?2.). What are two major limitations of the scientific merit of this study? 3.). To what extent are the study findings valid? 4.). To what extent are the study findings transferable?
See attached MATERIALS.
Based on Chapter 10 in Creswell's book and Chapter 13 in Trochim's book, describe the context of when mixed methods research is appropriate. Both of these chapters will be uploaded as a resource.
The research is Information technology related (Cloud computing and insiders threat).
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CRJ 520
- Week 3 - Discussion 1
Qualitative research is fundamentally distinct from its quantitative counterpart. While quantitative research methods rely upon the conversion of observable phenomena into numeric data, qualitative analyses do not necessitate such a transformation of data points. Qualitative analysis offers a discriminating researcher a very nuanced approach to examining many specific social phenomena and is enjoying a resurgence among researchers.
After reading Chapters 7 and 9 of Creswell?s Research Design, identify the key tenets of qualitative methods used in criminal justice research.
What do you see as the most critical aspects of qualitative research methods?
How do these key tenets of qualitative research assist us when evaluating criminal justice data?
How do these key tenets contribute to successfully interpreting published research findings?
How would you apply these tenets to answer a criminal justice research question
Week 3 - Discussion 2
Qualitative analysis requires a much different approach than that found in quantitative methods. There exist many nuances in the approach to qualitative inquiry. It can be as much an artistic expression of formal research as it is scholarly. In Chapter 9, Creswell suggests researchers follow six steps in order to most effectively conduct qualitative analysis. After reading Chapter 9, identify and discuss the salient aspects of the six steps of qualitative analysis suggested for use by the author.
What are these six steps and what are their most salient aspects?
How do these steps assist us when evaluating criminal justice data?
How do these steps contribute to successfully interpreting published research findings?
How would you apply these steps to answer a criminal justice research question?
Week 4 - Discussion 1
Quantitative methods have been the traditional hallmarks of scientific inquiry. From an early age, we are all aware of the mathematical rigors involved in quantitative analyses. In the discipline of criminal justice, researchers utilize a variety of statistical tools with which to analyze empirical data. The inferences and conclusions that are drawn from such quantitative techniques have provided for empirically-based public policy, increased professionalism in law enforcement, and the development of more effective rehabilitative tools within corrections. Were it not for quantitative methods, much of what we current know about the world of criminal justice would not exist.
After reading the Worrall article and Chapter 8 of Creswell?s Research Design, identify and discuss the key tenets of quantitative research methods used in research in criminal justice:
What do you see as the most critical aspects of quantitative research methods?
How do these key tenets of quantitative research assist us when evaluating criminal justice data?
How do these key tenets contribute to successfully interpreting published research findings?
How would you apply these tenets to answer a criminal justice research question?
Week 4 - Discussion 2
All research endeavors must, by necessity, progress through a series of logical and meaningful steps. These steps allow a researcher to be confident that the inferences and conclusions reached at the culmination of a project are valid, unbiased, representative, and generalizable.
In Chapter 8 of the text, Creswell identifies six steps critical to the construction of a quantitative research proposal (pp. 162-166). After reading this chapter, discuss the six steps of the critical aspects of data analysis and interpretation identified by Creswell:
What are the six steps and why are they essential?
How do these steps assist us when evaluating criminal justice data?
How do these steps contribute to successfully interpreting published research findings?
How would you apply these steps to answer a criminal justice research question?
Week 5 - Discussion
In the field of criminal justice, it is a well-known fact that pure quantitative research cannot adequately touch upon the many, varied nuances of many of the topics covered by most research. In addition, most criminologists would dare say that purely qualitative research often proves inadequate for providing a thorough picture of current trends in the field.
Often, researchers will combine facets of qualitative research with that of quantitative analyses. This can be likened to a best case scenario for a researcher. One can combine the inferential power of the quantitative empirical analyses with the more subtle offerings of the qualitative. Results can be more robust, representative, and generalizable.
After reading Chapter 10 of Creswell?s Research Design (pp. 215-240), discuss the appropriate use and construction of mixed methods research and research design. Pay particular attention to Creswell?s discussion regarding the components of mixed methods procedures (pp. 216 - 219). In your post, address the following:
Explain why both qualitative and quantitative means might provide a more robust research study.
What do you see as the most critical aspects of mixed methods research?
How do these key tenets of mixed methods research assist us when evaluating criminal justice data?
How do these key tenets contribute to successfully interpreting published research findings?
Week 6 - Discussion
Every researcher is faced with a host of uncertainties as they embark upon any respective research endeavor. Decisions have to be made, methodologies finalized, data analyzed, and inferences made. As you begin adding the final touches to your Final Project, take a moment to reflect on the course you took and the decisions you made as you finalize the form your proposal will take.
Which research methodology did you select?
What about your research study led you to select this methodology?
write an APA Style Literature Review (annotated bibliography). It must consist of at least five (5) peer-reviewed journal articles from online library academic databases. These include ProQuest, Sage Criminology, and EBSCOHost. The articles must be Criminal Justice/ Security related. These references should be relevant to your paper topic and ideally, used in your research paper.
The research paper will be about Discussing various types of research that would warrant the use of (qualitative)(quantitative) (mixed-methods) research methods in criminal justice/security management research.
A literature review (annotated bibliography) is a list of references in APA citation format. Each citation is then followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. Your work should summarize, evaluate, and analyze the article. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
CRJ520 WEEK 5 ASSIGNMENT
The Two Primary Types of Mixed Methods Designs
In Chapter 10 of the text, the author discusses the two primary types of mixed methods designs (pp. 219- 223). After reading the text, paying particular attention to Figure 10.1 on page 220 and Figure 10.2 on page 221, examine this methodology as it pertains to research in criminal justice. Consider the key components, as well as major strengths and weaknesses, of the two primary types of mixed methods design. In your paper
Identify the major components of mixed methods research design.
Analyze the major strengths and weaknesses of mixed methods research design.
Examine the use of such data by criminal justice agencies.
The paper
Must be three to five double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student?s name
Course name and number
Instructor?s name
Date submitted
Must use at least three peer-reviewed sources in addition to the course text.
The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Manuscript Reference:
Type of Study: Mixed Method
Research Topic:
Purpose of the Study:
Theoretical Framework: (Identify the theoretical/conceptual framework)
Specific Research Questions/ Philosophical Underpinnings:
Sample:
present the elements of quantitative and qualitative and describe how these compliment each other and why it was important or was not important, to conduct this research as a mixed methods design.
Procedure: (How was the data collected? What was the sampling strategy used?)
Variables/Concepts: (Identify the Dependent and Independent Variables or confounds.)
Instrument(s) analysis: (Discuss reliability, validity and generalizability of the measures included in the study and/or discuss methods for collecting data. Discuss how rigor is assured.)
Data analysis: (Discuss the statistical software, if any, used in analysis of the data and the type of analyses included.)
Consent: (What type of consent, if any, was obtained from the participants?)
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Book search
First, I need to clarify with the writer if he/she has access to the following databases: Ebrary, Safari Tech Online, CREDOreference, and Worldcat. If so, then can you find books on the following 3 subjects:
1. Qualitative research design
2. Quantitative research in education
3. Mixed methods research
(*You can also use Google's http://books.google.com/ as one of the databases*)
Please use a different database from the ones listed above to locate one book for each subject listed above.
(3 different books and 3 different databases)
Please write an essay that describes the search process including the keywords used, any limiters or alternate terms used, the database that was used to find the document, and the ISBN number. If you use Worldcat, note if the book was available locally (I will be able to determine if the book is local to me).
Please include a list of APA-formatted citations for the resources found.
One inch margins top, bottom and sides.
Thank you!
Write a 700-1050 word paper describing the scientific method and the fundamentals of research. Address each of the following in your paper.
Define the scientific method. How does it relate to human services research?
What are the steps in the process of scientific inquiry? Why must each of these steps be included to support the scientific method? Provide a human services research example of the scientific method and identify each step within your your example.
Define quantitative research and qualitative research. Explain how they differ and relate each to the human services field and the scientific method with examples.
Describe how to decide whether to use a quantitative or qualitative research methodology. Provide examples of what sort of study is appropriate for each methodology and explain why.
Define mixed method research and describe its strengths. Provide an example of when it is appropriate to apply mixed method research in the human services field.
Summarize how scientifically sound research supports the function of a human services manager.
Quantitative and Mixed-Methods Research Designs
As in last weeks Discussion, you and your colleagues will be responding to a research article, this time you will select the quantitative study Uptake of Guidelines to Avoid and Report Exposure to Blood and Body Fluids.
Begin by assessing your reactions when you read the article. What new ideas and questions came to you? Now consider how Dr. Cheryl Beck characterized quantitative and qualitative research in the video program and, in particular, what you learned from the readings by Duffy (2005) and Williamson (2005) about the cross-sectional survey design. Consider if this was an appropriate design for exploring Cutter and Jordans research problem. How would the research study have been different if researchers had employed a mixed-methods design?
With these thoughts in mind:
Post your thoughts on the research article, addressing the following:
Identify and describe some of your initial reactions to the article. What jumped out at you? Did this article spark a desire in you to design a similar study? Why or why not?
Now evaluate the choice of this quantitative design in light of the studys research problem. Explain why it is or is not an appropriate design choice.
Briefly describe how the study would have been different if, instead of a cross-sectional survey design, the researchers had used a mixed-methods design.
Reminder: Be sure to support your response with appropriate references to the Learning Resources. If you use sources other than the course Learning Resources, please follow APA (American Psychological Association) guidelines and provide a proper citation and reference for each source. Refer to the APA Pocket Guide, sent to you.
Customer is requesting that (FreelanceWriter) completes this order.
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Customer is requesting that (Freela
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Customer is requesting that (FreelanceWriter) completes this order.
I am requesting "ISAK" to write my paper.
Major: Human Service Professional
1. Write a 900 word paper describing the scientific method and the fundamentals of research.
Address each of the following points in your paper:
A.) Define the scientific method. How does it relate to human services research?
B.) What are the steps in the process of scientific inquiry?
C.) Why must a researcher include each step to support the scientific method?
D.) Provide a human services research example of the scientific method and identify each step
within your example.
E.) Define quantitative research and qualitative research. Explain how they differ and relate
each to the human services field and the scientific method.
F.) Describe how to decide whether to use a quantitative or a qualitative research
methodology. Provide examples of what sort of study is appropriate for each methodology
and explain why.
G.) Define mixed method research and describe its strengths. Provide an example of when it
is appropriate to apply mixed method research within the human services field.
Paper must be written in APA format.
Paper must have at least 2 references.
Again, I am asking for "ISAK" to write the paper.
Please write in the APA format and provide a reference page.
Application: Critiquing Quantitative, Qualitative, or Mixed Methods Studies
Critiquing the validity and robustness of research featured in journal articles provides a critical foundation for engaging in evidence-based practice. In Weeks 5 and 6, you explored quantitative research designs. In Week 7, you will examine qualitative and mixed methods research designs. For this Assignment, which is due by Day 7 of Week 7, you critique a quantitative and either a qualitative or a mixed methods research study and compare the types of information obtained in each.
To prepare:
Select a health topic of interest to you that is relevant to your current area of practice and that is different from your Course Project.
Using the Walden Library, locate two articles in scholarly journals that deal with your topic. One article should utilize a quantitative research design while the other should utilize either a qualitative or a mixed methods design.
Locate the following documents in this weeks Learning Resources to access the appropriate templates, which will guide your critique of each article:
o Critique Template for a Qualitative Study
o Critique Template for a Quantitative Study
o Critique Template for a Mixed-Methods Study
Consider the fields in the templates as you review the information in each article.
Begin to draft a paper in which you analyze the two research approaches as indicated below.
Reflect on the overall value of both quantitative and qualitative research. If someone were to say to you, Qualitative research is not real science, how would you respond?
To complete this Assignment:
Complete the two critiques using the appropriate templates.
Write a 2- to 3-page paper that addresses the following:
o Contrast the types of information that you gained from examining the two different research approaches in the articles that you selected.
o Describe the general advantages and disadvantages of the two research approaches featured in the articles. Use examples from the articles for support.
o Formulate a response to the claim that qualitative research is not real science. Highlight the general insights that both quantitative and qualitative studies can provide to researchers. Support your response with references to the Learning Resources and other credible sources.
As you complete this Assignment, remember to:
Submit your paper to Grammarly and Turnitin through the Walden Writing Center. Based on the Grammarly and Turnitin reports, revise your paper as necessary.
Reminder: The School of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The School of Nursing Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available from the Walden University website found in this weeks Learning Resources). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
This Assignment is due by Day 7 of Week 7.
Critique Template for a Qualitative Study
NURS 6052
Week 6 Assignment: Application: Critiquing Quantitative, Qualitative, or Mixed Methods Studies (due by Day 7 of Week 7)
Date:
Your name:
Article reference (in APA style):
URL:
What is a critique? Simply stated, a critique is a critical analysis undertaken for some purpose. Nurses critique research for three main reasons: to improve their practice, to broaden their understanding, and to provide a base for the conduct of a study.
When the purpose is to improve practice, nurses must give special consideration to questions such as these:
Are the research findings appropriate to my practice setting and situation?
What further research or pilot studies need to be done, if any, before incorporating findings into practice to assure both safety and effectiveness?
How might a proposed change in practice trigger changes in other aspects of practice?
To help you synthesize your learning throughout this course and prepare you to utilize research in your practice, you will be critiquing a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research study of your choice.
For your critique, select one of the research articles that you included in your literature review. If the article is unavailable in a full-text version through the Walden University Library, you must e-mail the article as a PDF or Word attachment to your Instructor.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH CRITIQUE
1. Research Issue and Purpose
What is the research question or issue of the referenced study? What is its purpose? (Sometimes ONLY the purpose is stated clearly and the question must be inferred from the introductory discussion of the purpose.)
2. Researcher Pre-understandings
Does the article include a discussion of the researchers pre-understandings? What does the article disclose about the researchers professional and personal perspectives on the research problem?
