In weeks 1, 3, and 5, you will work on a research proposal. This
\nassignment progresses in stages so that at the end of the course, you
\nwill have a completed proposal and understand the components of the
\nresearch process. Overall, the assignment will help you think about
\nresearch approaches and how they can be applied based on your chosen
\nworldview or the nature of the groups you wish to research. By selecting
\n the best approach from the start, researchers are more likely to get
\ngood results to answer research questions.<\/p>\n
This week you will select a proposal topic that interests you and you
\n would like to learn more about. This can be something you do for work,
\nacademic studies, or a personal interest. You will use the four
\ncombinations of worldviews, designs, and research methods you learned
\nthis week to discuss a project involving your research topic. You will
\ndetermine whether your proposed study should apply a quantitative,
\nqualitative, or mixed-methods approach.<\/p>\n
The importance of a good research question cannot be overstated. It After choosing your research proposal topic and formulating your As you think about your proposal, consider whether your approach will be inductive, deductive, or mixed. In the research strategy<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
\nis integral to a research study and ensures the researcher is focused on
\n a measurable target for successful research results. It also ensures
\nthat the research objective is clearly defined, and the target is
\nmeasurable. For example, if you wanted to study whether or not
\nmembership in afterschool clubs increases the likelihood of developing
\nfriendships, it is important to apply operationalization<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\nLinks to an external site.<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/em>,
\n or precisely define your variables and measures. It would be essential
\nto clearly define what constitutes after-school clubs, and a precise
\ndefinition of what is to be counted as success. At this stage, you are
\ntransforming your question into a hypothesis<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
\nLinks to an external site.<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u2014a prediction or proposal of an explanation that can be measured and validated, or rejected, through testing.<\/p>\n
\nhypothesis, the next step is to learn what is already known. By
\nreviewing the existing literature, you may learn that your area of
\ninterest has been asked and answered in various ways or that gaps in the
\n literature need to be addressed. You may want to replicate and retest
\nprior research or develop an investigation of your own.<\/p>\n