Assignment:
Please complete the research Proposal portion. Review the following material in order to understand how to complete the research proposal.
Overview
The Directed Studies course is your opportunity to conduct basic or applied policy research. As a practical matter, you should consider this course to be part of a two-course sequence (with either PPA 696 or PPA 670 being the first part) which provides an opportunity for students to engage in the process of social scientific inquiry with respect to vital public policy and public management issues.
While the student is not expected to achieve expertise in scholarly research in this course, students should at a minimum show that they are intelligent consumers of policy research. What this means is that students should understand:
· The conceptual foundations and ethical issues associated with policy research,
· The general design and structure of research used in public policy and the fundamental purpose(s) of such approaches,
· Data collection methods and how they complement the research approach,
· The essential methods of data analysis, their proper application, and interpretation, and
· How to effectively present research findings to a variety of audiences and through different mediums.
Methods Of Applied Policy/Management Research
In order to conduct applied policy research one must identify the type of research problem/question that is present and then select the appropriate approach. Below is a table that should help you to decide what approach is best given the research problem/question. Keep in mind that in most applied policy research projects that there is usually more than one problem/question; thus, requiring multiple methods. So you will need to think about your topic in terms of the nature of the research problems that it involves rather than the single category of problem that you might try to fit it into. Very few research topics that are worth investigating in depth can be fit into only one problem category.
Research Problems-Methods Matrix
Problem
Methods
Comments
Exploratory:
1 Interviews
2 Field Observation
3 Archival Search and
Analysis:
4 Literature Review
5 Overall lack of developed knowledge about issue or problem.
6 Problem analysis
Descriptive:
Quantitative:
1 Surveys
2 Costs Analysis
3 Analysis of Existing Data
4 Descriptive Statistical Methods.
Qualitative:
1 Structured and Semi-Structured Interviews
2 Site Visits and Observation
3 Reasoned Analysis (Interpretive and Critical)
4 Process Analysis
1 Need to know "what's going on?"
2 Provides baseline data for understanding the issue(s).
3 Case study approach
Causal:
1 Experimental and Quasi-experimental
2 Regression Analysis and Other Statistical Techniques
3 How effective is policy/program in achieving stated goals and objective?
4 Impact analysis for program evaluation.
Estimation:
1 Quantitative Forecasting
2 Qualitative Forecasting
3 Forecasting
4 Helps to anticipate and plan for future events.
5 May be used in conjunction with the policy analysis model
Policy Choice:
1 Economic (Cost-Benefit) Analysis
2 Multi-Goal Analysis
3 Policy analysis model
4 What should be done, if anything?
Format Options:
In practical terms, there are four format options students taking PPA 597 with me can choose from. The first option is the typical empirical exploratory, descriptive, or causal research paper in line with the research proposal that you may have prepared for PPA 696. The second option is a policy analysis report. The third option is a program evaluation. And the final option is an applied research-based project. Note that regardless of the format selected, one or more of the research problems and their corresponding methods will apply.
Option 1 - The Standard Policy Research Paper:
What follows are the steps in outline form to the typical empirically based policy research paper. The details are probably available in your text from PPA 696.
Steps in Policy Research
1. Define the Problem
2. Plan Research
3. Conduct Research
4. Prepare and Present Findings
Step 1 - Define the Problem:
1. Define the policy problem.
2. Identify the policy process stage and information needs.
3. Prepare a problem statement.
Step 2 - Plan Research:
1. Compile the major issues to be addressed.
2. What do we know from past research on these issues?
3. Select the appropriate research design and techniques.
4. Organize the research tasks sequentially.
5. Prepare research proposal.
Step 3 - Conduct Research:
1. Collect the necessary data.
2. Analyze the data.
Step 4 - Prepare and Present Findings:
1. Apply data analysis to research question(s).
2. Present information in manner consistent with the target audience.
3. Write final report.
1 The final research report should include the following sections:
1) Introduction.
2) Literature Review.
3) Research Design and Data Collection Methods.
4) Findings.
5) Analysis of Findings and Policy Implications.
6) Conclusion and Recommendations (if appropriate).
Option 2 - Policy Analysis Report :
A Policy Analysis Report is one of the primary products that policy analysts provide to decision-makers. Each student should be familiar with this type of researched analysis as a result of completing PPA 670 (which is the alternate first course mentioned above). In fact you may want to use your policy issue paper from PPA 670 and extend that to a complete policy analysis report. The Policy Analysis Report includes:
1. Verification and definition of the issue.
2. Establish evaluation criteria.
3. Identify alternative policies.
4. Evaluate alternative policies.
5. Display and select among alternative policies/programs.
6. A one or two page Executive Summary.
Option 3 - Program Evaluation :
Another general model of policy research is the evaluation model or program evaluation model. The steps of program evaluation include:
1. Identifying the goals and objectives of the program or policy in a manner that can be evaluated.
2. Construct an impact model of what you expect of the impact of the program or policy.
3. Develop a research design (causal).
4. Measure the phenomena of interest.
5. Collect the data and analyze the results.
Option 4 - Applied Research-Based Project:
This is somewhat of a "catch-all" category for other projects that do not exactly fit in the above categories. For example, you may have some type of project that you would like to complete that is associated with your work. Whatever the project is that you are proposing it must involve some type of researched analysis.
The Research Proposal:
Regardless of the research question(s), methods, and format, you must start with a proposal. You should submit a proposal that outlines the research problem(s), source(s) of data, the method(s) of data collection, and method(s) of analysis. The proposal must be submitted by the deadline noted below. Upon review you will receive confirmation via email that your proposal is acceptable and comments that are provided to help you with the project.