3. Literature Review
What is the quality of the literature review? Is the literature review current, relevant? Is there evidence that the author critiqued the literature or merely reported it without critique? Is there an integrated summary of the current knowledge base regarding the research problem, or does the literature review contain opinion or anecdotal articles without any synthesis or summary of the whole? (Sometimes the literature review is incorporated into the introductory section without being explicitly identified.)
4. Theoretical or Conceptual Framework
Is a theoretical or conceptual framework identified? If so, what is it? Is it a nursing framework or one drawn from another discipline? (Sometimes there is no explicitly identified theoretical or conceptual framework; in addition, many nursing research studies draw on a borrowed framework, e.g., stress, medical pathology, etc.)
5. Participants
Who were the participants? Is the setting or study group adequately described? Is the setting appropriate for the research question? What type of sampling strategy was used? Was it appropriate? Was the sample size adequate? Did the researcher stipulate that information redundancy was achieved?
6. Protection of Human Research Participants
What steps were taken to protect human research subjects?
7. Research Design
What was the design of the study? If the design was modeled from previous research or pilot studies, please describe.
8. Data Collection/Generation Methods
What methods were used for data collection/generation? Was triangulation used?
9. Credibility
Were the generated data credible? Explain your reasons.
10. Data Analysis
What methods were used for data analysis? What evidence was provided that the researchers analysis was accurate and replicable?
11. Findings
What were the findings?
12. Discussion of Findings
Was the discussion of findings related to the framework? Were those the expected findings? Were they consistent with previous studies? Were serendipitous (i.e., accidental) findings described?
13. Limitations
Did the researcher report limitations of the study? (Limitations are acknowledgments of internal characteristics of the study that may help explain insignificant and other unexpected findings, and more importantly, indicate those groups to whom the findings CANNOT be generalized or applied. It is a fact that all studies must be limited in some way; not all of the issues involved in a problem situation can be studied all at once.)
14. Implications
Are the conclusions and implications drawn by the author warranted by the study findings? (Sometimes researchers will seem to ignore findings that dont confirm their expectations as they interpret the meaning of their study findings.)
15. Recommendations
Does the author offer legitimate recommendations or further research? Is the description of the study sufficiently clear and complete to allow replication of the study? (Sometimes researchers recommendations seem to come from left field rather than following obviously from the discussion of findings. If a research problem is truly significant, the results need to be confirmed with additional research; in addition, if a reader wishes to design a study using a different sample or correcting flaws in the original study, a complete description is necessary.)
16. Research Utilization in Your Practice
How might this research inform your practice? Are the research findings appropriate to your practice setting and situation? What further research or pilot studies need to be done, if any, before incorporating findings into practice to assure both safety and effectiveness? How might the utilization of this research trigger changes in other aspects of practice?
Critique Template for a Quantitative Study
NURS 6052
Week 6 Assignment: Application: Critiquing Quantitative, Qualitative, or Mixed Methods Studies (due by Day 7 of Week 7)
Date:
Your name:
Article reference (in APA style):
URL:
What is a critique? Simply stated, a critique is a critical analysis undertaken for some purpose. Nurses critique research for three main reasons: to improve their practice, to broaden their understanding, and to provide a base for the conduct of a study.
When the purpose is to improve practice, nurses must give special consideration to questions such as these:
Are the research findings appropriate to my practice setting and situation?
What further research or pilot studies need to be done, if any, before incorporating findings into practice to assure both safety and effectiveness?
How might a proposed change in practice trigger changes in other aspects of practice?
To help you synthesize your learning throughout this course and prepare you to utilize research in your practice, you will be critiquing a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research study of your choice.
For your critique, select one of the research articles that you included in your literature review. If the article is unavailable in a full-text version through the Walden University Library, you must e-mail the article as a PDF or Word attachment to your Instructor.
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH CRITIQUE
1. Research Problem and Purpose
What are the problem and purpose of the referenced study? (Sometimes ONLY the purpose is stated clearly and the problem must be inferred from the introductory discussion of the purpose.)
2. Hypotheses and Research Questions
What are the hypotheses (or research questions/objectives) of the study? (Sometimes the hypotheses or study questions are listed in the Results section, rather than preceding the report of the methodology used. Occasionally, there will be no mention of hypotheses, but anytime there are inferential statistics used, the reader can recognize what the hypotheses are from looking at the results of statistical analysis.)
3. Literature Review
What is the quality of the literature review? Is the literature review current? Relevant? Is there evidence that the author critiqued the literature or merely reported it without critique? Is there an integrated summary of the current knowledge base regarding the research problem, or does the literature review contain opinion or anecdotal articles without any synthesis or summary of the whole? (Sometimes the literature review is incorporated into the introductory section without being explicitly identified.)
4. Theoretical or Conceptual Framework
Is a theoretical or conceptual framework identified? If so, what is it? Is it a nursing framework or one drawn from another discipline? (Sometimes there is no explicitly identified theoretical or conceptual framework; in addition, many nursing research studies draw on a borrowed framework, e.g., stress, medical pathology, etc.)
5. Population
What population was sampled? How was the population sampled? Describe the method and criteria. How many subjects were in the sample?
6. Protection of Human Research Participants
What steps were taken to protect human research subjects?
7. Research Design
What was the design of the study? If the design was modeled from previous research or pilot studies, please describe.
8. Instruments and Strategies for Measurement
What instruments and/or other measurement strategies were used in data collection? Was information provided regarding the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments? If so, describe it.
9. Data Collection
What procedures were used for data collection?
10. Data Analysis
What methods of data analysis were used? Were they appropriate to the design and hypotheses?
11. Interpretation of Results
What results were obtained from data analysis? Is sufficient information given to interpret the results of data analysis?
12. Discussion of Findings
Was the discussion of findings related to the framework? Were those the expected findings? Were they consistent with previous studies? Were serendipitous (i.e., accidental) findings described?
13. Limitations
Did the researcher report limitations of the study? (Limitations are acknowledgments of internal characteristics of the study that may help explain insignificant and other unexpected findings, and more importantly, indicate those groups to whom the findings CANNOT be generalized or applied. It is a fact that all studies must be limited in some way; not all of the issues involved in a problem situation can be studied all at once.)
14. Implications
Are the conclusions and implications drawn by the author warranted by the study findings? (Sometimes researchers will seem to ignore findings that dont confirm their hypotheses as they interpret the meaning of their study findings.)
15. Recommendations
Does the author offer legitimate recommendations for further research? Is the description of the study sufficiently clear and complete to allow replication of the study? (Sometimes researchers recommendations seem to come from left field rather than following obviously from the discussion of findings. If a research problem is truly significant, the results need to be confirmed with additional research; in addition, if a reader wishes to design a study using a different sample or correcting flaws in the original study, a complete description is necessary.)
16. Research Utilization in Your Practice
How might this research inform your practice? Are the research findings appropriate to your practice setting and situation? What further research or pilot studies need to be done, if any, before incorporating findings into practice to assure both safety and effectiveness? How might the utilization of this research trigger changes in other aspects of practice?
Critique Template for a Mixed-Methods Study
NURS 6052
Week 6 Assignment: Application: Critiquing Quantitative, Qualitative, or Mixed Methods Studies (due by Day 7 of Week 7)
Date:
Your name:
Article reference (in APA style):
URL:
What is a critique? Simply stated, a critique is a critical analysis undertaken for some purpose. Nurses critique research for three main reasons: to improve their practice, to broaden their understanding, and to provide a base for the conduct of a study.
When the purpose is to improve practice, nurses must give special consideration to questions such as these:
Are the research findings appropriate to my practice setting and situation?
What further research or pilot studies need to be done, if any, before incorporating findings into practice to assure both safety and effectiveness?
How might a proposed change in practie trigger changes in other aspects of practice?
To help you synthesize your learning throughout this course and prepare you to utilize research in your practice, you will be critiquing a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research study of your choice.
For your critique, select one of the research articles that you included in your literature review. If the article is unavailable in a full-text version through the Walden University Library, you must e-mail the article as a PDF or Word attachment to your Instructor.
MIXED-METHODS RESEARCH CRITIQUE
17. Research Issue and Purpose
What is the research question or issue of the referenced study? What is its purpose? (Sometimes ONLY the purpose is stated clearly and the question must be inferred from the introductory discussion of the purpose.)
17. Researcher Pre-understandings and / or Hypotheses and Research Questions
Does the article include a discussion of the researchers pre-understandings? What does the article disclose about the researchers professional and personal perspectives on the research problem? What are the hypotheses (or research questions/objectives) of the study? (Sometimes the hypotheses or study questions are listed in the Results section, rather than preceding the report of the methodology used. Occasionally, there will be no mention of hypotheses, but anytime there are inferential statistics used, the reader can recognize what the hypotheses are from looking at the results of statistical analysis.)
18. Literature Review
What is the quality of the literature review? Is the literature review current, relevant? Is there evidence that the author critiqued the literature or merely reported it without critique? Is there an integrated summary of the current knowledge base regarding the research problem, or does the literature review contain opinion or anecdotal articles without any synthesis or summary of the whole? (Sometimes the literature review is incorporated into the introductory section without being explicitly identified.)
19. Theoretical or Conceptual Framework
Is a theoretical or conceptual framework identified? If so, what is it? Is it a nursing framework or one drawn from another discipline? (Sometimes there is no explicitly identified theoretical or conceptual framework; in addition, many nursing research studies draw on a borrowed framework, e.g., stress, medical pathology, etc.)
20. Participants
Who were the participants? Is the setting or study group adequately described? Is the setting appropriate for the research question? What type of sampling strategy was used? Was it appropriate? Was the sample size adequate? Did the researcher stipulate that information redundancy was achieved?
21. Protection of Human Research Participants
What steps were taken to protect human research subjects?
22. Research Design
What was the design of the study? If the design was modeled from previous research or pilot studies, please describe.
23. Instruments, Data Collection, Data Generation Methods
What methods were used for data collection/generation? What instruments and/or other measurement strategies were used in data collection? Was information provided regarding the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments? If so, describe it. Was triangulation used?
24. Credibility
Were the generated data credible? Explain your reasons.
25. Data Analysis
What methods were used for data analysis? What evidence was provided that the researchers analysis was accurate and replicable?
26. Findings
What were the findings?
27. Discussion of Findings
Was the discussion of findings related to the framework? Were those the expected findings? Were they consistent with previous studies? Were serendipitous (i.e., accidental) findings described?
28. Limitations
Did the researcher report limitations of the study? (Limitations are acknowledgments of internal characteristics of the study that may help explain insignificant and other unexpected findings, and more importantly, indicate those groups to whom the findings CANNOT be generalized or applied. It is a fact that all studies must be limited in some way; not all of the issues involved in a problem situation can be studied all at once.)
29. Implications
Are the conclusions and implications drawn by the author warranted by the study findings? (Sometimes researchers will seem to ignore findings that dont confirm their expectations as they interpret the meaning of their study findings.)
30. Recommendations
Does the author offer legitimate recommendations for further research? Is the description of the study sufficiently clear and complete to allow replication of the study? (Sometimes researchers recommendations seem to come from left field rather than following obviously from the discussion of findings. If a research problem is truly significant, the results need to be confirmed with additional research; in addition, if a reader wishes to design a study using a different sample or correcting flaws in the original study, a complete description is necessary.)
31. Research Utilization in Your Practice
How might this research inform your practice? Are the research findings appropriate to your practice setting and situation? What further research or pilot studies need to be done, if any, before incorporating findings into practice to assure both safety and effectiveness? How might the utilization of this research trigger changes in other aspects of practice?
The paper is a MBA dissertation research proposal and should follow the following format:-
TITLE : (INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) AND SMEs COMPETITIVENESS IN A DEVELOPING CARIBBEAN COUNTRY)
QUESTION: How can SMEs in (Caribbean) use ICT to achieve competitive advantage?
CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION (approx 600 words)
-Background: This informs the reader of the problem or the situation
-Rationale for the study. What is the research issue?
Why is it an issue?
Why is it an issue now?
What could this research shed light on?
- Research aims, objectives, questions or hypothesis
CHAPTER 2 - LITERATURE REVIEW & CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK (approx 1200words)
- Critically review 5 ? 6 sources (RECENT) to underpin the study in order to produce a conceptual framework
CHAPTER 3- RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODOLOGY(approx 1500 words)
This section should give detailed rationale of the following:
- Research philosophy & paradigm (please discuss Epistemology, Ontology, then indicate whether phenomenological or positivistic paradigm or Mixed methods will be use and why)
(NOTE: I WISH TO USE MIXED METHODS)
- Research Methodology (explain rationale and choice of research methods)
- Data Sources
- Sampling Techniques and Procedures
- Data Analysis & Technique
- Research Ethics
- Limitations to methodology
-Summary in diagram format
CHAPTER 4- TIME PLAN & RESOURCES (approx 300 words)
- Gantt chart with justification (this should depict how available time will be used to complete proposed research)January 2013 to April 30 2013
- Detailed consideration of resources required to successfully enable execution of the research project
- Identify limitations and steps to mitigate
Complete the following research manuscript critique for each selected article.
Manuscript Reference: ( Include the APA style Reference here)
Type of Study: (Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Methods)
Research Topic: (Identify the phenomenon of interest.)
Purpose of the Study: (Briefly, in 1-3 sentences, describe the purpose or significance of the study)
Overarching Research Question or Theory: (What is the primary research question or theory for this study?)
Specific Research Questions/ Philosophical Underpinnings: (Include the specific research questions, hypotheses or philosophical underpinnings for each study.)
Management research relies upon a variety of different data collection methods, such as survey, interview and observation. Different methods produce different types of data, each requiring different analytical approaches. Look to your text for explanations of the various methods you can use in your research and the types of analyses that can be used to make sense of the data you collect.
In a 750-1,000 word response, answer the following questions
1) How does the adoption of a particular methodology affect the researcher?s choice of methods for data collection and analysis?
2) Which methods might you choose, bearing in mind your chosen methodology and epistemological stance?
Methodology
A mixed method research methodology would be used which would employ both the quantitative and qualitative forms. The methodology research begins with a qualitative observation of the water system. Qualitative study offers the prospect to deliver indirect details that outline the problem. The research would then employ a quantitative tool, such as a survey, to confirm or nullify opinions made during the qualitative phase.
A Mixed approach design would use the strength of both methodologies to provide a broader prospective on the overall issue. Hence the study is more than just the gathering and investigating of both kind of data; it involves the use of both approaches in order that the overall strength of the study would be greater than either the quantitative or qualitative research.
Critique the 3 manuscripts I am sendingusing the checklists below. You will be using these research articles to help you understand what exactly goes into the research methods for dissertations and other research. Each module you will identify specific elements in these research articles relating specifically to that module. These will serve as great examples for what you will need to do in your own research!
Complete the following research manuscript critique for each selected article.
Manuscript Reference: ( Include the APA style Reference here)
Type of Study: (Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Methods)
Research Topic: (Identify the phenomenon of interest.)
Purpose of the Study: (Briefly, in 1-3 sentences, describe the purpose or significance of the study)
Overarching Research Question or Theory: (What is the primary research question or theory for this study?)
Specific Research Questions/ Philosophical Underpinnings: (Include the specific research questions, hypotheses or philosophical underpinnings for each study.)
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Dissertation Proposal:
Table of Contents
Introduction to the Study 1
Background 2
Purpose of the Project 2
Significance of the Problem 3
Key Terms 3
Research Questions 4
Review of the Related Literature 4
Methodology 6
References 10
Appendix Annotated Bibliography 12
Introduction
[Text Dissertation topic is introduced in 2 pages maximum. The study topic is briefly described to establish the main ideas and context. Note: Topic must reflect doctoral level study and the specific program.]
Statement of the Problem
[Text Present general issue/observation that in theory or practice leads to the need for the study (in most cases scholarly citations within the last 5 years are included). Present focused problem that leads to the need for a research response. Clearly describe and document the problem that directly leads to the study purpose.
Purpose of the Study
[Text Research method is identified as qualitative, quantitative, or mixed method. Research design is clearly stated and is aligned with the problem statement. Identification of variables/constructs and/or phenomenon/concept/idea:
Quantitative research variables/constructs are briefly identified (including potential confounding variables, covariates, mediating variables, etc.). Research variables/constructs are identified and cited, if appropriate.
Qualitative research identifies a single phenomenon, concept, or idea that will be studied.
Mixed Method research includes all of the above.
Specific population of proposed study is identified. The number of participants that will serve as the sample should be estimated based on a power analysis (quantitative/mixed method) or conventions (qualitative) as detailed in chapter 3. Geographic location of study is identified.]
Research Questions
[Text]
Q1.
Q2.
Hypotheses (Quantitative/Mixed Studies Only)
H10. [Null Hypothesis Text]
H1a. [Alternative Hypothesis Text]
Definition of Key Terms
[Text (optional) ]
Term 1. Definition (APA citation).
Brief Review of the Literature
[Text Discussion has depth and presents a critical analysis and synthesis of the literature that provides a context for the dissertation study. Discussion is comprehensive, organized, and flows logically. Use themes and/or subtopics as headings. Identify the themes or sub-topics around which the literature review has been organized into a coherent narrative discussion. In the review, at least 7 to 10 of the most important works or studies that touch upon the dissertation topic or problem are discussed. Be sure to include works that provide alternate or opposing perspectives on the proposed topic area to demonstrate unbiased research. Learners focus particularly on those works that address main ideas in the field, describe areas of controversy, and indicate areas of incomplete knowledge and relate them to the envisioned studys problem, purpose, and research questions. Include historical and germinal works as well as current works (within the last 5 years).
Theme/Sub-Topic 1 [Repeat, as needed]
[Text]
Summary
[Text]
Research Method
[Text Here discuss the proposed research method (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed). In this section the appropriateness of the method and design are substantiated and includes a brief discussion of why the method/design(s) was/were chosen over others. Discussion is not simply a listing and description of research designs; rather, elaboration demonstrates how the proposed method and design accomplish the study goals, why the design is the optimum choice for the proposed research, and how the method aligns with the purpose and research questions. Be sure to provide a brief discussion of the proposed data collection and analysis procedures. Provide appropriate foundational support for the proposed study design; for example, refer to Moustakas and other appropriate authors to describe a phenomenological design.
Note: Avoid introductory research design and analyses descriptions as well as excessive reference to textbook authors such as Creswell and Trochim.
Operational Definition of Variables (Quantitative/Mixed Studies Only)
[Text (optional) Identify each of the primary constructs associated with the proposed topic, problem, research question(s), and hypotheses. Include a brief overview of how each will be operationally defined for the proposed study]
Construct/Variable 1. Description/Operational Definition.
Describe each variable, the nature of the variable (e.g., nominal, ordinal, interval), how each variable will vary (e.g., the range (1 ??" 5, 0 ??" 100) or levels (low, medium, high; male, female) and the data sources (e.g., archival data, survey items, and if appropriate, how the items will be combined to form the variable construct). Consult research design sources and ensure that the nature of each variable is appropriate to the proposed statistical analyses.
Measurement
[TextProvide a brief description of how study data will be collected, measured and analyzed. Describe the proposed instrument. Please note that survey self-development should be considered only after an exhaustive search for an existing validated instrument and will require a multi-step pilot and validation process. Although a detailed description is not required at the CP stage, the variables must demonstrate appropriateness to the study purpose and meet the assumptions of the proposed statistical tests. For qualitative studies, describe the proposed instrument or collection (e.g., interviews, observations), and how concepts will be coded and analyzed as appropriate to the proposed design. Include appropriate support for the application of the proposed design. Consult research design and analysis sources including those available in the Dissertation Center for guidance.]
Summary
[Text]
References
Reference 1
Reference 2
Reference n
Instructions: This section of the Concept Paper is a list of references cited in text, including the literature review. All resources cited in the concept paper must be included in the list of references.
List all references in APA format with the exception noted below. For each reference listed, there should be at least one corresponding citation within the body of the text, and vice-versa.
Formatting: Single space each reference citation, along with a .5 inch hanging indent; double space between consecutive references in the reference list
Tips: Sort in alpha surname/title order. Only capitalize the first word of the title and of the subtitle, if any. Do not bold the title. Know when to italicize and when not to (i.e., periodical/non-periodical/publication versus book/report/paper). Italicize volume (i.e., Journal Name 4, pp. 12-22.)
Note: APA6 Requires Digital Object Identifier (DOI), if one has been assigned (see page 191).
Example (note single-space references, with double-spacing in-between):
Winslade, J., & Monk, G. (2001). Narrative mediation: A new approach to conflict resolution. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Ahn, J. (2004). Electronic portfolios: Blending technology, accountability and assessment. T.H.E. Journal, 31(9), 12-18.
U.S. Government Printing Office. (2006). Catalog of U.S. Government publications: New electronic titles.
Appendix
Annotated Bibliography
Reference 1
Annotation 1
Reference 2
Annotation 2
Reference n
Annotation n
Common Errors to Avoid
1. Paper margins: 1.5 inches on left ??" remaining at 1 inch (see formatting resources available in the Dissertation Center)
2. The research questions should not be stated so as to be answerable with a yes/no response.
3. There must be a direct alignment from the topic to the purpose to the research question(s)/hypotheses to the proposed method and design.
4. Avoid anthropomorphism ??" page 69 of APA ??" giving human qualities to inanimate objects.
An unacceptable example: the organization stated ??"
A better solution: the leaers of the organization stated
5. Avoid long sentences, fragmentation, and grammatical errors. Configure your MS Word software to perform Grammar and Spell checking (i.e., Tools/Options/Spelling & Grammar/, set the Writing Style option to Grammar and Style), or use the F7 key in MS Word to identify areas for improvement.
6. Whenever presenting information as factual, or that is not considered common knowledge, or represents concepts obtained from an outside resource, ensure that an appropriate citation and corresponding reference have been added. Citations add support and validity for your paper and avoid potential plagiarism
7. Per pp. 65-66 of the APA Publication Manual, use past tense for discussing literature, an action or condition that occurred at a specific time in the past. Jones (year) published or Smith (year) stated, because this was said or completed in the past.
8. Avoid emphasis on the authors (e.g. the author stated... authors indicated) and instead shift the focus of the sentence to the main ideas and key findings. Use straightforward, declarative statements and cite authors parenthetically.
There are faxes for this order.
Instructions: Select an appropriate article for review to complete the assignment. Write a review using the instructions below. This should be a minimum of 1000 words. Write in APA format. Include cover page, body with in text citations & reference list. Include at least 3 references.
Select an Article
The article you select for this assignment should be related to the area of Transportation & Logistics. Ideally, this same article will be part of the literature review section of your final project in the course. In addition, the article you select should be an example of quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods research that meets the following criteria:
?published in peer reviewed journal
?current--published within the past 5-10 years
?related to the topic you are exploring for your final project
In selecting your article for this assignment make sure it describes a quantitative, qualitative or mixed-methods study and includes:
?a discussion of the research problem or question
?the methods of data collection and analysis
Your review of your selected article should be a concise, thoughtful discussion of the main features of the study described in the article and of important questions that the study might raise from researchers. The review should follow this format:
1.A brief overview of the study in which you succinctly describe the study and its relationship to important issues, trends, or questions in the area of research you are exploring. This is the only section in which you discuss the topic of the research. The other sections are focused on the research design and methodology.
2.A description of the methodology of the study, including the research design; research question; the subjects, population, setting, or activity being studied and how they were selected; the methods of data collection and analysis; and the results. This section should also include a discussion of the assumptions or theoretical perspective(s) grounding the study design.
3.An evaluation of the study in which you discuss whether the design of the study adequately addresses the problem statement and research questions and in which you identify aspects of the study that are especially effective or problematic (support with the text). Your evaluation should be guided by the following questions (do not just simply answer the questions):
?Does the author sufficiently establish the significance of the research question(s)?
?Are the methods of data collection and analysis sufficient to answer the research question(s)?
?Are the study's conclusions realistic, given the methods of data collection and analysis?
?Are there any significant methodological weaknesses in the study? If not, what are the major strengths?
?Are there any ethical concerns with this study?
4. A discussion of implications of what you learned from this study regarding research methodology and research in general (not the topic of the study). The purpose of your review is not to judge whether the study was good or bad, but to examine it carefully in order to understand better the complexities of research.
FYI: Wikipedia is not an acceptable resource for academic writing. Please use the university library for reference. Articles must be peer-reviewed
Please write in APA format and include a REFERENCE page
Planning for Data Collection
Data collection is an important part of both quantitative and qualitative research. Although the actual approach to gathering information may vary, for either research design, researchers need to plan in advance how the data will be gathered, reported, and stored, and they need to ensure that their methods are both reliable and valid. As nurses review research when considering a new evidence-based practice, it is important to be familiar with sound collection practices in order to ascertain the credibility of the data presented.
Consider the following scenario:
Nurses and other health care professionals are often interested in assessing patient satisfaction with health care services. Imagine that you are a nurse working in a suburban primary care setting that serves 10,000 patients annually. Your organization is very interested in understanding the patients point of view to help determine areas of care that can be improved. With this focus in mind, consider how you would create a survey to assess patient satisfaction with the services your organization provides. You may wish to consider variables such as the ease of accessing care, patient wait time, friendliness of the staff, or the likelihood that a patient would recommend your organization to others.
For this Discussion, you generate questions and an overall plan for data collection that would be appropriate for a patient satisfaction survey in relation to the above scenario.
To prepare:
Consider the guidelines for generating questions presented in this weeks Learning Resources.
Review the scenario and formulate at least five questions that you could use to evaluate patient satisfaction.
Reflect on the different methods or instruments that can be used for gathering data described in Chapter 13 and Chapter 22 of the course text. Which methods or instruments would work well for the scenario?
Determine an appropriate sample size for the scenario.
Post on or before Day 3 the questions that you created for gathering information about patient satisfaction based on the above scenario. Explain which method or instrument you would use to gather data. Describe the sample size appropriate for the population and how you would select participants. Provide a rationale for your choices, and explain how you can ensure high standard of reliability and validity.
Survey Research: An Effective Design for Conducting Nursing Research
Vicki A. Keough, PhD, RN-BC, ACNP, and Paula Tanabe, PhD, MPH, RN
An important advantage of survey research is its flexibility. Surveys can be used to conduct large national studies or to query small groups. Surveys can be made up of a few unstructured questions or can involve a large-scale, multisite longitu- dinal study with multiple highly validated questionnaires. Regardless of the study's degree of sophistication and rigor, nurs- es must understand how to properly conduct survey research. This article describes survey research, including design, methods, analysis, limitations, and implications for researchers.
Learning Objectives
Describe the steps of the survey research project.
Differentiate survey research methods. ?The most familiar example of survey research is the U.S. National Census Survey. This single survey will have a major impact on our national goals, our national fi- ?nances, the make-up of our national government, and more. Another well-known method of survey research is the Gallup poll, which keeps the public informed of momentary changes in popular opinion. ?Survey research can be an excellent means of obtaining information from large populations, but the true advantage of this research is flexibility. Survey research can be used to con- duct large national studies, such as the census, or to query small groups. Surveys can be made up of a few unstructured ques- tions or can involve a large-scale, multisite longitudinal study with multiple highly validated questionnaires. Regardless of the degree of sophistication and rigor, survey research can be a valuable research tool.
Registered Nurses (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administrarion, 2010). This survey provides data that tell us what our profession looks like, including the demographic, educational, and salary data and professional trends. The results are used to estimate the capacity of nurses to meet the health-care needs of Americans and have long-lasting effects on national policies regarding nursing and health care, national funding, educational incentives, and future directions for the nursing profession.
Nurse scholars use survey research to examine many areas of nursing practice. Some familiar ones include nurse competen- cies, nurse knowledge and knowledge gaps, professional practice patterns, patient-safety issues, patient satisfaction, and investi- gation of population profiles (Aiken, Clarke, Silber, & Sloane, 2003; Biegen, Gearhart, O'Brien, Sehgal, & Alldredge, 2009; Kleinpell, 2003; Merwin & Thornlow, 2006). A 1-year system- atic review conducted by a popular health-care journal found that 26% to 35% of all research articles published in their journal used a survey research design (Draugalis, Coons, & Plaza, 2008).
