Expert Answer:Research Foundation week 1

Answer & Explanation:Discuss week 1 As you read in this week’s Introduction, a research problem is derived from what the scholarly community does not know and must be amenable to data collection and analysis. A common problem with research problems is that they claim no (or few) studies have examined a given social problem; that something is understudied within the population or phenomenon; or that there is a “gap” in existing literature. If you claim that the research problem is that there are no (or few) studies—that a population or phenomenon is understudied or constitutes a gap—then, to be a bona fide research problem, the research must be about collecting data to discover why there are no (or few) studies, or why a population or phenomenon is understudied! In other words, a research problem cannot just be a claim; it must contain a specific implicit or explicit relationship or conjecture—the extent of difference in critical thinking skills between graduating seniors from high schools with a problem-based versus lecture-based curriculum, the classroom experiences that contribute to critical thinking. The research purpose logically derives from and mirrors the research problem and is often boilerplate (see page 119 in Creswell), for example: The purpose of this quantitative pre-experimental static group comparison study is to determine the extent of difference in critical thinking skill scores between graduating seniors from high schools with a problem-based versus lecture-based curriculum.The purpose of this qualitative case study is to identify classroom experiences that contribute to students’ critical thinking skills and to map the developmental range of these experiences across elementary grade levels. The research question must also logically derive from, and mirror both, the research problem and research purpose. For example: What is the extent of difference in critical thinking skill scores between graduating seniors from high schools with a problem-based versus lecture-based curriculum?What classroom experiences contribute to students’ critical thinking skills, and what are the developmental range of experiences across elementary levels? Common problems with research questions are framing them such that they have a yes or no answer such as “Is … ?” or “Do … ?” Avoid such framing and, instead, ask “What … ?” In this Discussion, you will articulate and align a research problem, purpose, and question for a potential quantitative and qualitative study. Alignment of these elements is important. See the Examples of Aligned and Misaligned Scenarios document, which can be downloaded from the Week 1 Learning Resources area of the classroom. References Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. To Prepare Read the Weekly Introduction and Chapter 5 of the assigned readings. Focus on how to identify a research problem that is derived from what the scholarly community does not know and the differences between quantitative and qualitative research problems.Read the Lead-In to this Discussion and Chapters 6 and 7 of the assigned reading. Pay particular attention to how to articulate and align a research problem, purpose, and question.Think about a social problem or phenomenon that could be researched using quantitative or qualitative methodology, perhaps something you are considering as a dissertation topic.Identify a quantitative research problem and a qualitative research problem related to the social problem or phenomenon of interest. Consider how you would write a research purpose and question that aligns to each quantitative and qualitative research problem. Discussion posts are pass/fail, but have minimum criteria to pass. See the Discussion Rubric to ensure you understand the pass/fail criteria. Instruction Please read information provided in the Week 1 section of class, the Week 1 Discussion Post and the Course Guidance from Course Director posted in the Announcement section of class. Please identify a simple problem to work with as you will have to demonstrate alignment through the whole research scenario by the end of the course. Please especially read pages 3 – 7 of the Aligned and Misaligned Research Scenarios (attached). Please model your work after this example, using, of course, your own topic. Examples of Aligned and Misaligned Scenarios v190603 _1_.pdf Please follow the directions in the Week 1 Discussion Post section. Here are part of the instructions. Program of Study: Identify your specific program of study and, if applicable, your concentration area. Social Problem: Briefly describe the social problem or phenomenon of interest. Typically, this can be done in 3 or fewer sentences. Quantitative Research Problem: Complete the following sentence: The scholarly community does not know… Quantitative Research Purpose: Typically, this is a 1-sentence statement addressed by completing the following sentence: The purpose of this quantitative study is… Quantitative Research Question: Typically, this is a 1-sentence question unless you have more than one research question. Qualitative Research Problem: Complete the following sentence: The scholarly community does not know… Qualitative Research Purpose: Typically, this is a 1-sentence statement addressed by completing the following sentence: The purpose of this qualitative study is… Qualitative Research Question: Typically, this is a 1-sentence question unless you have more than one research question. Note: Use proper APA format. If helpful, support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources. Scenario and Elements Focused on Each Week Week Quantitative Scenario Qualitative Scenario 1 Social problem, research problem, research purpose, research question Social problem, research problem, research purpose, research question Resource Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Ch 5: The IntroductionCh 6: The Purpose StatementCh 7: Research Questions and Hypotheses
examples_of_aligned_and_misaligned_scenarios_v190603__1__1___1_.pdf

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Alignment and Misalignment Examples of Scenario Elements
In PSYC-8412 Research Foundations you build quantitative and qualitative research scenarios that include each of the
following key elements:
Social problem or phenomenon of interest
• Research problem
• Research purpose
• Research questions
• Theoretical or conceptual framework
• Research design
• Sampling strategy
o Sampling criteria (qualitative only)
o Data sources (qualitative only)
• Data collection method
• Variables (quantitative only)
• Analysis plan
• Trustworthiness (qualitative only)
All these key elements must logically align. Although the figure depicts
a linear flow, it is critical to understand that alignment is an iterative
process. For example, if after identifying a research problem and
research purpose additional research questions emerge, then the research
problem and purpose must be refined to align with the additional
research questions. Similarly, if variables of interest are identified that
are not represented in the research problem, purpose, or questions, and
that do not fit with the theoretical or conceptual framework, then those
elements will need to be refined to capture all of the variables of interest.
