Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Refer to the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric under the Settings icon above for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.
| Method Comparisons [WLOs: 1, 2, 3] [CLOs: 3, 4, 5] |
Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read sections 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, and 5.2 in the Newman (2016) textbook and the instructor guidance for the week. This discussion has two parts.
In Part 1 of your post, base your response on this week’s instructor guidance as well as the required sections of the textbook listed above. Compare and contrast characteristics of qualitative and quantitative research approaches, including such aspects as sample size and type of data. Briefly explain the difference between experimental and non-experimental research.
In Part 2 of your post, use the University of Arizona Global Campus Library to investigate one of the following research design categories based on the first letter of your last name:
- A-F: qualitative research
- G-L: quantitative descriptive research
- M-R: correlational research
- S-Z: experimental research
Sources for this part of the post can be found in the Research Methods research guide list of suggested articles. You may also search the University of Arizona Global Campus Library databases for articles about your research design category. Become an expert on your assigned category of research so you can explain it to others.
In Part 2 of your post,
- Explain the characteristics and purposes that define the research category.
- Briefly describe some of the data collection and data analysis methods that are used in this type of research.
- Mention one or more of the specific research designs that fall into your category.
- Suggest a research topic for which this type of research would be suitable.
- Use at least two scholarly/peer-reviewed sources and document them in APA style, with in-text citations and references listed at the end of the post.
- Be prepared to answer questions about your category from classmates and the instructor.
Guided Response: Read several classmates’ posts and select one from each of the design categories other than yours (a total of three). Ask any questions you have about the design category. Compare it to the category you were assigned. What features are the same or similar? What features are different between the categories? After reading posts about all four of the research design categories, think about the research topic you chose in Week 1. Which of the four design categories in this discussion would be appropriate for studying your topic? Is it the one you were assigned or a different one? Consider replying to your own post to address your thoughts about your research focus topic’s alignment. Check your own thread for replies and answer any questions from others about the design category you presented.