Depending on the goals of the study, the degree of sophis- tication for survey research can be highly variable. However, whether the survey research project is large or small, sophisti- cated or simple, the methods must be rigorous, and the survey tool must be reliable and valid, so the results can be meaningful. This article discusses important factors nurses must take into account when considering a survey research project.
In the hierarchy of research methodologies, surveys rank?low because they use self-reported data, unlike a highly scientific?experimental research project, such as a randomized, control trial?(Polit and Beck, 2008). The major assumption underlying survey?research is that respondents will respond honestly. However,?respondents typically want to portray themselves in the best?light and may enhance responses to please the researchers or?make themselves look good. This influence is commonly referred?to as social desirability. For example, if a researcher were to ask a Research Question group of students to report illicit drug use, findings would most?likely be underestimated because of the social desirability factor?(Paulhus, 2002). However, survey research remains an important,?informative method that can greatly impact nursing practice.
For example, every 4 years, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services conducts the National Sample Survey of
The research question is the most important initial step in the research process because it defines the expected outcomes and drives the project design. The research question should be clear and concise. It also should be measureable and take into con- sideration the variables involved in the study. For example, in the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, the questions
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TABLE 1?Survey Research Methods
Face-to-face interview
U.S. mail
Web-based
E-mail
Personal connection?Enhanced response rate?Ability to clarify questions and responses
Convenient?Easy to reach subjects?Subjects able to respond at their leisure
Easy access?Subjects able to respond at their leisure Ability to reach large number of subjects
Easy access?Subjects able to respond at their leisure Ability to reach large number of subjects
Ability to covet a large geographic area
Time consuming? Difficult to reach large number of subjects Travel for researchers or subjects
Cost of mailing? Lower response rates? Time consuming to input data? Increased risk of data entry error Undeliverable mail
Reliance on motivation of subject to con- nect to website
Need for subject to have web access Risk of subject bias? Impersonal? Cost of obtaining web address
Cost of web manager Outdated websites
Need for subects to have e-mail Risk of subject bias? Impersonal? Undeliverable e-mail
Outdated listserves
Need for researcher to have car Limited geographic area? Cost of gas
Windshield
refleet well-defined dmographie variables, sueh as age, gender, and raee, and other questions ask for the speeifie details of the work environment, sueh as number of hours worked and salary. The survey has a elear purpose of examining the nurse workforee to inform the nation about the state of nursing and the future ability of the nursing profession to meet the health-eare needs of the nation (US Department of Health and Human Serviees Health Resourees and Serviees Administration, 2010).
The researeh question should also take into consideration the work already published on the topic and should address a top- ic that has significance to nursing (Draugalis et al., 2008). After the research question has been clearly explicated, other aspects to be considered include the research design and method, methods fot ptotecting human subjects, sample, geographic limitations, timeframe for the study, tools to be used and their reliability and validity, data collection, data analysis, cost, the plan for reporting the findings, and the implications for evidence-based practice.
Design and Method
While the research question drives the design of the ptoject, the design gives researchers an overall plan or framework that will guide the project. Some examples of research designs are survey research, ethnogtaphic research, randomized control trials, and exploratory descriptive research.
After selecting the design, researchers must consider the method or the manner in which the study will be catried out. Some examples of survey research methods include face-to-face interviews, paper-and-pencil surveys, electronic (e-mail and web-based) surveys, telephone surveys, and windshield surveys They each have their advantages and challenges (see Table 1). The method used will dictate the degree of sophistication and magnitude of the study.
Faee-to-faee interviews allow for a personal connection to the subject and typically have excellent response rates. This method is highly valued because of the quality of information obtained.
The most popular method is developing a questionnaire to collect responses, using paper and pencil, e-mail, or web-based services. Other methods include telephone interviews, which may be computer-assisted; windshield surveys, which involve driving through a community and traeking a speeifie trait, such as the number of full-service grocery stores (Nicotera, 2007); and mixed-method surveys. Generally, a mixed-method survey uses the telephone interview method with a back-up plan to interview subjects face-to-face if they are not available by phone (DiUman, 2006, 2007; Polit & Beck, 2008). In a study of alcohol use among college students, the mixed-method survey used a web-based survey with a follow-up inail survey for nonresponders (McCabe, Diez, Boyd, Nelson, & Weitzman, 2006). A mixed-
38 Journal of Nursing Regulation
Advantages Challenges
method survey is different from mixed-method research, which generally refers to the combination of qualitative and quantita- tive research designs in the same study.
The use of Internet-based methods, such as e-mail and web surveys, has grown dramatically over the past few years because these surveys are less expensive, have the ability to reach large numbers of subjects, and can include efficient methods of data entry. One criticism of web-based and e-mail surveys is a potential subject bias. In a recent survey comparing respondents of web-based surveys with those of mailed surveys, web respond- ers were more likely to be male and younger, have a high school diploma or college degree, and work in information technology or a technical occupation (Smith, Smith, Gray, & Ryan, 2007),
Mailed surveys remain a popular and important means of conducting survey research, A recent study found that when given the option of taking a mailed or Internet survey, 24% of the respondents chose to use a mailed survey (Kroth et al,, 2009). One problem with both mailed and Internet methods is that many surveys are undeliverable because of invalid postal or e-mail addresses or outdated listserves (Draugalis et al., 2008).
Protection of Human Subjects
Researchers must secure approval from an investigational re- view board (IRB) before initiating a study. The IRB determines whether the survey could cause harm to the respondents, includ- ing psychological distress, and whether the study is significant enough to be worth the respondents' valuable time. Most journals will not publish studies without IRB approval.
For survey research, informed consent is implied when the survey is completed and returned because the respondent has the option of not participating. The IRB must be assured that responses are not coerced with excessive monetary, personal, or professional or political rewards for returning the survey. If the survey is not anonymous, the researchers must consider whether answering the questions poses any threat to the respondent. For example, will the respondent face consequences, such as profes- sional, political, or personal persecution, if the answers are not favorable?
Sample
they must have a plan to include a sample that will adequately represent all aspects of the problem under study. Any possibil- ity that a sector of the population will not be included must be clearly justified. Researchers must consider which criteria must be met for subjects to be included in the sample. For example, will the subjects need to speak English? Will they have to fall within a specific age category (Draugalis et al., 2009)? For the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, all states were asked to share their lists of licensed registered nurses. All nurses were eligible to participate, and a random list was generated.
Sample Size and Response Rate
The researchers must determine the number of responses needed to make the study statistically significant by conducting a power analysis. They also must anticipate the response rate. If the power analysis determines that 100 completed surveys are needed, and the anticipated response rate is 50%, the researchers need to administer 200 surveys. Predicting accurate response rates is crucial to the success of the study and can be one of the most difficult aspects. The best way to predict response rates is to examine the response rates of published surveys using similar designs and populations.
Researchers must guard against a response bias, which oc- curs when people of like opinion all respond and those with opposing views do not respond. If, for example, a study on the general population receives more than 50% of its responses from elderly people, the data will have a response bias. The best way?to avoid a response bias is to institute measures that enhance the response rate. Response rates for surveys vary from less than 10% to 100% (Grava-Gubins & Scott, 2008). There is little agreement in the literature about an acceptable response rate. Acceptable response rates vary from 30% to 75% as minimum numbers (Draugalis et al., 2008).
The most popular method for increasing response rates using mail surveys is the tailored design method (TDM), developed by a well-known survey researcher named Don Dillman. The TDM suggests using five elements to enhance the response rate:?a respondent-friendly questionnaire; four contacts by first-class mail with an additional "special contact" (phone call); return envelopes with real first-class stamps; personal correspondence; and a token financial incentive (Dillman, 2007). In a systematic review of the literature, investigators examined 481 research studies using postal questionnaires. Response rates doubled when subjects were offered money for their responses. In a 2008 study
The most common type of survey conducted by nurses is a sample?survey. Unlike a census survey, which surveys an entire popula-?tion, a sample survey (also called a purposive sample) targets a spe-on enhancing physician response rates Thorpe et al, (2009) found
cific population. Nurses most often conduct these surveys because they are usually looking for information from a specific set of colleagues, patients, other health-care providers, or consumers.
Researchers need to define the target sample. Who are the people, the populations, or institutions that can provide the most information about the research question? Although researchers are rarely able to obtain information from an entire population.
that two items increased the response rate more than any other: sending gift certificates with the surveys and sending the surveys via registered mail. In another study of physicians, researchers found that the size of the monetary incentive mattered. In a study of 578 physicians, those who received a $20 gift certificate achieved a 52% response rate, and those who received a $50 gift
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TABLE 2
Factors that increase Response Rates to Questionnaires
Monetary incentives (OR 1.87; CI 1.73-2.04) Recorded delivery (OR 1.76; CI 1.43-2.18)?A feaser on fhe envelope (OR 3.08; CI 1.27-7.44)
I An inferesfing topic (OR 2.00; CI 1.32-3.04)?Prenofificafion (OR 1.45; CI 1.29-1.630?Follow-up confacf (OR 1.35; CI 1.18-1.55)?Unconditional incentives (OR 1.61; CI 1.36-1.89)?Shorter questionnaires (OR 1.64; CI 1.43-1.87)?A second questionnaire at follow-up (OR 1.46; CI 1.13-1.90) Mention of an obligation fo respond (OR 1.61; CI 1.16-2.22) Mention of university sponsorship (OR 1.32; CI 1.13-1.54) Personalized quesfionnaires (OR 1.14; CI 1.07-1.22)
Use of handwritten addresses (OR 1.25; CI 1.08-1.34) Use of sfamped refurn envelopes (OR 1.24; CI 1.14-1.35) Assurance of confidentiality (OR 1.33; C11.24-1.42) First-class outward mailing (OR 1.11; CI 1.02-1.21)
Note. OR = Odds Ratio: Relative measure of risk comparing two groups: if both groups have an equal chance of having an outcome from expo- sure to a variable as compared with another group, the odds ratio is 1 (1/1). CI = Confidence Interval: An estimated range of values In which the outcome is likely to occur within a given percent of certainty.
certificate achieved a 68% response rate (Keating, Zaslavsky, Goldstein, West, & Ayanian, 2008).
A study by Pedrana and colleagues found that sending a questionnaire by registered mail rather than first-class mail enhanced their response rate from 67% to 86% (Pedrana, Hel- lard, & Giles, 2008). A note on the envelope enticing subjects to open it, an interesting topic, and a prenotification indicating that a questionnaire would be coming are other ways to enhance response rates (Edwards et al., 2009). (See Table 2 for a detailed list.) Asking questions of a sensitive nature has been found to re- duce response rates. When considering how to improve response rate, researchers must be creative because of the importance of the rate in determining the significance of the findings.
Geographic Limitations and Time Frames
Researchers need to consider the geographic limitations of their study. Will the study focus on a unit or an institution? Will it examine local, regional, national, or international issues? On- line surveys are becoming more and more popular because the number of possible respondents and the geographic access are unlimited.
Researchers also must consider the amount of time allowed to conduct the study. Will it be conducted over a few days, a few weeks, months, or years? Will this be a longitudinal study that will be conducted at specific intervals of time? If the study were to progress over generations, will a team be available to sustain it?
A time line, which will guide the flow of the study, should include the time of idea inception, survey design, consultation and expert reviews, pilot testing, mailing, data entry, data clean- ing, data analysis, and the report of findings (see Figure 1).
SurveyTools and Questions
The researcher must determine whether to design a new survey tool or use an existing one. The process of designing or select- ing such a tool should be based on the research question and the review of the literature. A literature review should focus on all the possible variables in the study and a review of current and past tools that have demonstrated good reliability and validity data.
Most surveys begin by collecting demographic data on the subjects (sex, age, race, and ethnicity), which are important when publishing the findings. Readers need to understand who responded to the survey to determine external generalizability. In the past, most medical research was conducted using only White male subjects. This approach led to the National Institutes of Health requirement to collect racial and ethnicity data in a very specific manner and to ensure that data are collected from all groups. The U.S. government guidelines for collecting and re- porting race and ethnicity data can be found at http://www.fda. gov/Regulatorylnformation/Guidances/ucm 126340.htm.
The interview guide or questionnaire must be able to elicit specific answers to the research questions (also known as construct validity). Hundreds of research questionnaires have been pub- lished with excellent reliability and validity data. Some tools, such as those that measure stress or quality of life, have been used in thousands of studies and have proven to have excellent psychometric properties. If the researcher is designing a new survey, psychometric properties must be taken into consideration. The survey tool should be reliable, meaning that the instru- ment consistently measures the intended attribute. The tool also must be valid, meaning that it really measures the construct the researchers are getting at. Construct validity is measured in several ways, including criterion (measuring against an accepted gold standard) and face validity. For example, trying to measure obesity by asking all respondents to report their weight but not their height would result in an invalid measurement of obesity. To measure anxiety, one would not want to measure pain. Using criterion validity methods, a researcher would test a new anxiety measure against a gold standard measure of anxiety to compare how the new measure performs.
Face validity determines whether or not respondents un- derstand what the question is asking. Face validity is often con- firmed by asking a group of experts to review at the survey to determine if it will measure the constructs intended. How many experts are needed? There is no agreement in the literature to answer this question; however, some researchers use 10 reviewers for face validity.
40 Journal of Nursing Regulation
Inter-rater reliability, another psychometric property, must be considered. When interpreting the survey responses, do all researchers involved in data entry and analysis interpret the re- sponses in the same manner? Inter-rater reliability must be tested and validated before survey distribution (Polit & Beck, 2008). Inter-rater reliability is assessed by having a second researcher re- view all or a percentage of surveys coded by a different researcher and determining if there was any variance in the coding.
Research questions must be simple, clear, and concise. The respondent must easily understand the question to give a meaningful response. Questions should not be ambiguous and should be designed so every subject will interpret the question in the same manner (Brommage, 2006).
Piloting the Survey
After a group of experts determine the face validity, the research- ers should pilot the survey with a small group of potential re- spondents. The responses should be examined for any confusing comments or responses, lack of agreement regarding the interpre- tation of the responses among the researchers, and any difficulty with coding the data. After the pilot test has been reviewed, any necessary changes have been made to the tool, and the research team is satisfied with the reliability and validity results, the researchers are ready to launch the survey.