You will be piecing together your scenarios week-to-week, continually
adding new elements until a solid alignment of your research idea
emerges. Because of the iterative nature of alignment, you should not be
surprised that as a new element is added to your scenario that previous
elements may need to be modified to maintain alignment.
There are several ways for elements within a scenario to misalign, and it is not possible to provide examples of all
possible issues. In this document there are week-to-week example scenarios that demonstrate logically aligned elements
and some examples of the many ways elements become logically misaligned. Studying these will help you avoid some
common misalignment issues and understand how changing one element, sometimes even a single word, can affect
alignment. Below is one student’s reflection in Week 5 of the course:
I too struggled with the concept and terminology. For me, it is in fact the language that is used, and such
is definitely ‘foreign’ of sorts. As you go along though, it is all beginning to make sense. Initially the
feedback also was ‘foreign’ but now, going back and reviewing the question, answers, feedback are
beginning to all make sense. Even feedback that suggests that one simple word be changed makes sense
as what I submitted could possibly be misconstrued and cause the study to go in a different direction. I’m
beginning to understand how changing one simple word can make a difference. Research terminology
requires that things be concise and getting into the habit of relaying information properly makes all the
difference. I am beginning to speak ‘research’. I believe it merely takes practice. One almost has to
develop a mental research template and think from another part of the brain and perspective. (K. Jackson,
Week 5 discussion post, September 29, 2018)
A table of contents is on the next page with active links to help you navigate the document.
Table of Contents
WEEK 1 SCENARIO PIECES OF PRIMARY INTEREST ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
WEEK 1 QUANTITATIVE SCENARIO EXAMPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Checking Week 1 Quantitative Alignment ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5
WEEK 1 QUALITATIVE SCENARIO EXAMPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
Checking Week 1 Qualitative Alignment ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
WEEK 2 SCENARIO PIECES OF PRIMARY INTEREST ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8
WEEK 2 QUANTITATIVE SCENARIO EXAMPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9
Checking Week 2 Quantitative Alignment …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
WEEK 2 QUALITATIVE SCENARIO EXAMPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 11
Checking Week 2 Qualitative Alignment ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 12
WEEK 3 SCENARIO PIECES OF PRIMARY INTEREST …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 13
WEEK 3 QUANTITATIVE SCENARIO EXAMPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 14
Checking Week 3 Quantitative Alignment …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 15
WEEK 4 SCENARIO PIECES OF PRIMARY INTEREST …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 16
WEEK 4 QUALITATIVE SCENARIO EXAMPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 17
Checking Week 4 Qualitative Alignment ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 18
WEEK 5 MIXED METHOD DESIGN …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 19
MERGING QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE SCENARIOS INTO A MIXED METHODS DESIGN………………………………………………………………………… 20
WEEK 6 SCENARIO PIECES OF PRIMARY INTEREST …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 21
WEEK 6 QUANTITATIVE SCENARIO EXAMPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 22
Checking Week 6 Quantitative Alignment …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 23
WEEK 7 SCENARIO PIECES OF PRIMARY INTEREST …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 24
WEEK 7 QUANTITATIVE SCENARIO EXAMPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 25
Checking Week 7 Quantitative Alignment …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 26
WEEK 8 SCENARIO PIECES OF PRIMARY INTEREST ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 28
WEEK 8 QUANTITATIVE SCENARIO EXAMPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 29
Checking Week 8 Quantitative Alignment …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 30
WEEK 9 SCENARIO PIECES OF PRIMARY INTEREST …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 32
WEEK 9 QUALITATIVE SCENARIO EXAMPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 33
Checking Week 9 Qualitative Scenario Alignment …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 34
WEEK 10 SCENARIO PIECES OF PRIMARY INTEREST …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 36
WEEK 10 QUALITATIVE SCENARIO EXAMPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 37
Checking Week 10 Qualitative Scenario Alignment ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38
WEEK 11 SCENARIO PIECES OF PRIMARY INTEREST …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 40
WEEK 11 QUALITATIVE SCENARIO EXAMPLE ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 41
Checking Week 10 Qualitative Scenario Alignment ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 42
Page 2 of 43
Week 1
Scenario Pieces of Primary Interest
In Week 1 the focus is on identifying a social problem or phenomenon of interest and specifying a research problem,
research purpose, and research question for both a quantitative and qualitative research scenario. Typically, a thorough
review and understanding of the relevant literature is needed to identify a bona fide research problem. We know that you
have not already conducted such a thorough literature review. For purposes of this course, the research problem—
something the scholarly community does not know—simply needs to be plausible. On the following pages are an example
of a quantitative scenario and an example of a qualitative scenario with these four elements that demonstrate alignment
and misalignment.
