NURS 8551: Preparing for Dissertation | Week 7

It is critical to the successful completion of a research project that appropriate research methods and research design are applied. Both are essential to achieving credible results, and thus both must align with the requirements and intent of the project. Your choice of research design will influence the methods you use. Specific research designs require or are better carried out with certain research methods.

This week, you explore various research designs and methods and consider which you might use for your dissertation research.

Learning Objectives – NURS 8551 Assignment: Research Design and Methods

Students will:

• Evaluate research designs and methods

Photo Credit: [Curt Pickens]/[E+]/Getty Images Creative Number: GettyLicense_157336351_7-002

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

Required Readings

Creswell, J. W., Creswell, J. D.  (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

• Chapter 8, “Quantitative Methods” (pp. 147-176)
• Chapter 9, “Qualitative Methods” (pp. 179-210)

Rudestam, K. E., & Newton, R. R. (2015). Surviving your dissertation: A comprehensive guide to content and process (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

• Chapter 3, “Methods of Inquiry: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches” (pp. 27–65)
• Chapter 5, “The Method Chapter: Describing Your Research Plan” (pp. 99–135)

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2015a). Dissertation research process [Interactive media]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Optional Resources

Guo, Y., Logan, H. L., Glueck, D. H., & Muller, K. E. (2013). Selecting a sample size for studies with repeated measures. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 13(1), 1–8. doi:10.1186/1471-2288-13-100

Draper, A., & Swift, J. A. (2011). Qualitative research in nutrition and dietetics: Data collection issues. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 24(1), 3–12.

Sherer, J. (2010). Participant pool [Online tutorial]. Retrieved from the Walden University Center for Research Quality website: https://crq.adobeconnect.com/participantpool/

Walden University. (2010). Research design: Some thoughts on the research process [Word document]. Retrieved from http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/COUN/8551/07/Research_Design._Some_Thoughts_on_the_Research_Process.doc

Trochim, W. M. K. (2006). Research methods knowledge base (2nd ed.). Retrieved from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/index.php

Laureate Education (Producer). (2010a). Overview of qualitative research methods [Interactive media]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2010b). Overview of quantitative research methods [Interactive media]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Discussion: Research Designs and Methods

An explanation of the approach that you will use to address your research question(s) is part of the draft Dissertation Prospectus that you will submit in Week 11. This week’s Learning Resources provide guidance in identifying the research method (qualitative, quantitative or mixed method) and the research design that best align with your research question(s), and thus enable you to logically and effectively address the research problem. It is often noted that the research design is the “blueprint” applied in conducting a study. As you continue to develop the draft of your Prospectus and prepare for this Discussion, keep in mind the strengths and limitations of each of the different research designs and methods.

By Day 3

Post your problem statement and your research question(s). Then describe at least one potential research design and one potential research method that you could use. Explain why each would be the most appropriate, given your problem statement and research questions. Be specific and support your response.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 5

Respond to at least one of your colleagues, discussing the alignment of the problem and question(s) with the design. If applicable, suggest another possible research design and/or method and point out why these might be more appropriate to use.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources. NURS 8551 Assignment: Research Design and Methods

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

Research Designs and Methods

Introduction

Welcome to the world of research! We’re glad you’ve decided to take the plunge, and we hope that this guide will help you navigate your way through all the exciting aspects of research.

Section: Theoretical Models

Section: Quantitative Methods

Section: Qualitative Methods

Section: Observational Research (e.g., focus groups) Section: Experimental Research (e.g., field trials) Section: Ethnographic Research (e.g., participant observation)

Experimental research design.

Experimental research design is a scientific method of inquiry, in which the researcher manipulates the variables being studied. The researcher controls and changes the independent variable(s) to see how it affects the dependent variable(s).

This is sometimes called a “controlled experiment,” because we’re controlling what happens to our independent variable(s) rather than letting them happen naturally (as they would in an uncontrolled situation).

The term “experiment” comes from the Latin word “experiri,” which means to try out or test. In an experimental design, we test our hypotheses by manipulating variables and observing the results.

Descriptive research design.

Descriptive research design is used to describe the characteristics of a specific group or population. It can be used to describe the prevalence of a condition or behavior in an area by asking people questions about their experience, attitudes and beliefs.

The purpose of descriptive research is to describe what is happening in a particular situation by gathering information that describes how things are going in an area. This type of research gives us information about what people do (or don’t do) on certain occasions so we can understand why they behave as they do, allowing us then develop solutions based upon these findings.

Descriptive research can be used to find out more about a specific problem in an area. It is also useful for describing the characteristics of particular groups, such as students at a particular school or people living in a certain neighborhood. Descriptive research allows us to describe exactly what is happening in a situation and why it happens so we can understand it better.

Correlational research design.

Correlational research design is a type of research design that is used to determine the relationship between two or more variables. The data are collected and analyzed so that relationships between variables can be determined. Correlational research does not provide evidence that one variable causes another; it merely shows an association between them, which may or may not be causal.

Correlational research is one of the most common methods used in psychology, but it also has limitations. Here we’ll look at what correlational research is, how it’s conducted and what its limitations are.

Qualitative research design.

Qualitative research is a method of inquiry that is used to understand the meaning of human behavior and experience. Qualitative research focuses on the meaning of social phenomena, such as culture, gender, identity, power and politics.

Qualitative methods include:

• Interviews – conversations with individuals who share your interest in a topic or issue;

• Observation – watching people interact with one another (e.g., at work);

• Focus groups – groups of people who have been selected because they are similar to you (e.g., white middle class Americans);

Conclusion

It’s important to remember that research designs are tools that can be used in any context, and they have their own strengths and weaknesses. For example, the experimental design may be better for testing hypotheses or testing specific variables than the correlational design would be. The best thing about this topic is that there are many different types of research designs out there; each one has its own purpose and uses!