Creating the research questions is key to designing a study: Research questions “must have both substance–for example, What is my study about?—and form—for example, Am I asking a ‘who, ‘what,’ ‘where,’ ‘why,’ or ‘how’ question? . . . The form of the question can provide an important clue regarding the appropriate research method to be used” (Yin, 2014, p. 11). In this Discussion, you will create research questions and evaluate the extent to which they align with other components of your Prospectus, and, ultimately, Proposal.
To prepare for your Discussion, review the Dissertation resources in this week’s Learning Resources.
Pay particular attention to specific examples of problem statements. Also, go to the Walden Library webpage “Dissertations,” find at least two Walden Dissertations from SPPA completed in the past year, and read the problem statements, purpose, and research questions for each.
Post by Day 3 your Dissertation topic, problem statement, purpose, and at least two research questions. Explain what you learned from your required readings and Walden Dissertations, on problem and purpose statements and formulating research questions that flow logically from these. Summarize the ways all of these sections are aligned and why that is required for quality and rigorous dissertation research.
Respond by Day 6 to at least of at least two of your colleagues who have not yet had a reply, in any of the following ways:
- To what extent do the research questions align with the Dissertation topic, problem statement, and purpose? Explain.
- In what ways are your colleagues’ research questions focused and specific enough that they are measurable?
- Create at least one more research question for each colleague, justifying your reasons for adding the question(s).
Either determining research questions or the research design
might come first; most likely, you will circle back from one to the other until
they are aligned and one flows logically from the other. It is necessary to
have both in place before deciding on your methodology.
To
prepare for this Assignment, review the Learning Resources for the week. Your
research design represents the structure of your study. In other words, the
research design includes (a) elements of treatment; and (b) the number, type,
relationship, and strategies to control the variables you are studying.
It also includes (c) the number and type of individuals or groups in your
sample. Finally, the research design includes (d) the measurements; (e)
sampling methods; (f) data collection time frame; and (g) setting (Walden
University, 2010). Research methods
are used to carry out research designs; methods fall under two broad
categories: (a) Quantitative (e.g., experimsental, quasi-experimental) and (b)
qualitative (e.g., case study, grounded theory, ethnography) (Trochim &
Land, 1982). More on that in Week 8.
Again,
your problem statement and research questions will help you determine your
research design, and your research design will help determine your research
method. In this Assignment, you will select a research design and examine
its appropriateness for your potential research.
In
your Discussion assignment, you have posted at least two research questions. In
the Week 7 Application Assignment, using the required readings and media
resources on research design, write 4-5 pages (a) describing at least one potential research design you
could use, (b) the strengths
and limitations (including reliability and validity
issues) of that design selection, and (c) the rationale for
your selection: Finally, explain how your problem statement, purpose statement,
and research questions align with your proposed methodology and design. Be
specific.
The
latter will become part of your Prospectus section on the nature of the study,
together with your chosen methodology.
Support
your Application Assignment 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
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