Activity: Develop Research Methodology for Hypothetical Research Study
Activity Description
You developed the research problem, purpose, and questions for both a qualitative and a quantitative research study. For this task, choose one of the research problems and questions that you developed (either the qualitative or the quantitative) and develop the methodology for the chosen study.
Then, next week you will develop the methodology for the second study and then combine the methodology section with other elements of the study to create a concept paper. (Thus, you may want to choose the study of most interest to you and develop the methodology for that study as part of the assignment for Week 8).
There are several documents in the NCU dissertation center that will be helpful in developing the research methodology for your Week 7 and Week 8 assignments. These include the concept paper templates and the proposal templates. Details regarding the research methods for the dissertation are explained in Chapter 3 of the dissertation proposal. The dissertation proposal template shows the sections that should be included in Chapter 3 of the dissertation proposal. These sections include the following:
1. Research Methods and Design(s)
2. Population
3. Sample
4. Materials/Instruments
5. Operational Definitions of Variables (Quantitative/Mixed Studies Only)
6. Data Collection, Processing, and Analysis
7. Assumptions
8. Limitations
9. Delimitations
10. Ethical Assurances
11. Summary
In developing the methodology section for this week's assignment, you will want to address Sections 1-6 and Section 10. You will find a discussion of these sections below that will help you develop these sections of the research methodology.
(1) Research Methods and Design: Explain the methodology and design that you will use to address the research purpose and questions. Will you use the qualitative methodology or the quantitative methodology? Explain your reasoning for the methodology that you will use to answer the research questions. Why is the specific methodology appropriate for answering the research questions? Which of the designs is appropriate for your study? Refer to Section 5 for a review of the qualitative and quantitative designs. Then, explain the design that you will use. When is this design appropriate for use and why is the design appropriate for your research purpose and questions? You will want to cite sources for your reasoning to use the methodology that you use. Be sure to explain why the methodology and design is appropriate for your study.
Potential sources for defending the methodology and design include the following:
Cozby, P. & Bates, S. (2012). Methods in behavioral research. Boston, MA: McGraw Hill Higher Education.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. ISBN: 9781452226101
Lodico, M. G., Spaulding, D. T., & Voegtle, K. H. (2010). Methods in educational research: From theory to practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0470588691
Merriam, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. https://site.ebrary.com/lib/ncent/reader.action?docID=10856838
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0803955405
(2) Population: In quantitative research, it is the researcher's intent to generalize research findings of a sample to a larger population. The researcher will identify the population and randomly select a sample from that population. For the quantitative study, describe the population for the study. To whom do you expect the results to apply? Who would be included in the large group from which you would draw the sample? For the qualitative study, identify the attributes of the sample. What qualifies inclusion in the sample?
(3) Sample: Explain how you will obtain your sample. Who will be included in the sample? How many individuals will be in your sample and how did you determine who would be in your sample? Will you purposefully select individuals for your sample (qualitative methods) and if so, who will you purposefully select? Why did you select the individuals that you selected? What methods will you use to select the sample? Will you randomly select members of the sample or will you purposefully select members of the sample? In quantitative methods, you should use some type of sample generator to determine the appropriate sample. For the purpose of this assignment, it is not necessary to use the sample generator. Select a hypothetical sample that will allow you to answer the research questions for the study.
(4) Materials/Instrument: What materials will you use in the study? Will you use an interview protocol? If so, then provide the protocol that you will use for a qualitative study. Will you use some type of written document? If so, then describe the document so that it is clear how the document will answer your research question. For quantitative studies, it is advised that you use an instrument that is already published because this instrument will have validity and reliability. For each study, provide the instrumentation and/or materials that you will use to collect data to answer the research questions. For the quantitative study, explain the validity and reliability of the instrument. You must search for the instrument and you can locate information about instruments in the Mental Measurements Yearbook. When you go to the NCU Library home page, select "Databases" under "Research Resources" and then find the database entitled, Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print. You can search this database for published instruments to measure the variables in your study. Use the variables as search terms. The results will provide an explanation of the tests. This information will be useful when describing the instrument for a quantitative study.
(5) Operational Definitions of Variables: Complete this section only for the quantitative study. List the variables for your study (independent and dependent). These variables should be included in your research questions and hypotheses. Explain how these variables are quantified or measured. For example, gender is a common variable that is used in research studies. There are two values for the gender variable, males and females. Another example might be the score that kindergarten students earn on a reading comprehension test. The operational definition for reading comprehension (the dependent variable) would be the instructional level earned on the DIBELS test for test reading and comprehension (TRC). The instructional level ranges from 0.0 to 12.9. The actual instructional level obtained by the student on the DIBELS test of reading and comprehension administered at the end of the school year will be recorded for each student. The level of measurement is interval. You will find additional information in the descriptions of instruments catalogued in the Mental Measurements Yearbook database that will help you to explain how the variables are measured (operational definitions).
(6) Data Collection, Processing, and Analysis: This section should be completed for either the qualitative or quantitative study. How will you administer the instrument or how will you conduct interviews? How will you collect data? Provide a detailed description on how you will administer instruments and collect data. How will you process the data? Will you enter data into SPSS or some other type of computer software program? How will you analyze the data? Will you look for themes in the data? Will you run a t-test analysis? How will you analyze the data? Provide as much detail as you can to explain the processes of data collection, processing, and analysis.
(7) Ethical Assurances: For Week 3, you examined the ethical issues associated with qualitative and quantitative methodology. You studied the NCU Consent form and developed a process for obtaining consent from parents of minor children. Based on your learning in Week 3, identify the potential issues that may be of concern for the methodology that you develop. Are there particular concerns with anonymity and/or confidentiality? How will you assure anonymity and confidentiality? How will you obtain consent? Is there a need to obtain assent? Will you use de-identified data? Address these issues and/or concerns by explaining how you will assure ethical treatment of the study participants.
For the methodology that you choose (qualitative or quantitative) for this week's assignment, develop a paper in which you explain each of the seven sections above. This is the Research Method section of the concept paper. Each of the seven sections would be a subheading of that section. Thus, you want to write the Research Method section of the concept paper for either the qualitative or quantitative research questions that you created in Activity 6. You want to provide as much detail as possible in addressing each of the sections. The goal is to provide sufficient detail so that someone
else could replicate your study based on the descriptions that you provide. Use the PPT Concept Paper Template and the Doctoral Candidacy Resource Guide as a guide to the hypothetical design you present.
Length: 5-7 pages (double-spaced), not including title and reference pages. References: Minimum of three to five scholarly resources
Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your paper should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards. Review APA Form and Style.
Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University's Academic Integrity Policy. View the Northcentral Academic Integrity Tutorial to refresh your knowledge of how to achieve academic integrity. Upload your assignment using the Upload Assignment button below.
Learning Outcomes
1.0 Conduct literature searches using the NCU library database related to a potential research topic of interest.
3.0 Develop an aligned problem statement, purpose statement, and research question(s) when designing research.
5.0 Determine the ethical requirements of human subjects when conducting research.
6.0 Defend the use of a chosen research methodology and corresponding design for a hypothetical study.