Data Collection, Management, and Analysis?Researchers need a clear plan for data management, regardless of the size of the project. They must determine how the survey data will be entered, which software will be used, and who will enter the data. Online data are generally entered automatically, depending on the software. Data cleaning occurs when data entry begins. If data are entered manually, a process to test inter-rater reliability should be established.
If the survey involves a large number of respondents, send- ing the survey in waves can allow time for the researchers to better manage the data flow. The research team can enter and clean data from the first wave, troubleshoot any problems, and identify the subjects who have returned surveys and those who will need a second distribution. When the first wave has been managed, the second can go out, and the process begins again. Between waves, nonresponders are sent a second or third copy of the survey.
The manner in which the data are analyzed depends on the research question. The analysis can be as simple as reporting frequency data, such as numbers or percentages, or it can include sophisticated statistical analysis, such as regression models and statistical patterns. Statistical techniques should match the de- sign. Tests that determine statistical significance and correlate variables provide the reader with confidence that the results are
FIGURE 1
Sample Time Line for a 12-Month Mailed Survey Research Project
Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Design survey?Validity testing?Pilot
Pilot testing of ques- tions and distribution methods/revisions
Wave 1 mailings?Data entry wave 1 Wave 2 mailings (h Data entry wave 2?Data analysis?Poster?Dissemination
Volume I/Issue 4 January 2011
www.journalofnursingregulation.com 41
il rr?meaningful (Brommage, 2006). Many researchers employ a sta-
n
Costs may be covered by existing funds, or funds may be solic- ited. Either way, the researcher must plan the study in the context of the available resources. Software and websites may need to be purchased. Other costs include compensation for personnel to administer the survey and manage the data entry (principal investigators, project coordinators, and research assistants), costs directly associated with survey administration (mailings, paper, postage, and web manager fees), incentives for subjects, fees for expert consultation, and the cost of disseminating the findings (travel to conferences and poster development).
Online surveys eliminate the cost of mailing. In a study by Kroth et al. (2009), costs for technology support for a web- based survey were $4,260 compared with $6,230 for postage, envelopes, and stationery to mail the same survey. Depending on the budget, Internet and personnel resources, and che intended audience, many tools are available for use with online surveys, such as Snap (www.SnapSurveys.com), Survey Monkey (www. surveymonkey.com), and Zoomerang (www.zoomerang.com).
Interpreting the Results and Implications for Nursing Practice?Results should be reported objectively, stating the findings only. The criteria used to interpret the results should be clear to the reader, and the results should be easily reproducible by other researchers. In the discussion phase of the manuscript, the re-
tistical consultant to offer assistance and advice.
Costs
searcher can inject opinions and offer suggestions for application of the findings and significance to nursing.
Implications of the research findings to nursing practice must be clearly identified. The researchers should tell the reader how the research has contributed to rhe science of nursing and how the findings will impact nursing practice of the future.
Reporting the Findings
The final phase of the survey research project is also the most important in terms of making a contribution to the pro- fession; disseminating the findings. The findings should first be reported in an oral or poster presentation at a local, regional, national, or international conference. Making such a presenta- tion is an excellent way to network and get findings out to the people who will use the research. Next, a manuscript reporting the findings should be published in a peer-reviewed journal that targets audiences who would be most impacted by or interested in the findings. For example, if the subject deals with public health, a public health journal would be sought.
Summary
Survey research can range from a small, quality project to a large, longitudinal, international study. It can spread over a small unit, a region, a state, a nation, or the globe. It can be rigorous, in- volving highly sophisticated statistical analysis, or it can report only one major finding. But no matter how big or small, survey research can have the power to change one person or the entire world. Survey research can be an effective way to increase the evidence in nursing practice.
Research can be intimidating, confusing, and exasperating, but one must be willing to expose oneself and take a plunge into the unknown to make new discoveries. In the words of Albert Einstein (Einstein, Mayer, & Holmes, 2003), "If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
References
Aiken, L. H., Clarke, S. P , Silber, J. H., & Sloane, D. (2003). Hospital nurse staffing, education, and patient mortality. LDI Issue Brief, 9(2), 1 ^ .
Biegen, M. A., Gearhart, S., O'Brien, R., Sehgal, N. L., & Alldredge, B. K. (2009). AHRQ's hospital survey on patient safety culture; Psy- chometric analyses. Journal of Patient Safety, 5(3), 139-144.
Brommage, D. (2006). Survey research. Journal of Renal Nutrition, 16(4), 348-350.
Dillman, D. A. (2007). Mail and internet surveys: The tailored design meth- od (2nd ed.). New York, NY; Wiley.
Dillman, D. A. (2006). Why choice of survey mode makes a difference. Public Health Reports, 121(1), 1 1 - 1 3 .
Draugalis, J. R., Coons, S. J., & Plaza, C. M. (2008). Best practice for survey research reports; A synopsis for authors and reviewers. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 72(1), 1??"6.
Edwards, P. J., Roberts, I., Clarke, M. J., DiGuiseppi, C , Wentz, R., Kwan, I., Pratap, S. (2009). Methods to increase response to postal and electronic questionnaires. Cochrane Database of Systematic Re- views, 1.
Einstein, A., Mayer, J., & Holmes, J. (Eds). (2003). Bite-size Einstein: Quotations on just about everything from the greatest mind of the twentieth century. New York, NY; Gramercy Books.
Grava-Gubins, I., & Scott, S. (2008). Effects of various mthodologie strategies; Survey response rates among Canadian physicians and physicians-in-training. Canadian Family Physician, J4(10), 1424- 1430.
Keating, N. L., Zaslavsky, A. M., Goldstein, J., West, D. W., & Aya- nian, J. Z. (2008). Randomized trial of $20 versus $50 incentives to increase physician survey response rates. Medical Care, 46(8), 878-881.
Kleinpell, R. M. (2003). Measuring advanced practice nursing outcome, strategies and resources. Critical Care Nurse [Supplement], 6-10.
Kroth, P. J., McPherson, L. Leverene, R., Pace, W , Daniels, E., Rhyne, R. L., The Prime Net Consortium. (2009). Combining web-based and mail surveys improves response rates; A PBRN Study from PRIME Net. Annals of Family Medicine, 7(3), 245-248.
McCabe, S. E., Diez, A., Boyd, C. J., Nelson, T. R, Weitzman, E. R. (2006). Comparing web and mail responses in a mixed mode sur- vey in college alcohol use research. Addictive Behaviors, 31, 1619??"
1627.
Merwin, E., & Thornlow, D. (2006). Methodologies used in nursing re- search designed to improve patient safety. Annual Review of Nursing Research, 24, 273-292.
Nicotera, N. (2007). Measuring neighborhood; A conundrum for hu- man services researchers and practitioners. AmericanJournal ofCom- munity Psychology, 40(1-2), 26-51.
Paulhus, D. L. (2002). Socially desirable responding; The evolution of a construct. In H. I. Braun, D. N. Jackson, & D. E. Wiley (Eds.),?The role of constructs in psychology and educational measurement (pp. 4 9 - 69). Mahwah, NJ; Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Pedrana, A., Hellard, M., & Giles, M. (2008). Registered post achieved a higher response rate than normal mail??"a randomized controled trial.Journal ofClinical Epidemiology, 61(9), 896-899.
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2008). Nursing research: Generating and assess- ing evidence for nursing practice. New York, NY; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Smith, B., Smith, T. C , Gray, G. C, Ryan, M. A. K. (2007). When epi- demiology meets the internet; Web-based surveys in the millenni- um cohort study. AmericanJournal of Epidemiology, 166(11), 1345??" 1354.
Thorpe, C , Ryan, B., McLean, S. L., Burt, A., Stewart, M., Brown, J. B., Harris, S. (2009)- How to obtain excellenc response rates when surveying physicians. Family Practice, 26(1), 65-68.
U.S. Department of Health and Htiman Services Health Resources and Services Administration. (2010). The registered nurse population: Ini- tial findings from the 2008 national sample survey of registered nurses. Retrieved from http;//bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/rnsurvey/
Vicki A. Keough, PhD, RN-BC, ACNP, is Dean and Pro- fessor at Loyola University Chicago, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Maywood, Illinois. Paula Tanabe, PhD, MPH, RN, is Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and the Institute for Healthcare Studies at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
42 Journal of Nursing Regulation
Survey Research: An Effective Design for Conducting Nursing Research
Learning Objectives
Describe the steps of the survey research project.
Differentiate survey research methods.
CE Posttest
Survey Research: An Effective Design for Conducting Nursing Research?If you reside in the United States and wish to obtain 1.6 contact hours of continuing education (CE) credit, please review these instructions.
instructions
Go online to take the posttest and earn CE credit:
Members- www.ncsbninteractive. org (no charge)
Nonmembers - www.learningext. com ($15 processing fee)
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The NCSBN is accredited as a provider of CE by the Alabama State Board of Nursing.
The information in this CE does not imply endorsement of any product, service, or company referred to in this activity.
Contact hours: 1.6?Posttest passing score is 75%. Expiration: January 2014
Posttest
Please circle the correct answer.
1. The influence that causes respondents to portray themselves in the best light and enhance responses to please the researchers is called:
a. social desirability. b. social status.
7. Whatisanothertermforasample survey?
a. Purposive sample
V olume
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www.joutnalofnutsingregulation.com 43
c. d.
2.
a. b. c. d.
3.
a. b. c. d.
4.
a. b. c. d.
5.
a.
b. c. d.
6.
a. b. c. d.
validated practice. validated response.
Which survey research method has the advantage of enhanced response rates? Web-based?Face-to-face interviews
U.S. mail E-mail
Which survey research method is associated with a lower response rate? Web-based?Face-to-face interviews?U.S. mail?E-mail
Whichsurveyresearchmethoddoesnot allow suhjects to respond at their leisure??Web-based
Face-to-face interviews U.S. mail?E-mail
Which of the following statements is a criticism of web-hased and e-mail surveys??They have the potential for researcher bias.
They are time consuming.?They reach too many participants.?They have the potential for subject bias.
Which statement about survey research and protection of human subjects is correct??A signed consent form from each participant is required.
Approval from an institutional review board is not needed.?Informed consent is implied when the survey is completed and returned. Respondents cannot be asked for information that would identify them.
b. c. d.
8.
a. b. c. d.
Population study Target survey Subset sample
If the power analysis determines that 200 completed surveys are needed to make a survey statistically significant and the anticipated response rate Is 25%, how many surveys should be administered?
900
800
600
400
9. Which of the following is one of the five elements of the tailored design method?
a. A questionnaire sent by registered mail b. A questionnaire that is at least 10 pages
long?c. Four contacts by mail followed by a
"special" contact?d. Theadditionofaformlettertothe
questionnaire
10. The ability of a questionnaire to elicit specificanswerstoresearchquestions is called:
a. outcome validity. b. inter-rater validity. c. face validity.?d. construct validity.
11. Which of the following determines whether respondents understand what a question is asking?
a. Outcome validity b. Inter-rater validity c. Face validity?d. Construct validity
12. Having one researcher review a percentage of surveys coded by another researcher can help determine:
a. inter-rater reliability.
b. intra-rater reliability.
c. concept validity.
d. database validity.
13. A strategy to help a large survey run more smoothly is to:
a. send the surveys out in waves.
b. send all surveys out at one time.
c. hold data entry until the end of data ?collection.
d. hold data cleaning until the end of data
collection.
14. Which statement ahout statistical analysis is correct?
a. Statistical techniques should be independent of ttie design,
b. Statistical techniques should match the design,
c. Regression models should be used in the analysis,
d. Pattern testing should be used in the analysis,
15. Which section of the manuscript contains suggestions for applications of the findings?
a. Design
b. Methods
c. Data analysis
d. Discussion
Evaluation Form (required)
3. Were the methods of presentation (text, tables, figures, etc.) effective?
1 2
4. Was the content relevant to the objectives?
12345
5. Was the article useful to you in your work?
12345
6. Was tbere enough time allotted for this activity?
1 2 3 4 5 Comments:.
44 Journal ofNursing Regulation
1.
Rate your achievement of each ohjective from 5 (high/excellent) to 1 (low/poor).?Describe the steps of the survey research project.
13
Differentiate survey research methods.
1
Rate each of the following items from 5 (very effective) to 1 (ineffective):
2. Were tbe authors knowledgeable about the subject?
15
1
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Zip
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NURS 6052: Essentials of Evidence-Based Practice Data Collection?Program Transcript
NARRATOR: There are many different methods of data collection available to nurse researchers. Whether they are conducting a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods study. In this video, Dr. Kristen Mauk describes the data collection methods that she used for her DNP project. The nurses who participated in Dr. Mauk's project completed self-study modules that provided educational information on nursing practice in a rehabilitation setting.
Because of this, Dr. Mauk used pre- and post-tests to gather information about the nurses' knowledge before and after completing each module. The pre- and post-test method is just one example of the many options available for nurse researchers for collecting research data.
KRISTEN HAUK: So they wanted to use self-study modules. And they didn't want to do it on the computer. So I made up self-study notebooks that had articles, evidence-based practice, PowerPoint slides of learning objectives for them. And before they woul do each module of the 15 topics that we chose, they would go take a pre-test online on the computer. And they could do this all that work in their down time.
You would take a 10 question pre-test that had already been formulated and validated by the ARN. And then study the module, and then take the same test as the post-test. And that was all recorded for them. And then we just kept track of what were their results ahead of time. Their pre-knowledge, and then the education, and then their post-knowledge.
And in the end, when we evaluated our outcomes, we did find on 14 of the 15 competencies they had a significant improvement in their knowledge about rehab. I didn't on purpose gather anecdotal data, but in my meetings with the nurse manager and the staff, they offered that. Which was just a nice aside saying how much they didn't realize that they needed to know more on a certain topic.
2012 Laureate Education, Inc. 1
And there were certain results that I was surprised at when I looked at what knowledge they had mastered ahead of time. There were topics like dysphagia which is difficulty swallowing, that normally a generalist nurse wouldn't have mastered, but on this particular unit, they had some really great speech therapists who had already educated the staff. So their original scores on dysphagia were very high. Which to me was something I didn't expect.
