Assignment 1: Mixed Methods Research Manuscript Critique

In this module we expanded our knowledge about mixed methodology. ByWednesday, April 15, 2015 complete the following manuscript research critique for the Mixed Method research article you selected in Module 1. Provide feedback to at least two of your peers by Friday, April 17, 2015.

Manuscript Reference: Andrew J. & Rohm, G. R. (2006). A Mixed-Method Approach for Developing Market Segmentation Typologies in the Sports Industry. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 15, 29-39.

Type of Study: Mixed Method

• Research Topic:
• Purpose of the Study:
• Theoretical Framework: (Identify the theoretical/conceptual framework)
• Specific Research Questions/ Philosophical Underpinnings:

Sample:

• Mixed method design: (present the elements of quantitative and qualitative and describe how these compliment each other and why it was important or was not important, to conduct this research as a mixed methods design.)
• Procedure: (How was the data collected? What was the sampling strategy used?)
• Variables/Concepts: (Identify the Dependent and Independent Variables or confounds.)
• Instrument(s) analysis: (Discuss reliability, validity and generalizability of the measures included in the study and/or discuss methods for collecting data. Discuss how rigor is assured.)
• Data analysis: (Discuss the statistical software, if any, used in analysis of the data and the type of analyses included.)
• Consent: (What type of consent, if any, was obtained from the participants?)

All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing 

Assignment 2: Mixed Methodology

Your research question may or may not be appropriately answered using a Mixed methodology model. In this assignment you will apply what you have learned aboutmixed methodology from the readings and the Assignment 1 discussion to your own research question. If your research question is best answered using Mixed methodology, stick with it and complete the critique below. If not, how might you alter your question so that it may be answered using mixed methodology? Although research is driven by questions, for this assignment we are going to turn it around so we may explore the benefits and differences of various types of methodologies. Adjust your question to fit a mixed methods design and complete the critique below.

For Example: In assignments M4A2 and M5A2 you may have had to change your research question so that it should be answered using a different design. The example questions included, “What are the perceptions of students regarding their experiences with faculty mentors”, best answered using qualitative research, and “What types of interactions do students value most with their faculty mentors?”, best answered using quantitative research.

Both of the questions would produce information about the topic of effective mentoring of graduate students. In a mixed methods design there is value and need to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. In this case the qualitative interviews could help provide not only greater insight into the results of the quantitative data, but could provide necessary information if the final goal was to help faculty understand their students’ needs. Note that the mixed methods researcher must determine whether concurrent or sequential data collection will best suit the purposes of the study.  (See Creswell, Chapter on Mixed Methods Procedures: Timing)

By Friday, April 17, 2015 complete the following research critique for the Mixed methods research you propose.

1. Research Topic:
2. Purpose of the Study:
3. Overarching Research Question:
4. Specific Research Questions/ Hypotheses:
5. Type of Study: Mixed Methods

• Mixed method design: (present the elements of quantitative and qualitative and describe how these compliment each other and why it is important to conduct this research as a mixed methods design. find a reason!)
• Overarching Research Question:
• Specific Research Questions:
• Hypotheses:
• Procedure: (How was the data collected? What was the sampling strategy used?)
• Variables/Concepts:
• Instrument(s) analysis:
• Data analysis: Discuss the statistical software, if any, used in analysis of the data and the type of analyses included.
• Consent: What type of consent, if any, will be obtained from the participants?

All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing 

Assignment 3: Internal Review Board Discussion

This week we learned that before you conduct research for your dissertation you must have your research reviewed by the IRB. By Wednesday, April 22, 2015 post in the discussion below the type of review your research will require and why. Provide feedback to at least two of your peers by Friday, April 24, 2015.

 Assignment 4: Discussion of Ethical Issues in Research

An important ethical consideration for any research study involving human subjects is informed consent. After reviewing The  University IRB handbook, consider the following vignette, which has been adapted from Corey, Corey, and Callanan (2007). Issues and ethics in the helping profession (7^th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Submit your response to the discussion questions that follow the vignette no later than Friday, April 24, 2015 to the M7: Assignment 2 Dropbox.

Note: The vignette presented below is not specific to a particular discipline, but an education setting is used in order to provide context for the vignette. You can adopt this vignette to your particular discipline. For example, if you are in the Business programs, the participants may be clients or customers with which you work. If you are in the Psychology or Counseling programs, the participants may be clients you see in treatments.

Ethical issues vignette:

Anna is conducting a research study to evaluate the process and outcome of her intervention programs at the school where she teaches. She believes that in order to obtain valid data, she must keep the research participants in the dark in as many aspects as possible. Thus, she thinks it is important that the students she works with remain unaware of the hypotheses under investigation and that they are being studied. Although she agrees that some ethical issues may be raised by her failure to inform her participants, she believes that good research designs call for such procedures. She does not want to influence her students and thus bias the results.

Anna states that since there are no negative consequences or risks involved with her research, her research practices are justified. In addition, she claims that since she is able to improve her educational techniques through this research, both her current and future students will benefit.

Discussion questions:

1. What are your thoughts about Anna’s rationale for not obtaining informed consent?
2. If the value of the research seems to be greater than the risks involved to participants, do you think researchers are justified in not obtaining the informed consent of participants?
3. Would Anna’s approach as described above meet University’s informed consent criteria?
4. What advice would you give Anna about informed consent and how she should deal with her study participants?

All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing