Research Design & the Research ProposalQualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches

Dr. Mary Alberici

PY550

Research Methods and Statistics

The Three Types of Designs Three types

Qualitative research Quantitative research Mixed methods research

Research design Plan or proposal to conduct research Intersection of:

Philosophical worldviews Strategies of inquiry Research methods

Four Worldviews for Research

Post positivism ConstructivismDeterminationReductionismEmpirical observation and measurementTheory verification

UnderstandingMultiple participant meaningsSocial and historical construction

Theory generation

Advocacy/Participatory PragmatismPoliticalEmpowerment issue-orientedCollaborativeChange-oriented

Consequences of actionsProblem-centeredPluralisticReal-world practice oriented

Strategies of Inquiry

Quantitative Qualitative Mixed Methods

Experimental designsNon-experimental designs, such as surveys

Narrative researchPhenomenologyEthnographiesGrounded theory studiesCase study

SequentialConcurrentTransformative

Research Methods

Quantitative Methods

Mixed Methods

Qualitative Methods

Pre-determinedInstrument-based questionsPerformance, attitude, observational, and census dataStatistical analysesStatistical interpretation

Both pre-determined and emerging methodsBoth open- and closed-ended questionsMultiple forms of data drawing on all possibilitiesStatistical and text analysesAcross databases interpretation

Emerging methodsOpen-ended questionsInterview, observation, document, and audio-visual dataText and image analysesThemes, patterns interpretation

Research Designs as Worldviews, Strategies, and Methods

Tend to or typically...

Qualitative Approaches

Quantitative Approaches

Mixed Methods Approaches

Use these philosophical assumptions

Constructivist/ Advocacy/ Participatory knowledge claims

Post-positivist knowledge claims

Pragmatic knowledge claims

Employ these strategies of inquiry

Phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, case study, & narrative

Surveys & experiments

Sequential, concurrent, & transformative

Employ these methods

Open-ended questions, emerging approaches, text or image data

Closed-ended questions, pre-determined approaches, numeric data

Both open- and closed-ended questions, both emerging and predetermined approaches, & both quantitative and qualitative data and analysis

Research Designs as Worldviews, Strategies, and Methods (cont.)

Tend to or typically...

Qualitative Approaches

Quantitative Approaches

Mixed Methods Approaches

Use these practices of research, as the researcher

Positions him- or herselfCollects participant meaningsFocuses on a single concept or phenomenonBrings personal values into the study Studies the context or setting of participantsValidates the accuracy of findingsMakes interpretations of the dataCreates an agenda for change or reformCollaborates with the participants

Tests of verifies theories or explanationsIdentifies variables to study Relates variables in questions or hypotheses Uses standards of validity and reliability Observes and measures information numerically Uses unbiased approaches Employs statistical procedures

Collects both quantitative and qualitative dataDevelops a rationale for mixingIntegrates the data at different stages of inquiryPresents visual pictures of the procedures in the studyEmploys the practices of both qualitative and quantitative research

Criteria for Selecting a Research Design The Research Problem

An issue or concern that needs to be addressed (see Chapter 5) If the problem calls for

Explanation or theory testing: Quantitative Exploration or understanding: Qualitative One approach alone is inadequate: Mixed methods

Personal Experiences Training, preferences, time, resources

Audience Advisors, journal editors, graduate committees, etc.

The Research Proposal

Introduces the Research Problem or Question Reviews Existing Literature on Topic Outlines Proposed Methodology or Procedure Explains How the Acquired Data will be Analyzed

or Interpreted Shows the Importance and Significance of the

Proposed Research Addresses Anticipated Outcomes and Relevance

to the Larger Community

Appendices

Should include Examples of Letters of Inquiry used to Recruit Sample Population

Should include Examples of Letters of Informed Consent for Participants

Should include Examples of Instruments or Data Gathering Tools

Should include Examples of Any Other Materials that will be Used to Conduct Research

May also Include Estimates for Budget, Staffing, and Equipment Needs

Ethical Considerations

Finally, all Internal Revue Boards (IRBs) require that each research proposal must include evidence of compliance with Human Subjects Review Guidelines, in the form of a certificate of completion from the National Institutes of Health’s “Protecting Human Research Participants” Online Training.

This online course is free of charge, and can be completed by registering at the NIH website:

http://phrp.nihtraining.com/index.php