Research Question, Approach, and Annotated Bibliography

[WLOs: 3, 4, 5] [CLOs: 1, 3, 4]

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read the instructor guidance, the mixed methods section of Chapter 7 and all of Chapter 10 in the Creswell and Creswell text and Chapter 2: Formulating Questions, Conducting a Literature Review, Sampling Design, and the Centrality of Ethics in Mixed Methods Research of the Hesse-Biber ebook.

Begin your assignment by briefly describing the topic you selected in Week 1. Narrow your topic down to a precise focus. Apply the scientific method by developing a specific research question. Determine which approach (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods) is called for by the wording of the question. If a quantitative or mixed methods approach will be used, also formulate a testable hypothesis that addresses the research question. Identify the philosophical paradigm or worldview that underlies your research approach.

The second part of the assignment is the annotated bibliography. Refer to the Writing Center’s Annotated Bibliography resource for formatting details, a sample, and an optional template. Your bibliography must contain peer-reviewed journal articles, including one literature review article on your topic, at least one quantitative research study on your topic, at least one qualitative study on your topic, one mixed methods study relevant to your topic (if available), and at least two articles about the research design and methods you would use. These sources should be obtained from the UAGC Library. Refer to the Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources and the Library OneSearch tip sheets for help in finding appropriate sources. Google Scholar may be used, but only if the articles are available in full text at no cost. For assistance researching on this platform, refer to the Library’s Google Scholar tip sheet. A minimum of six peer-reviewed journal articles are required for the assignment.

Write two paragraphs about each source in the bibliography. In the first paragraph, summarize the main points of the article in your own words. In the second paragraph, explain how this article can be used in your final research proposal. For instance, research studies will be included in the Literature Review section of the proposal; articles about methods will be used to support your research plans in the Methods section of the proposal. You may cite the course text, but it does not count as one of the six required bibliography sources.

In your paper,

• Describe your narrowly defined research topic.
• Develop a specific research question. If the research will have a quantitative component, also develop a testable hypothesis.
• Determine which approach (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods) best aligns with the research question.
• Identify the philosophical paradigm underlying the research approach.
• Create an annotated bibliography of at least six peer-reviewed journal articles including both research studies on your topic and articles about how to use selected research methods.
  • Sources for the bibliography must include the following:
  • one literature review article on your topic
  • at least one quantitative research study on your topic
  • at least one qualitative research study on your topic
  • one mixed methods study relevant to your topic (if available)
  • at least two articles about the research design and methods you would use
  • Summarize the main points of the sources in one paragraph for each article
  • Explain how the articles will be used to inform and support your final research proposal with one paragraph per article.

The Research Question, Approach, and Annotated Bibliography paper

• Must be six to seven double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s Annotated Bibliography resource.
• Must include a separate title page with the following:
  • Title of paper in bold font
    • Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
  • Student’s name
  • Name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Due date
• Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice resource for additional guidance.
• Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
  • For assistance on writing Introductions & Conclusions and Writing a Thesis Statement, refer to the Writing Center resources.
• Must use at least six scholarly, peer-reviewed sources in addition to the course text.
  • The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source.
  • To assist you in completing the research required for this assignment, view Quick and Easy Library Research tutorial, which introduces the University of Arizona Global Campus Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips.
• Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper guide.