Page 3 of 43
Week 1 Quantitative Scenario Example
Social Problem or Phenomenon of Interest: Critical thinking skills in the
United States have been reported to be lower than critical thinking skills in other
industrialized countries.
Research Problem: The scholarly community does not know the extent to
which critical thinking skills differ between graduating seniors from a high
school at which the curriculum was problem-based compared to a high school
with lecture-based curriculum.
Research Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative study is to determine the
extent of difference in critical thinking skill scores between graduating seniors
from high schools with a problem-based versus lecture-based curriculum.
Research Question: What is the extent of difference in critical thinking skill
scores between graduating seniors from high schools with a problem-based
versus lecture-based curriculum?
The research question simply replaces “the purpose of this
quantitative study is to determine” from the purpose with “what
is”—everything else is exactly the same.
If the research question asked about critical thinking scores and
overall GPA, it would not be aligned with the problem or purpose,
neither of which mention GPA.
The social problem or phenomenon
can be, and typically is, broad.
The research problem narrows the
scope and identifies something
specific the scholarly community does
not know.
It conjectures that differences in
critical thinking skills may differ
based on type of curriculum.
It explicitly, or at least implicitly,
identifies the population of interest—
here it is graduating seniors.
The research purpose identifies the
study as quantitative and, otherwise,
simply repeats the research problem.
This could not be a qualitative study
because to determine differences in
critical thinking skills requires a
quantitative measure.
If the research purpose focused on
graduating seniors from public versus
private high schools, it would not be
aligned with the research problem,
which was about type of curriculum.
Page 4 of 43
Checking Week 1 Quantitative Alignment
One way to visually check alignment is to create a table of the key concepts represented in each key element. If every
concept in one element is contained in the other elements, then it is aligned (see first table below). If, however, a concept
in one element is missing in the other elements, then it is misaligned (see second table below).
Research Problem
Critical thinking
Graduating seniors
Problem-based curriculum
Lecture-based curriculum
Aligned Concepts Across Elements
Research Purpose
Critical thinking
Graduating seniors
Problem-based curriculum
Lecture-based curriculum
Research Question
Critical thinking
Graduating seniors
Problem-based curriculum
Lecture-based curriculum
If the concepts of critical thinking, graduating seniors, problem-based curriculum and lecture-based curriculum
are included in the research problem; then, the research purpose and research question should also contain the same
concepts.
If these concepts appear in the
problem statement
Then, they should be contained in the
purpose statement
and in the research question
The scholarly community does not
know the extent to which critical
thinking skills differ between
graduating seniors from a high
school at which the curriculum was
problem-based compared to a high
school with lecture-based curriculum.
The purpose of this quantitative study
is to determine the extent of difference
in critical thinking skill scores
between graduating seniors from
high schools with a problem-based
versus lecture-based curriculum.
What is the extent of difference in
critical thinking skill scores between
graduating seniors from high schools
with a problem-based versus lecturebased curriculum?
