Project Summary: Application: Methodology: Reliabili...... Update Application: Methodology: Reliability and Validity Factors The key to developing a quality Prospectus, Proposal, and Dissertation is that all components must be aligned, with a logical flow of ideas from one section to the next. In other words, your population and sampling plan must be logically connect withgoing back-- your methodology, research design, research questions, purpose, and problem statement. What will answer your research question? For example, if the gender of your population is irrelevant in answering your research question, then you need not seek a population for data collection that includes an equal number of men and women, nor do you need to ask participants their gender on a survey. In this Assignment, you will identify, explain, and create aspects of your methodology, to include selection of method; alignment among sections; population; data collection; reliability, validity, and ethical issues; and data analysis. QUESTION: Review the readings, websites, and media listed in this weeks Learning Resources, write 3 to 4 pages on the following: Describe, briefly, the methodology you have selected, whether quantitative, qualitative, or mixed. Explain why you chose this method. In what ways it is a logical method to answer your research question? Describe the alignment and consistency of the research questions, research design, and methodology. Describe, briefly, the population or type of data you plan to sample for your Dissertation, and why. Describe the data collection and sampling methods you plan to use and explain why you plan to use them. Describe at least two issues (e.g., reliability, validity, and/or ethical issues) that might arise when using the data collection and sampling methods. Explain how you would prevent and/or minimize each of these issues. Describe the specific type of analysis you might use (ANOVA, MANOVA, SEM, theming, concept analysis, etc.) to analyze your data and explain why. Be specific. Support your Application Assignments with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list for all resources, including those in the Learning Resources for this course. The Nature of the Study, Part 2: Methodology: Population and Sampling Procedures; Data Collection and Analysis; and Reliability and Validity Introduction Methodology Theoretically, you can use either a qualitative or a quantitative method to conduct nearly any research. For example, suppose you are interested in studying leadership. You might narrow this area down to studying the impact of leadership challenges on the problem-solving methods used by a particular group of leaders, such as executive directors of nonprofit organizations. In this case, you could develop an Internet survey to collect information regarding which problem-solving methods leaders most often use when they encounter specified challenges. Perhaps you are more interested in how leaders experience challenges and why they choose particular problem-solving methods in response to particular challenges. In this case, you might use a qualitative method such as case study to focus on individuals in leadership roles and gather descriptive information through open-ended or semi-structured interviews about how they experience challenges and choose problem-solving methods. There are reliability and validity issues that arise whether you use quantitative or qualitative research methods, or, in some cases, both, which is called mixed methods. One of your goals as a researcher is to choose a method that gets to the heart of answering your research question while minimizing threats to both reliability and validity. Population, Sampling Procedures, and Data Collection Once you choose your research design and research method for your Dissertation, you should learn everything you can about it. This includes reading several studies that employ this method to understand how it is used. The next step is to determine how you will collect the data. Who is the population from which you will collect data and/or what secondary data do you need to access? There are a variety of sampling methods from which to choose. Your choice of sampling method will depend on your research design and method. For instance, if you are using a qualitative method you might use purposive or snowball sampling. If you are using a quantitative method, you might use simple random sampling or systematic random sampling. Like research methods, each sampling method has specific strengths and limitations in terms of reliability and validity. There are also ethical considerations when using sampling methods with certain populations, such as children, elderly or developmentally disabled individuals, and individuals who are institutionalized. Data Analysis The next step after collecting data is to analyze those data. How you analyze your data is often stipulated by the research method you chose. If you chose a quantitative method, you will use statistics (e.g., MANOVA, logistical regression) to analyze your data. The statistics you use will depend on the type of data (nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio) and number of variables in your study. If you choose a qualitative method, your analysis might consist of organizing descriptive information into a story, creating concepts, or identifying themes and patterns. Note: The Prospectus section Possible Analytical Strategies is optional. In other words, you are not required to address data analysis methods and techniques in your Prospectus. It is recommend that you complete this section, however, after having skimmed some of the chapters on data analysis. Objectives Students will: Evaluate the potential ethical issues, risks, and benefits of proposed research Evaluate appropriate research methodologies Evaluate alignment of research questions, research design, and methodology Evaluate sources of data, and data collection and sampling methods Analyze reliability, validity, and ethical issues Evaluate data analysis methods _____________________________________________________________________________________ Required Resources Readings Public Policy and Administration OSullivan, E., Rassel, G. R., & Berner, M. (2008). Research methods for public administrators (5th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson, Longman. o Chapter 4, Measuring Variables (pp. 101-132) o Chapter 5, Sampling (pp. 133-171) Review the following chapters: o Chapter 6, Contacting and Talking to Subjects (pp. 172-211) o Chapter 7, Data Collection: Questions and Questionnaires (pp. 212-247) o Chapter 9, Secondary Data Analysis: Finding and Analyzing Existing Data (pp. 270-298) o Chapters 10-14 for information on data analysis (pp. 299-466) Web Center for Social Research Methods. (n.d.). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Retrieved fromhttp://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/index.php o Click on the "Sampling" tab on the navigation area to learn more about sampling and sampling methods. o Click on Measurement for reliability and validity links. o Click on the "Analysis" tab on the left to learn more about different types of data analyses. Dissertation Rudestam, K. E., & Newton, R. R. (2015). Surviving your dissertation: A comprehensive guide to content and process (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. ISBN: 978-1-4522-6097-6 o Chapter 5, The Method Chapter: Describing Your Research Plan (pp. 99-135) o Chapter 11, How to Complete Your Dissertation Using Online Data Access and Collection (pp. 281-301) Marshall, M. N. (1996). Sampling for qualitative research. Family Practice, 13(6), 522525. Used by permission of Oxford University Press via the Copyright Clearance Center. Walden University, Center for Research Quality. (n.d.-f). Research resources and tutorials. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/resources/planning Click on Research Planning and Writing and Research Design and Analysis. Walden University, Center for Research Quality. (2012). Ph.D. dissertation process and documents.Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/osra/phd o Dissertation Prospectus Guide Walden University, Center for Research Quality. (n.d.-a) Application and General Materials. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/orec/application o Research Ethics Planning Worksheet Simon, M. K. (2011b). Validity and reliability in qualitative studies. In Dissertation and scholarly research: Recipes for success (pp. 13). Seattle, WA: Dissertation Success. Retrieved fromhttp://dissertationrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Validity-and-Reliability-in-a-Qualitative-Study.pdf Walden University, Center for Research Quality. (n.d.-d). Institutional Review Board for Ethical Standards in Research. Retrieved from Media Endicott, L. (2010a). IRB FAQ Tutorial [Online tutorial]. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/orec A self-paced tutorial on the IRBs Ethics Review at Walden is available at the bottom of the webpage. Sherer, J. (2010). Participant pool [Online tutorial]. Retrieved fromhttp://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/resources/participantpool Laureate Education (Producer). (2010b). Overview of qualitative research methods. Baltimore, MD: Author. Laureate Education. (Producer ). (2010c). Overview of quantitative research methods. Baltimore, MD: Author.