But I could explain them once the staff told me, oh yeah we have speech therapists and they do education with us all the time. So we know about that. So that was the only one that wasn't a big significant difference because they scored so high on it the first time.
The anecdotal notes are very fun. Because after we did the project, they started really getting excited about rehab nursing. And I think when you enter a new specialty, whether it's rehab or something else, you may think, well I'm a nurse with 20 years of experience, I know how to do this. But in any specialty, and rehab is one of them, there's a core body of knowledge.
Whether you were an othro nurse, or a rehab nurse, or a peds nurse, I couldn't, as a gero nurse, go and be a peds nurse without mastering that body of knowledge if I want to give good patient care. So I think once they saw, oh here is a body of knowledge, there is unique knowledge to rehab, I think they got really excited about it. That there was a lot to learn and maybe more than they thought, and there were resources, and this is interesting, and it can improve how we care for our patients which is always the primary goal.
And I was told that they started to form a study group to think about getting certified in rehab. Which the literature shows is the big difference in knowledge, a certification. So that was my ultimate goal, although that wasn't-- we were taking baby steps. So that wasn't ultimately what I measured. But, I was really happy to hear that some of them were then encouraged to go on further with knowledge in rehab and get that certification.
2012 Laureate Education, Inc. 2
- Use exposure therapy and cognitive restructuring
-The group of individuals that I will be working with are Veteran military personnel
c) Select:
1. At least five quantitative research articles
2. At least five qualitative research articles
3. At least one mixed methods research article
4. At least one program evaluation article for review
Your review should include between 12 and 15 peer-reviewed articles. Note that mixed methods research articles may not be published on every topic of interest. In these cases, additional program evaluation articles may be substituted.
Constructing a Literature Review
Writing a quality literature review involves a thorough knowledge of research methods and exemplary writing skills. A well-written literature review conveys the story of the research that has been conducted to date on a certain topic. Contained in the story is a critical analysis of the research efforts (e.g., design, procedure, sample, data analysis, and interpretation) and an evaluation of how the research can inform practice. By conducting a review of the literature, it is possible to determine if gaps exist that require further research. Throughout this course, you will develop a thorough understanding of the literature review process and the components of a quality literature review.
We have focused on the features and considerations of quantitative research designs. However, quantitative designs are not appropriate for all research questions. I am concerned with how patients react when confronted with negative test results, or you wish to study how views on a certain health topic change over time. In each of these cases, the emphasis is more on understanding the thinking and experiences of an individual or group than on numerical measurements.
For these types of questions, a qualitative or mixed methods research design is the most appropriate. From this journal, select an article of interest to you that was published within the last 3 years. Determine what qualitative research design was used in your selected article and evaluate whether it was the best choice. Consider ethical issues involved in the study and how the researchers addressed them.
Think about how using a quantitative design would have affected the type of data gathered.
Please in clude a title page with a running head The introduction The body and a conclusion with references . I am attaching the article that I have chosen.
Please write three abbreviated research plans. There should be two pages each for a quantitative research plan, a qualitative research plan, and a mixed methods research plan. I request completion in 24 hours. Please use APA style. Please include an introduction, purpose statement, research question and hypotheses where applicable. I request writer jowriter63. I sincerely request completion in 24 hours. The three plans should be consolidated in one document of six pages.
Customer is requesting that (jowriter63) completes this order.
Based on Activities 4, 5 and 6, draft 4 to 6 Research Questions for your study. Use the NCU Topic Paper Template and NCU Concept Paper Template found in the Dissertation Center as the model for your Research Questions.
In this group of questions, you must have at least 2 that are qualitative in nature and at least 2 that are qualitative in nature. For each question, briefly discuss the appropriate approach (qualitative or quantitative) and speculate on the specific approaches that may be used.
Length: 4 pages (app. 350 words per page). Include 4 references.
Your essay should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts that are presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards.
Here is the Topics:
#4
roblem Statement: Social media and law enforcement
Overview
Social media is a fact of everyday modern life. For law enforcement personnel, it has created new opportunities to share resources with the public, including as ?tweeting? information about a possible suspect or releasing safety information to the public about terrorist incidents or natural disasters. At first, in the Internet age, police departments were reluctant to change. ?Especially when it comes to computers and technology, because most officers want to be out chasing the bad guys and don't want to be behind the computer looking at things,? but now most law enforcement agencies have come to embrace the new technology and learned to use it to their advantage (Conan 2013). On the other hand, the explosion of unregulated social media has also created the opportunity for new crimes, including bullying and identity theft. This research proposal will compare and assess the different ways that online ?sharing? has both made law enforcement agencies more engaged and responsive but also complicated their mission.
Social media as a law enforcement tool: The Boston bombings and other recent events
One of the most frightening incidents of mass violence to have gripped the nation in recent months was that of the Boston Marathon bombings. When law enforcement agencies were attempting to locate and apprehend suspects, ?police and other law enforcement agencies also used tweets to correct misinformation that spread on Twitter and other media. Once suspects had been identified, their Twitter and Facebook accounts became part of the investigation, even an Amazon wish list? (Conan 2013). The existence of social media like Twitter and Facebook have made people more proactive about taking photographs, which adds to the availability of evidence even in the hectic aftermath of an event. Law enforcement can ?tweet? or ?share? photographs submitted by bystanders or taken by surveillance cameras nearly instantly, versus using television or print sources. The image of a dangerous suspect, a missing person, or any other individual who is being sought after by law enforcement can be immediately disseminated and thus recruit the public as part of its search efforts.
On a very practical level, this enables agencies to gain valuable information for its search efforts and makes it more difficult for individuals to hide; on another level it creates a positive connection between law enforcement and the public. Rather than ?the enemy? or an entity wielding power, the agency is shown as responsive and appreciative to the public?s concerns. When the public is regularly informed of law enforcement agencies? efforts, it is less likely to be angry at delays in apprehending suspects. Also, with legitimate channels of information disseminating coverage on a moment-by-moment basis, there is less of a chance that rumor, innuendo, and non-legitimate channels will put forth inaccurate ideas. In Boston, ?the department?s tweet clarifying that there was no arrest shortly after the bombings saw more than 11,000 retweets. A polite scolding to those tweeting information from police scanners was retweeted more than 20,000 times, higher than any other tweet at that time and indication that the public accepts the fact that they too need to show some restraint? (Bar-Tur 2013). The ?retweeting? of this request shows a level of respect and confidence of the public in the Boston police department, versus previous public-police relationships.
In terms of researching crime, social media also leaves a valuable ?paper trail? with evidence for law enforcement agencies. Most rapists know their victims, for example, but in the pre-online era, it was often very difficult to draw a connection between perpetrator and victim. According to the Cincinnati Police Department: ?One big thing is we've had rape cases and burglaries where people were meeting each other via Facebook and became familiar with each other just through chats on the Internet. And when they would meet up with these individuals, the victim would then be either unfortunately a victim of a rape or robbery, and we were able to backtrack it through that? (Conan 2013). Because the social media coverage is in ?real time,? the exact nature of the relationship can be more objectively determined, without the potentially clouding effects of hindsight or memory lapses.
Social media can be helpful for law enforcement for less dramatic scenarios as well. For example, even a local agency can use the Internet to communicate up-to-date information about ?blizzard, floods, hurricanes, et cetera?what roads are closed, if there's accidents, what areas of town are out of power, et cetera? (Conan 2013). In the case of an ever-changing natural event such as a forest fire, social media updates can help the community determine where a high risk area is; what precautions to take, and where to relocate in the event of an emergency. This has the valuable effect of reducing panic and also reducing the chances of an unfortunate incident occurring?members of the public are less likely to get stuck in a snowstorm if the police are tweeting to stay inside and that conditions are impassable, or to put themselves at risk if someone dangerous is at large, as was the case in Boston. This is another instance of how friendly and pertinent updates about natural disasters and community events forge a positive relationship between the law enforcement agency and the public. Instead of viewing the police as punitive or punishing figures with whom they have contact only when committing a minor traffic violation, the police are more apt to be seen as ?friends? in the literal as well as the Facebook sense.
However, social media, for all of the potential positives it offers law enforcement, has also created opportunities for new crimes and made existing crimes easier to commit. Although Facebook and Twitter may make it easier to track and trace a relationship on one hand, it can also facilitate the ability of strangers to connect with one another under misleading premises, or predators to lure underage teens with whom they might not otherwise have contact. Identity theft is also much easier. ?Information obtained from public records (e.g., birth, death, and real estate) has been available online for years. By increasing exposure of personal information, social media has raised the threat level. This new entity has a unique nature that makes it powerful and unpredictable. Several characteristics combine to make it especially threatening to law enforcement? (Waters 2012). The nature of social media encourages ?sharing? and interactions depend upon displaying personal information. Seemingly innocent data such as ?checking in? a particular location can be a tipoff for a criminal contemplating a burglary of an unattended house or a stalker seeking to find a victim. Mobile phone numbers can be available through Facebook and can be used to elicit data. It is very easy to conceal information about one?s true identity and create a false public profile to obtain data. The instantaneous nature of social media also makes it very easy to put forth information and very difficult to delete it, even more so than email. Information that is unthinkingly ?shared? can come back to haunt the poster very easily. The police have a role in educating the public about protecting itself against identity theft and other new and old crimes made easier by the Internet.
The online environment also facilitates bullying, both amongst teens and even adults in collective environments such as offices. ?Pooling of like minds often occurs online. This bolsters confidence and gives the impression of support for socially unacceptable conduct. Copycat behavior can make the first well-publicized transgression the impetus for many more. Social media can engender a mob mentality wherein one small stimulus spurs a wide-scale reaction that feeds on itself and grows out of control. Incidents develop faster, reach farther, and spread more rapidly than anything society has dealt with before? (Waters 2012). Because of the distance and screen of anonymity offered by the online environment, rumors and harassment can ?feel? less negative to the perpetrator, even if they have severe emotional consequences for the victim. When the harassment begins to affect the individual?s ability to obtain an education or to do his or her work effectively, it becomes a legal matter.
Finally, for better or for worse, social media has also placed law enforcement personnel under greater scrutiny in terms of their actions. ?This public profession, officers? duties occur in a societal arena allotting them no privacy. Social media significantly has increased officers? community exposure. The problem that prompted this study is multifaceted. Police often are surrounded by cameras and amateur reporters who broadcast every action and their opinion of it to a worldwide audience. Law enforcement officer?s reputation and well-being can be affected by the comments, videos, and pictures that individuals post in social media sites about them. The officers are being affected by individuals who chose to use social media to damage the officer?s reputation and share their personal information with others. Secondly often officer?s personal lives and personal opinions become publicly scrutinized when the officers or members of his/her family post things on social media sites. Many times the nature of the problem comes from law enforcement officers who make mistakes when on duty or simply reveal to much about their own personal lives while on social media. Due to its public nature, policing is an easy topic for network discussion? (Waters 2012). There is far greater officer accountability to the public than ever before, given that officers must be mindful of the fact that they can always be ?watched? via social media and photographs, audio, and bystander data can be quickly and easily disseminated.
It is essential that law enforcement personnel remain savvy about the potential ways in which they can use social media for their benefit as well as the risks it poses. ?Ongoing training on current issues, the hazards of social media, and self-protection is essential. Due to the web?s rapidly changing environment, one-time training is not sufficient. Individuals alone cannot keep up with social networking?s constant evolution. A dedicated manager must ensure personnel are updated through e-mails, memorandum, briefings, and trainings? (Waters 2012). Just like the law itself, the relationship of law enforcement agencies to social media remains a work in progress, one which will continue to be negotiated in the future.
#5
Purpose Statement
This study will examine how the social media is affecting the lives of those who are currently in law enforcement in the U.S. The focus of this study is on how the use of social media can be both a useful tool and/or a negative impact on officers and their respective organizations. Socially, civilly and even criminally the social media can be used for or against law enforcement organizations and their employees. More importantly the study will focus on effective policies and controls that must be implemented by law enforcement organizations to secure both themselves and their employees from criminal and civil liabilities. It is expedient in today's society for law enforcement organizations to address this 21st century development that has become a reality.
#6
Quantitative, Qualitative, and Advocacy Research Approach
The effects that social media has on law enforcement can be both negative and positive. In this research I have indicated how social media is affecting law enforcement negatively. The following is three hypothetical research approaches for the statement and purpose of the statement. The hypothetical approaches are quantitative research, qualitative research, and pragmatic approach. A significant part of analyzing a project is research. To define a particular project?s outcome, researchers use several research methods. This paper will discuss the characteristics and differences of the action, mixed, qualitative and quantitative research. Also the paper will discuss how to select the best method of research for a project.
Quantitative Research Approach
Quantitative research focuses on data?s quantitative characteristics. Data is explored by using statistical tools. Moreover, to resolve the research issues, this method is associated with the statistic format usage like, statistical models, figures and numeric data. This method is significant to target the enormous sized individuals? group. Researchers use interview, questionnaire or survey in this type method (Amaratunga, Sarshar, Baldry & Newton, 2002).Quantitative research involves collecting numerical data to calculate and come to a conclusion. The process helps with more than one hypotheses. It also helps answer questions that will address predictions of possible relationships among variables. Aiding the search for answers one would use various papers or computers to search for a plan to be executed. This analysis allows researchers to decide the relationship among the variables. Relationship in variables can be association or just casual relationships. Statistical analysis will allow the researcher to determine the extent of how a variable influences other variables. The results of statistical analysis are presented in P value (Sage Research Method, 2013).
This approach will be used to determine how social media is affecting law enforcement officers. Taking data of how many individuals use social media websites to make comments, post videos, or post pictures that have a negative effect on law enforcement officers. Also data will be taken of individuals who post comments, post videos, or post pictures that produce positive effects on law enforcement officers. Once the data has been collected, it will be compared against each other to determine the statistical analysis and find the P value (Sage Research Method, 2013).
