MBA TAKE HOME ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON RESEARCH METHODS 1. Identify the most appropriate study design for the research proposal you are Planning to develop. A study design is the procedure that guides a researcher on how to collect, analyze and interpret observations. It is a logical model that guides the investigator while he navigates through the various stages of the research. Study types can be classified severally depending on the research strategy employed. A study type can be non-interventional that is ‘observational’ where a researcher just observes and analyses researchable objects or situations without intervening. Non-interventional study designs can be exploratory, descriptive or comparative. A study can also be …show more content…
Having already identified the non-intervention study type as the most appropriate study type for my research proposal, I will also employ the use of a descriptive study design to explore the current patterns of policies and strategies concerning employee empowerment in Merchant Bank Ghana Limited. 2. Describe the various data collection techniques and state their uses and limitations. Data Collection is a vital aspect of any type of research study. Erroneous data collection can impact the results of a study and ultimately lead to invalid results. Data collection methods for impact evaluation vary along a scale. At the one end of this scale are quantitative methods and at the other end of the scale are Qualitative methods for data collection. Choosing a particular data collection method will depend on the accuracy of information they will yield and the practical considerations, such as, the need for personnel, time, equipment and other facilities, in relation to what is available Quantitative Collection Methods Quantitative data collection involves the use of numbers to assess information. This information can then be evaluated using statistical analysis which offers researchers the opportunity to dig deeper into the data and look for greater meaning. The Quantitative data collection methods rely on random sampling and structured data collection instruments that fit varied experiences
Under the research design section it could have been mentioned that the study was a descriptive correlation design, experimental design, Quasi-experimental design, or a comparative descriptive design which is "used to describe a phenomenon of interest and related variable" (Gray, Grove, & Sutherland,
How much potential energy does a baseball have just before the release of the pitch and just before contact with the bat? How much kinetic energy does a baseball have at the release of the pitch and after contact with the
Furthermore, on to the text, would provide how studies can be tested/experienced to get the given information one is seeking for. Study designs, are procedures on how an individual would engage to gather their data. There are two types of design studies, one is the cross-sectional approach and a longitudinal study approach. The cross sectional approach is a study based on observations representing a single point in time. In comparison, with a longitudinal approach would be a study design that involves in collecting data at different points in time.
What do we have data on and what further data do we need to collect. The sources of information considered in the study are helping to determine the type of research design used during the study.
a) What was the source of the data (i.e. from where was the data collected) and how was it collected? (50-100 words) (1 pt)
Study design: This study is a simple randomized, convinced sampling. A specific group was not drawn, therefore, there were not any biases in the data. Also, in this study, an experimental group was not needed to do any tests. This was an observational research design, in which further research was needed for the descriptive and then the case study was conducted.
Data collection is important in this investigation. Both quantitative and qualitative data will be collected. Quantitative data is a form of numeric data which includes measurement and values. Various numeric
In general, there are several methods for data collection and the different data collection methods provided its own advantages and disadvantages (Sekaran 2003, p. 223). For carrying out the data collection, the appropriate methods should be applied. In the research, the data collection could be done through the interview, for example, face-to-face and telephone interview. To collect the data by using interview technique, the questionnaire is commonly employed as the instrument for gathering data, the questionnaire could be able to distribute by mail or electronic mail. In addition, the data collection could be conducted by observation of individuals with or without audio or video recording. Before choosing the methods for data collection the expertise of the researcher, the degree of accuracy required, time and resources must be taken into consideration. Thus,
The study design is important because it determines the success or failure of research. This study design guides the arrangement for the collection and analysis of data so that the conclusion can be drawn. Study design is a detailed plan of how a research study is to be conducted. To conduct this study, the implementation process is divided into four stages:
This section will address the methods used to collect, assemble and analyse data. The strategy applied to this study will be a mixed method approach, a combination of both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data underlines the importance of words rather than numerical findings in analysing information, which is becoming a renowned approach in the field of research (Bryman, 2012). This differs from quantitative analysis as this approach involves the collection of numerical data through experiments, close –ended questionnaires, charts, graphs and documents such as official government statistics
No research can ever be better than the quality of research on which it is based, which is why it is essential to ensure that the data are as accurate as possible as well as ensuring that the data have been gathered in a format that makes them the most useful possible for the project at hand. It is important to note that different types of data are more or less appropriate for different types of research: There is no single best method of collecting data and no single best form of data for all research.
While conducting research there are many different methods in which to find out results. It is essential to use and carry out the best form of research technique in order to gain the best and most accurate results for the intended piece of research. Firstly the researcher should be able to identify if they need primary or secondary research to gain data upon before they start identifying which different techniques they should use. Primary research looks into a topic or choice that no other researcher has yet to conduct. It may be a brand new topic, possibly research into a new company, medicine, or new piece legislation and its affects. Primary research tends to gain results from qualitative methods such as
Furthermore, the brief exposure to statistical research designs at the beginning of the course has caused me to think critically about the type of analysis I will be conducting. Despite having been unable to settle on a specific design for my intended study, the review has provided me with the tools to understand the advantages and limitations, benefits and drawbacks of the various approaches. What’s more, gaining a better understanding of the designs and methods will enable me to
Quantitative research investigates social phenomenon through the employment of statistics, mathematical procedures or computational measurement (Given, 2008). Quantitative methods are considered “deductive in nature, in the sense that inferences from tests of statistical hypotheses lead to general inferences about characteristics of a population” (Harwell, 2011, p. 149). Quantitative data are usually in the form of numbers, percentages or various types of statistics. Often times, quantitative research is aimed at testing hypotheses on the particular cases studied. Quantitative research is assumed more scientific since quantitative researchers believe that numerical and statistical data are unbiased, more reliable, and can be generalized to bigger population. In other words, quantitative research is defined as a design to “show how all of the major parts of the research project—the samples or groups, measures, treatments or programs, and methods of assignment—work together to try to address the central research questions” (Trochim & Land, 1982, p. 1). Conclusions are drawn from the analysis and interpretation of data collected from samples are further discussed by researcher(s) and decided by readers to which degree the findings are
When conducting a research report there are 2 approaches that can be used when gathering primary information. The quantitative research approach involves gathering information from a large quantity of people and composing this into a research. The result deduced from the sample is used as a means to portray the general behavior and status of the entire population of that specific area. (Studymode.com, 2011)