When choosing a research design, the design to use depends on the question you're asking. For this Discussion, you will work a bit backwards: you will be given a design and then determine the research question that would be appropriate to the design. By looking at the design from both ends, you will learn this vital concept in more depth than if you had only approached it in one way.
To prepare for this Discussion:
Read the Campbell and Stanley text, paying particular attention to the design that your instructor has assigned you.
Analyze the design given in terms of appropriateness, assumptions, strengths and weaknesses, and threats to internal and external validity. See the Application for more detail.
With these thoughts in mind.
a 3- to 5-paragraph analysis of your assigned quantitative research design. Your analysis should include:
A brief description of the design and where it is most appropriately used
The assumptions for the design
The strengths and weaknesses of the design and the threats to internal and external validity.
Course Text: Campbell, D. T., & Stanley, J. C. (1963). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
This textbook describes a variety of research designs, including pre-experimental designs, true experimental designs, quasi-experimental designs, and correlational and ex post facto designs. Although reading the entire textbook in one week may seem daunting, this book is a reprint of one chapter of a larger text and is quite manageable. You will use this information from this text for the Discussion and Application.