Qualitative Research
Qualitative research methods focuses on the meaning of realities and interpretations. Qualitative research is an approach usually associated with a paradigm that emphasizes the social constructed nature of reality. It involves recording, analyzing, and attempting to find the true meaning of the behavior of humans and experience. This includes contradictions in beliefs, behavior, and emotions. This research process is intended to give a better understanding of a person?s experience and not gathering information that is general and in large groups (QSR International, 2013).
In the qualitative method of research presentation, words, or pictures etc. are used to disclose the issue. In this method, researchers target small number of respondents to achieve the research?s objectives. To reach at a conclusion, researchers use several methods, for example: review, in-depth interview, focused group interview, etc. (Ponterotto, 2005).Qualitative researchers when using this type of research process look for a pattern for a meaning. It goes from specific to general and it is referred as the bottom-up approach. This research is not based on a pre-determined hypotheses. However, researchers specifically identify a problem or topic that he or she wants to study. The researcher maybe guided by a theoretical lens. This provides a framework for the research. This research approach is methodical which allows broad flexibility. The data collected is in textual form of observations and interactions with participants by participant observation, interviews, and focus groups. The data collected is carried in various ways instead of only one. Researchers using this research process may want to adopt the mid-way process to address other issues and eliminate questions that do not apply. In some cases, the researchers will interview or observe a set number of people. In other cases, the process of data collection and analysis may continue until the researchers find that no new issues that are emerging (QSR International, 2013).
This research process will be used to find out the reason why individuals are using social media outlets to harm law enforcement officers. This method will require interviewing, observing, and using focus groups to gather information of the true reasons why individuals want to negatively affect law enforcement officers This involves asking questions that will determine if the reasons are fueled by bad experiences with law enforcement officers or that they just have issues with authority figures (QSR International, 2013).
Advocacy or Participatory Approach
This research approach is used when the researcher feels the previous approaches did not respond to the needs or to the situation of individuals in a marginalized or vulnerable group. Because this research approach aims to bring positive changes in the lives of the individuals being researched, their approach is described as emancipatory. It is not a neutral stance. The researchers have a private agenda of giving the individuals a voice (University of Kansas, 2013).
Researchers might adopt a less neutral position than one in which it is usually required in scientific researches. This can involve informal interactions and even living amongst the participants. The data collected may be reported in personal terms. Often researchers use exactly the same words the research subject used. This type of research is often criticized for not being objective, but it need to be noted that in some research cases it is necessary as this type of research would otherwise not include the feelings and thoughts of participants (University of Kansas, 2013).
This research approach will be utilized to understand the reasons why the individuals are using social media to damage the reputation and harm law enforcement officers. The idea would be to make sure to gather as much information on the feelings and thoughts of the individuals concerning law enforcement officers (University of Kansas, 2013).
Compare and Contrast
While seeking for the best method, it would actually hinge on the researcher that what he or she is seeking for attain from the research outcomes. Quantitative research is gathering data that is converted into numbers to decide the results of the research. Qualitative research collects data in order to gather information and find out the reason for the outcome. Advocacy or participatory research is when the participants are asked about their feelings and thoughts behind the topic and in this case the social media and law enforcement. They are studied and interviewed. In qualitative research the approach to data collection and analysis is methodical but allows for greater flexibility than in quantitative research. Data is collected in textual form on the basis of observation and interaction with the participants through participant observation, in-depth interviews and focus groups. It is not converted into numerical form and is not statistically analyzed. When both quantitative and qualitative measurements are required to be implemented in the research then the mixed method research would be appropriate. Furthermore, when processes in a specific research are required to be improved continually the action research would be appropriate (Rohrer, 2008).
Conclusion
Either using qualitative, quantitative, or advocacy research approach, the researcher needs to understand that in some aspects the individuals using social media to affect law enforcement might be influence by others. Also this might be learned behavior from family members or parents. In the end, the research needs to find the reasons and analyze it to find a solution to prevent individuals from using social media and other outlets to damage the reputation and harm law enforcement officers.
Each student will be required to complete the term project, which is a 1000-word APA Style paper. The project should have 1000-words of substance not counting the cover and reference page. The Term Project must be in a Word Document (.doc) uploaded to the student's folder through the assignment section. Students will be required to use at least three scholarly references in their work.
Students are required to follow APA Style guidelines
Students must choose from one of the following topics to write their Term Project:
1. Discuss various types of research that would warrant the use of quantitative research methods in Criminal Justice/Security Management research
2. Discuss various types of research that would warrant the use of qualitative research methods in Criminal Justice/Security Management research
3. Discuss various types of research that would warrant the use of Mixed-Methods research in Criminal Justice/Security Management research
4. Evaluate why statistical analysis is used in Criminal Justice/Security Management research
5. Evaluating sources (references) for Criminal Justice/Security Management research
6. Evaluate ethical research concerns as it applies to Criminal Justice/Security Management research
7. Explain why writing in APA Style is important to Criminal Justice/Security Management writing
8. Evaluate why plagiarism undermines Criminal Justice/Security Management writing & research.
Do not include quotes in your work. The student needs to display good critical thinking skills and not a string of quotes written by published authors. Your analysis is what is needed for a successful paper.
The Application of Quality Improvement Models in Organizations and Systems, Part I Analysis
Required Resources
Readings
Course Text: Applying Quality Management in HealthCare: A Systems Approach
Review Chapter 9, "Improving Processes and Implementing Improvements"
Chapter 10, "Measuring Process and System Performance"
Article: Brown, J. E., Smith, N., & Sherfy, B. R. (2011). Decreasing mislabeled laboratory specimens using barcode technology and bedside printers. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 26(1), 13-21. doi:10.1097/NCQ.0b013e3181e4e6dd
Article: Carroll, L. J., & Rothe, J. P. (2010). Levels of reconstruction as complementarity in mixed methods research: a social theory-based conceptual framework for integrating qualitative and quantitative research. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 7(9), 3478-3488.
Article: Cooper, M. R., Duquette, C. E., McWilliams, T., Orsini, M., & Klein, A. A. (2009). The unintended consequences of being friendly: A case study. Journal for Healthcare Quality: Promoting Excellence in Healthcare, 31(5), 43?47.
Article: Nicolini, D., Waring, J., & Mengis, J. (2011). Policy and practice in the use of root cause analysis to investigate clinical adverse events: Mind the gap. Social Science & Medicine, 73(2), 217?225. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.05.010
Article: Siriwardena, A. N. (2009). Using quality improvement methods for evaluating health care. Quality in Primary Care, 17(3), 155-159.
Website: American Society of Quality. (n.d.). Quality Tools. Retrieved from http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/quality-tools.html
Website: National Committee for Quality Assurance. (2011). Healthcare effectiveness data and information set (HEDIS). Retrieved from http://www.ncqa.org/tabid/59/default.aspx
Optional Resources are listed in the Week 9 Learning Resources.
TOPIC: ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS
Post a cohesive response that addresses the following:
1. Examine the steps for conducting a root cause analysis presented in the Nicolini, Waring, and Mengis article. This article will serve as a foundation for the Discussion. If you were conducting a root cause analysis in a health care organization with the actual individuals involved, you would be able to use these steps more fully. For this assignment, you will use these steps as a jumping off point for discussion and analysis.
2. As a team, discuss each step in the root cause analysis process in relation to the "The Unintended Consequences of Being Friendly: A Case Study" article presented in the Learning Resources. The following are a few questions to help guide your Discussion.
3. What qualitative and quantitative information would help you address each step in the analysis? Identify as much information as you can for each step in the root cause analysis process. For instance, what indicators from the case study should be included as facts?
4. If certain information is not provided in the case study, how would you, as a team, proceed to gather data?
5. Who should participate in this analysis? Which roles or which specific individuals should be invited to participate?
6. What questions or considerations would help to guide your investigation?
7. summarize key insights that your team has gained about your selected scenario, this type of sentinel event, and use of root cause analysis.
sentinal event or selected scenario that my team will like to discuss in the root cause analysis is either FECAL IMPACTION OR DEHYDRATION IN THE ELDERLY PATIENTS LIVING IN LONG TEAM CARE FACILITIES or if the writer have a good one does okay with me too.
Abstract
Guidelines: Left justified. No indents. No citations.
Maximum length is 350 words. The final version is in past tense and includes items 1-"6.
1. Introduce the study topic briefly.
2. Clearly articulate the study problem and purpose
3. State the research method (quantitative, qualitative, mixed method).
* Quantitative research identifies the design.
* Qualitative research identifies the typology/strategy of inquiry.
* Mixed Method research identifies both design (for quantitative aspect) and typology/strategy (for qualitative aspect).
4. Identify the participants.
5. Present key results (for quantitative studies include relevant test statistics and p values).
6. Present conclusions and recommendations for future research.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Introduction: (the Introduction has to be based on empirical findings. It has to provide information as to how the topic is viewed in the field today and relevant constructs/concepts need to be introduced so that knowledge is portrayed as to what is known in the field today). The introduction should be focused on a synthesis and integration of empirical research findings.
Background:
Statement of the Problem
Purpose of the Study
Theoretical Framework
Research Questions
Nature of the Study
Significance of the Study
Definition of Key Terms
Summary
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Documentation
Theme/Subtopic [repeat as needed]
Summary
Chapter 3: Research Method
Research Methods and Design(s) - (This is a Quantitative, non-experimental study)
Population
Sample
Materials/Instruments
Operational Definition of Variables (Quantitative/Mixed Studies Only)
Data Collection, Processing, and Analysis
Assumptions
Limitations
Delimitations
Ethical Assurances
Summary
Chapter 4: Findings
Results
Evaluation of Findings
Summary
Chapter 5: Implications, Recommendations, and Conclusions
Implications
Recommendations
Conclusions
References
Appendixes
Appendix A: Title
Appendix B: Title
Appendix N:: Title
List of Tables
[Use Words Table of Figures feature (using caption style = table) to create this section. Note that each table title needs to be created as a caption style format above the table. The List of Tables entries should mirror the APA format of table titles within the body of the paper. Consult the APA manual to ensure that all tables and table titles conform to APA format. See APA6, Chapter 5 for guidance and examples.]
List of Figures
[Use Words Table of Figures feature (using caption style = figure) to create this section. Note that each figure caption needs to be created as a caption style format below the figure. The List of Figures entries should mirror the APA format of figure captions within the body of the paper. Consult the APA manual to ensure that all tables and table titles, figures and figure captions conform to APA format. See APA6, Chapter 5 for guidance and examples.]
Chapter 1: Introduction
[Text Dissertation topic is introduced in 2 pages. The study topic is briefly described to establish the main ideas and context and include recent, scholarly, peer-reviewed sources to support each assertion. The Introduction should orient the reader to all of the concepts presented in the sections that follow. Note: Do not describe the study purpose or method in the introduction as these belong in later sections.]
Background
[Present an overview of why this research topic is currently of interest. Describe the facts and relevant context as a background leading up to the study problem and purpose. Focus on the area of research interest, briefly laying the groundwork for what has been done in the area and why the area is of important social or practical concern, or of theoretical interest. Include appropriate, recent, scholarly sources to support each assertion. There are no specific length guidelines; however the Background should be sufficient to provide context for the problem statement that follows. A detailed review of the literature will be provided in Chapter 2.]
Statement of the Problem
(Approximately 250 to 300 words) Articulation of a concise problem statement is the key to a successful proposal/dissertation manuscript and typically requires many revisions before the proposal is approved. The problem statement is a brief discussion of a problem or observation succinctly identifying and documenting the need for and importance of the study. Clearly describe and document the problem that prompted the study. Include appropriate published or relevant primary sources to document the existence of a problem worthy of PhD doctoral level research. A lack of research alone is not a compelling problem (many things are not studied but do not necessarily warrant research). Please consider: what perspective is represented? For example, is the problem an individual level problem, an organizational problem, an industry problem, or a social problem? What is not known that should be known and what are the potential negative consequences to the field of study if the proposed research is never conducted? These questions can help to identify the problem that needs to be addressed and the theories relevant to predict, explain and understand the problem.
[Text Present a general issue/observation that is grounded in the research literature and leads to the need for the study (in most cases scholarly citations within the last 5 years are required to document the general and specific problem). Follow with a focused, documented problem that directly reflects and leads to the need for a research response. PhD dissertation-worthy problems must be relevant and documented beyond any particular study site and have clear theoretical implications in order to make a realistic, but substantive contribution to the field of study.]
Note: Ensure that the concepts presented in the Problem Statement lead to and align directly with the Purpose Statement. Use of a logic map is highly recommended in order to ensure direct alignment and avoid surprises among the key elements: problem ? purpose ?research questions?proposed method and design.
Note: Clear and precise definitions of key words upon first use and consistent use of key words throughout the paper will also help ensure alignment.
Purpose of the Study
[Text Begin the purpose statement with a succinct sentence that indicates the study method and overarching goal.
The purpose of this [quantitative, qualitative, mixed method] study is to... (describe the study goal that directly reflects and encompasses the research questions). Follow with a brief, but clear overview of how, with what instruments/data, with whom and where (as applicable).]
Within the purpose statement:
Research method is identified as qualitative, quantitative, or mixed method.
Stated purpose reflects the research questions: Variables/constructs and/or phenomenon/concept/idea are identified.
Research design is clearly stated and is aligned with the problem statement.
Participants and/or data sources are identified.
Geographic location of study is identified (as appropriate).
Before moving forward, ensure that the purpose is a logical, explicit research response to the stated problem.
Theoretical Framework
[Text Identify and articulate the theoretical foundations of the proposed study based on a review of the relevant literature.
1. Discussion reflects a thorough discussion of the conceptual and/or theoretical area under which the research falls and how the proposed research fits within other research in the field. Discussion clearly considers the study theoretical assumptions and principles, and specifically includes important issues, perspectives, and, if appropriate, controversies in the field.
2. Discussion reflects knowledge of and familiarity with both the historical and current literature. The majority of sources must be scholarly and peer-reviewed.