Research Problem
Critical thinking
Graduating seniors
Problem-based curriculum
Lecture-based curriculum
Misaligned Concepts Across Elements
Research Purpose
Critical thinking
Graduating seniors
Problem-based curriculum
Lecture-based curriculum
Public high schools
Private high schools
Research Question
Critical thinking
Graduating seniors
Problem-based curriculum
Lecture-based curriculum
GPA
Page 5 of 43
Week 1 Qualitative Scenario Example
Social Problem or Phenomenon of Interest: Critical thinking skills in the
United States have been reported to be lower than critical thinking skills in other
industrialized countries.
Research Problem: The scholarly community does not know what classroom
experiences contribute to students’ critical thinking skills or the developmental
range of experiences across elementary grade levels.
Research Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify classroom
experiences that contribute to students’ critical thinking skills and to map the
developmental range of these experiences across elementary grade levels.
Research Question 1: What classroom experiences contribute to students’
critical thinking skills?
Research Question 2: What are the developmental range of experiences across
elementary grade levels?
The social problem or phenomenon
can be, and typically is, broad. And,
the same social problem or
phenomenon can be addressed by
either quantitative or qualitative
research.
It is the research problem that
determines a quantitative or
qualitative approach.
Previously, the quantitative scenario
focused on “differences” in critical
thinking skills between two groups.
Here, the research problem focuses on
“experiences.”
Because the research problem and research purpose are about two
different things—(a) classroom experiences, and (b) developmental
range of experiences—two separate research questions are needed. One
focused on the classroom experiences that contribute to students’
critical thinking skills, the other focused on the developmental range of
those experiences.
It conjectures that some classroom
experiences contribute to students’
critical thinking skills, and it
conjectures that the types of classroom
experiences may depend on the
developmental range of students.
If a research question asked about experiences in accelerated classrooms
versus regular or remedial classrooms, it would not be aligned with the
problem or purpose, which only refer to elementary grade levels. If
understanding experiences in different types of classrooms is of interest,
then such would need to be incorporated in the research problem and
research purpose.
It explicitly identifies the population
of interest as elementary grades.
The research purpose identifies the
study as qualitative to “identify”
classroom experiences and “map” the
developmental range.
If the research purpose focused on
students’ behavior or disciplinary
practices, it would not be aligned with
the research problem.
Page 6 of 43
Checking Week 1 Qualitative Alignment
The tables below extract the key concepts in the qualitative scenario and the additional concepts that were described that
would result in misalignment.
Research Problem
Classroom experiences
Developmental range of experiences
Critical thinking skills
Elementary grade levels
Research Problem
Classroom experiences
Developmental range of experiences
Critical thinking skills
Elementary grade levels
Aligned Concepts Across Elements
Research Purpose
Classroom experiences
Developmental range of experiences
Critical thinking skills
Elementary grade levels
Misaligned Concepts Across Elements
Research Purpose
Classroom experiences
Developmental range of experiences
Critical thinking skills
Elementary grade levels
Students’ behavior
Disciplinary practices
Research Question
Classroom experiences
Developmental range of experiences
Critical thinking skills
Elementary grade levels
Research Question
Classroom experiences
Developmental range of experiences
Critical thinking skills
Elementary grade levels
Accelerated classrooms
Regular classrooms
Remedial classrooms
Page 7 of 43
Week 2
Scenario Pieces of Primary Interest
In Week 2 the focus is on adding a theoretical or conceptual framework to the quantitative and qualitative scenarios
proposed in Week 1. Although not part of the scenarios, learning resources this week help you understand the primary
purpose of a literature review and to identify and evaluate scientific sources of information.
A theory or conceptual framework is necessary in designing a dissertation study and plays a key role in guiding the
research questions and interpreting the results of a study. On the following pages the quantitative scenario example and
the qualitative scenario example are carried forward from Week 1 with the theoretical or conceptual framework element
added to demonstrate alignment and misalignment.
Page 8 of 43
Week 2 Quantitative Scenario Example
(Highlighted element is new this week)
Social Problem: Critical thinking skills in the United States have been reported
to be lower than critical thinking skills in other industrialized countries.
Research Problem: The scholarly community does not know the extent to
which critical thinking skills differ between graduating seniors from a high
school at which the curriculum was problem-based compared to a high school
with lecture-based curriculum.
Research Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative study is to determine the
extent of difference in critical thinking skill scores between graduating seniors
from high schools with a problem-based versus lecture-based curriculum.
Research Question: What is the extent of difference in critical thinking skill
scores between graduating seniors from high schools with a problem-based
versus lecture-based curriculum? …
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