Understanding Social Research Assessed Essay

The research design and methods of a study are constructed based on identifying the research problem, developing the theoretical framework, and reviewing the literature (Merriam, 2009). However, the heart of any research design, according to Maxwell (2013), is the research questions. The research questions help to focus the study and influence the choice of research design and methods for data collection. “More than any other aspect of your design, your research questions will have an influence on, and should be responsive to, every other part of your study” (Maxwell, 2013, p. 73).

However with practical issues may be seen as an important factor which influences sociologists choice of research methods. It is important to understand the topic or group being studied. For example, if the topic is sensitive, such as domestic violence, bullying, grades at school etc. For sensitive information, unstructured interviews would be the best research method as the researcher can build up a rapport with the participant, meaning that the participant would be more likely to open up to the researcher. For example, Dobash and Dobash carried out informal interviews on women who had experienced domestic violence.

How might a good research design be diagrammed? What kinds of threats to the validity of research designs can you identify? How can such threats be controlled or eliminated?

A research design can be understood as the planning of any scientific research from the first to the last step. In this sense it is a program to guide the researcher in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting facts (Bless and Higson-Smith, 1995:63).

According to Yilmaz (2013) there exist two significant approaches to research with respect to studying the social and individual world. According to Creswell (2014) three types of design quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods should remain in consideration when choosing a research designs at the start of the process. The two methods exist a quantitative and

3. Determine an appropriate research design that addresses the research question regarding developmental psychology and also explain why it was chosen.

To ensure the results of the research are ethical and valid a proper sample design is necessary. A sample design consists of methods, sample frame, and sample size.

The study is a qualitative study, which explores subjective and descriptive information from its participants to gather information such as opinions, ideas, and behaviors. The information that is gathered can help provide an understanding of a problem or provide possible resolutions to problems

Research designs are procedures used for collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting data in research studies. There are many different models with separate procedures for each of them. Research designs help guide which methods a researcher will use during their studies. When a researcher identifies an issue used for research mixed methods they choose a specific research design that best fits the problem and research questions in the study. The four basic mixed methods designs are the convergent parallel design, the explanatory sequential design, the exploratory sequential design, and the embedded design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2006).

Qualitative research is conducted in a natural setting and attempts to understand a human problem by developing a holistic narrative and reporting detailed views of informants about the culture of a problem. It forms a report with pictures and words. One of the most important distinctions that sets qualitative research apart from more traditional types of research is that qualitative research is holistic in that researchers study phenomena in their entirety rather than narrowing the focus to specific defined variables” (p. 93). Similarly, Cresswell (1984) indicated that qualitative research “is defined as an inquiry process of understanding a social or human problem, based on building a holistic picture, formed with words, reporting detailed views of informants, and conducted in a natural setting” (p. 2). Cresswell’s definition clearly delineates the major characteristics of qualitative research. Pg. 50 (Smith & Davis, 2010).

3. Determine an appropriate research design that addresses the research question regarding developmental psychology and also explain why it was chosen.

I look forward to implementing my newfound knowledge of necessary characteristics of research design into my own practice and encouraging my peers to do the same in the future. My textbook by Polit and Beck (2017) and the outside supporting sources Dr. Eschiti presented will back my practices if they are ever questioned.

It is worth stating that to assess the quality of social science research; four criteria of evaluation can be applied: validity, reliability, comprehensiveness (generalization) and coherence (objectivity) (Hugh 2001:49). These criteria have been found to be more applicable to quantitative. However,

Taking Two Of The Theoretical Approaches To Social Research Discussed In The Module, Demonstrate The Connections Between Their Ontological, Epistemological And Methodological Assumptions. Which Method Or Methods Would Proponents Of Each Theory Favour As A Result Of Their Assumptions.

There is no doubt that most of social researches are always really in a need of using theory, leading to a requirement on using approach methods rationally. There have three types of research approaches including deduction, induction and abduction. Each possess their own logical approaching basing on characteristic so that researchers are highly advised to consider literature review careful before choosing an approach to maximise outcomes of researches (Saunders et al, 2012a)