For a PhD study, the researh proposed must make a contribution to the literature and include relevant theories as the foundation of the study and, in this way, it would contribute to theory by adding more support, expanded applications or perhaps demonstrate ways in which the theory may not be as explanatory as originally presumed for the given study context. Theories provide a lens with which to observe, understand and explain the study topic. The theories identified must be explicit as there are many different lenses, such as psychological theories, social theories, organizational theories and economic theories, which may be used to predict and explain concepts, topics or phenomena. The theoretical framework must be appropriate, aligned with the topic, well-articulated and sourced.]
Research Questions
[TextBrief introductory text. Note: Avoid redundant text. Ensure that the Research Questions directly align with the stated purpose and that quantitative hypotheses correspond with the research questions.]
Q1.
Q2.
Additional questions as needed.
Hypotheses (Quantitative/Mixed Studies Only)
H10. [Null Hypothesis Text]
H1a. [Alternative Hypothesis Text]
Nature of the Study
[As appropriate, use text from the Concept Paper Research Method to present a brief overview of the study design, variables/constructs, instruments and analyses (as applicable). Relocate detailed discussion of sampling method, sample size determination, instrument, measurement and analyses to Chapter 3. Discuss the proposed research method (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed).
Discussion is not simply a listing and description of the chosen research design; rather, elaboration demonstrates how the proposed method and design accomplish the study goals, why the design is the optimum choice for the proposed research, and how the method aligns with the purpose and research questions. Provide a brief discussion of the proposed study design, data collection and analysis procedures (detailed descriptions should be provided in Chapter 3). Provide appropriate foundational research method support for the proposed study design; for example, refer to Moustakas and other appropriate authors to describe a phenomenological design and Yin to describe the appropriate application of a case study design.]
Significance of the Study
[Demonstrate why the study is important and describe the contribution(s) to the field of study. This section should reflect the need for the study and the benefits of an answer to the proposed study purpose and research questions. The discussion should align with the problem statement in that, the problem statement articulates the negative consequences if the study is never conducted, whereas the significance indicates the positive results of completing the study.]
Definition of Key Terms
[Text (optional) ]
Term 1. Definition (APA citation).
Replace Term 1. with the relevant term name/label.
Term 2. Definition (APA citation).
Term n. Definition (APA citation).
Summary
[TextBriefly restate the key points, study purpose and proposed research plan.]
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Approximately 40-80 pages, pending topic area. The literature review will contain several sub-headings that will be specific to the dissertation. Approximately 85% of references must be peer-reviewed, scholarly sources published within the last 5 years.
[Begin with a summary of the purpose statement that leads to a brief explanation of the logical organization of the literature review.
Note: Conduct a thorough literature search based on a variety of relevant key words and databases. It is extremely rare for there to be no existing literature on a topic worthy of doctoral level study. Lack of references is typically the result of a too narrow or faulty library search.]
Documentation
[Include a paragraph that explains the literature search strategy and describes the library and search engine sources. The documentation section may include an APA formatted table that describes the nature and sources of
references.
Theme/Subtopic [repeat as needed]
Replace Theme/Subtopic: with an appropriate heading that describes the discussion to follow.
[Present the theoretical or conceptual framework(s) related to the study. Present historical research as well as research related to the topic of study within the last 5 years. Include appropriate scholarly source citations for each assertion. Ensure the discussion has depth and presents a critical analysis and synthesis of the literature that provides a context for the dissertation study. Discuss conflicting findings and/or theoretical positions causing intellectual tension in the field. Ensure the discussion is comprehensive, organized, and flows logically. Use themes and/or subtopics as headings. Note: A literature review is discursive prose, not a list describing or summarizing one piece of literature after another. Avoid stringing together articles and beginning every paragraph with the name of a researcher. Instead, organize the literature review into sections that present themes or identify trends, including relevant theory. One should not attempt to list all the material published, but rather synthesize and evaluate the relevant scholarly research according to the guiding concept of your thesis or research question. Continue to expand and update the literature review up through the final dissertation.]
Summary
[Summarize key points presented in Chapter 2 and include supporting citations for key points. Highlight contradictions and uncertainties that support the need for the proposed study.]
Chapter 3: Research Method
[Begin with an introduction and restatement of the research problem and purpose.
It is appropriate to repeat the problem and purpose from Chapter 1 verbatim. Conclude the introduction with a brief overview of the chapter.
Restate the research question(s)/hypotheses verbatim.
1. Quantitative ?" research questions and hypothesis(es) clearly stated and clearly aligned with each other and with the problem and purpose statements.
2. Qualitative - research questions clearly stated and aligned with problem and purpose statements.
3. Mixed Method - includes all of the above.
Note: This section should be identical to wording used in Chapter 1.]
Research Methods and Design(s)
[Accurately describe the research method and design(s). Substantiate the appropriateness of the method and design(s); include a statement about why the method/design(s) was/were chosen over others.
1. Elaborate on the chosen research design (e.g., case study, phenomenology, comparative, correlational, quasi-experimental, etc.) appropriateness to respond to the study purpose.
2. Clearly describe the design steps. Ensure the discussion is not simply a listing and description of research designs. Provide appropriate support for the use and application of the chosen design.
3. Demonstrate why the design will accomplish the study goals and why design is the optimum choice for the research.
Describe in sufficient detail so that the study could be replicated.]
Population
[Provide a description of the population (as appropriate), estimated size and relevant characteristics with appropriate support. Depending on the study design, populations may reflect a group of people, a set of organizations, a set of documents, archived data, etc. Describe why the population is appropriate to respond to the study problem and purpose. Clearly distinguish between the population and the sample drawn from the population.]
Sample
[Identify the sampling method and explain selection of participants or relevant sample, including known population characteristics and recruitment or selection strategy. Describe and justify the sampling method and minimum sample size:
1. Quantitative studies include probabilistic selection approach and a supporting power analysis for statistical significance of responses. When determining a minimum sample size, consider sampling error, representativeness and the assumptions of the proposed statistical tests.
2. Qualitative studies inlude references that support the proposed number of participants. Qualitative samples are typically relatively small. Refer to primary qualitative research sources to support the sampling size and method.
3. Mixed Method studies include both of the above.
As appropriate: Describe how existing data were originally collected and for what purpose.
Describe how participants will be selected and solicited. Access to potential participants, such as email lists from professional organizations must be described. Sampling procedures (e.g., random, random stratified, convenience) must be described in sufficient detail so that the process could theoretically be replicated. ]
Materials/Instruments
[In this section, include a description of data sources such as (a) archived data and include a description of how the data were originally collected and for what purpose along with information regarding validity and reliability; (b) published instruments (adequately describe constructs measured, coding schemes, and psychometric properties (include both indices of reliability and validity) ?" include as an appendix, if possible, or include sample items); (c) materials (including survey/instruments) developed for study (adequately describe the development process and final product (include as an appendix)); (d) interview protocol, including a description of how the interview questions were developed with appropriate qualitative research method support (include interview questions in an appendix); (e) apparatus (adequately describe any apparatus including model/make, how it is used, and outcome(s) it provides).
Note: Instrument self-development is strongly discouraged. If an appropriate existing validated instrument is not located after a thorough search, the development process and tests for instrument and construct reliability and validity must be described in detail within Chapter 3 and the resulting validity/reliability measures reported in Chapter 4.]
Operational Definition of Variables (Quantitative/Mixed Studies Only)
[TextIdentify each of the primary constructs associated with the proposed topic, problem, research question(s), and hypotheses. Include a brief overview of how each will be operationally defined for the proposed study. Describe the nature of each variable (e.g. ordinal Likert type response scale ranging from 1 ?" 5) and how it will be/was measured and collected. The nature of the data must be consistent with and appropriate to the purpose, research design and proposed statistical analyses. Use terminology associated with the chosen statistical test (e.g., predictor and criterion variables for regression).]
Construct/Variable 1. Description/Operational Definition.
Replace with variable label and repeat as needed.
Data Collection, Processing, and Analysis
[Describe the collection, processing and analyses in enough detail so that the study could be replicated. Describe the steps that will be taken to carry out the study. Provide specific details relative to the execution of the design in each appropriate section. Describe the types of data to be collected, and how the data will be coded, and what statistical analysis and software will be used as appropriate.
1. Quantitative: Describe the analysis strategy used to test each hypothesis. The discussion must be sufficiently detailed so that the appropriateness of the statistical tests chosen is evident (i.e., the statistical tests are appropriate to respond to the hypotheses and the variable constructs meet the assumptions of the statistical tests.
2. Qualitative: Describe how the data will be processed and analyzed (including any efforts for triangulation). Provide primary qualitative design support for the proposed analytical strategy. Explain the role of the researcher.
3. Mixed Method: include all of the above.]
Assumptions
[Discuss the assumptions about the population and design along with corresponding rationale and support for the assumptions (e.g., if an adequate response rate or participant honesty are assumed, refer to the steps that will be taken to make these reasonable assumptions).]
Limitations
Describe the study limitations (potential weaknesses to interpretation and validity) within the context of the study design. Discuss any measures taken to mitigate limitations. Review any potential threats to validity (specific to the study design) and how they will be addressed to the extent possible. The limitations will be revisited within Chapter 5.]
Delimitations
Describe the study delimitations (specific choices made to narrow the scope of the study). Discuss the scope of data used in the study in this section.]
Ethical Assurances
[Discuss compliance with the standards for conducting research as appropriate to the proposed research design. Describe the informed consent procedures and how you will maintain confidentiality of the participants (as appropriate). Describe how you will obtain assurances for formal approval of the study. Indicate appendixes that include additional information as needed.
1. In the proposal, state that IRB approval will be sought prior to any data collected.
2. In the final dissertation, state that IRB approval was obtained prior to any data collection conducted].
Summary
[Summarize key points presented in Chapter 3 and provide supporting citations for key points.]
Note: When the proposal is approved and after the research is carried out, revise text to past tense to reflect the completed study. Revise and expand as needed to reflect how the study design was applied. For example, if parametric statistics were proposed but, upon data collection, the responses did not meet the assumptions and non-parametric tests were conducted to respond to the hypotheses, the author should describe the circumstances and rationale for the change within the Chapter 3 data analysis section.
Chapter 4: Findings
[Begin the discussion with a brief overview of the purpose of the research study and provide a brief overview of the chapter. Organize the chapter around the research question(s)/hypotheses. Review the APA manual and published, peer-reviewed, empirical research articles for examples of how to report results of various research designs. ]
Results
[Data analyses ?" Report results without discussion (interpretation, speculation, etc. appears in the next section):
1. For Quantitative analyses,
a. Give appropriate descriptive information,
b. Present the results in a logical fashion, answering the research question(s)/hypotheses as stated and appropriate to the type of data collected,
c. Identify assumptions of statistical tests and address any violation of assumptions,
d. Make decisions based on the results of the statistical analysis (for example: Are the results statistically significant?). Include relevant test statistic and p values.
e. See the APA manual regarding how to present results in text, tables and figures,
f. Present sufficient information so the reader can make an independent judgment regarding interpretation.
2. For Qualitative analyses
a. Present results logically and in a way that answers the research question(s) by distillation steps of the discernment process,
b. Present sufficient information so the reader can make an independent judgment about your interpretation,
c. Review published articles that use similar designs for examples of how to present qualitative, thematic findings,
d. Ensure that no potentially indentifying information is published.
3. Mixed Method include all of the above.
Note: Table and figures, where appropriate, are necessary and referred to in the text. Ensure compliance with APA format of tables, table titles, figures and figure captions. See APA, 6th ed, Chapter 5 for guidelines on displaying results.]
Evaluation of Findings
[This section is used to briefly report what your findings mean. The discussion will be expanded in Chapter 5. Interpret results in light of the theory (or theories) and/or the conceptual framework(s) you have identified. Describe whether the results obtained were expected give the literature and provide potential explanations for unexpected or conflicting results. Take care to avoid drawing conclusions beyond what can be interpreted directly from the study results.]
Summary
[Discussion summarizes key points presented in Chapter 4.]
Chapter 5: Implications, Recommendations, and Conclusions
[Begin the discussion with a brief review of the problem statement, purpose, method, limitations, and ethical dimensions, and conclude the introduction with a brief overview of the chapter.]
Implications
[Discuss each research question and (when appropriate) hypothesis individually, and draw logical conclusions. Note: support all conclusions with the research findings and avoid drawing conclusions that are beyond the scope of the study results. Discuss how any potential limitations may have affected the interpretation of the results. Place the results back into context by describing how the results respond to the study problem, fit with the purpose, demonstrate significance, and contribute to the existing literature described in Chapter 2.]
Recommendations
[Present all recommendations for practical applications of the study. Note: support all recommendations with the research findings. Present recommendations for future research.]
Conclusions
[In this section, summarize all key points in Chapter 5.]
References
Reference 1
Reference 2
Reference n
Instructions: All resources cited in the dissertation must be included in the list of references.
List all references in APA format with the exception noted below. For each reference listed, there must be at least one corresponding citation within the body of the text, and vice-versa.
Formatting: Single space each reference citation, along with a .5 inch hanging indent; double space between consecutive references in the reference list (See the Doctoral Candidacy Resource Guide located in the Dissertation Center for NCU exceptions to APA format).
Tips: Sort in alpha surname/title order. Only capitalize the first word of the title and of the subtitle, if any. Do not bold the title. Know when to italicize and when not to (i.e., periodical/non-periodical/publication versus book/report/paper). Italicize volume (i.e., Journal Name 4, pp. 12-22.). Please refer to the APA Manual, 6th edition and the Writing Center for additional APA guidance.
Note: APA6 requires a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) be provided, if one has been assigned (see page 187-192).
Example (note single-space references, with double-spacing in-between):
Ahn, J. (2004). Electronic portfolios: Blending technology, accountability and assessment. T.H.E. Journal, 31(9), 12-18.
U.S. Government Printing Office. (2006). Catalog of U.S. Government publications: New electronic titles.
Winslade, J., & Monk, G. (2001). Narrative mediation: A new approach to conflict resolution. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Appendixes
[Each Appendix referenced in text should appear in this section at the end of the manuscript. Appendixes should be listed in the order in which they are referenced in the text. ]
Appendix A: Title
[Insert/type Appendix A content here]
Appendix B: Title
[Insert/type Appendix B content here]
Appendix N:: Title
[Insert/type Appendix N content here]
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