Research Goals and Research Questions:
Qualitative or Quantitative?
Given that you now know the philosophical differences in qualitative and qualitative research, you should now be able to distinguish between those types of research goals. See this list attached of research goals and research questions. 1) Match the research goal to the research question(s) and 2) identify them as either qualitative or quantitative (no mixed methods yet), and 3) explain WHY it is so.  Use the table below to cut/paste the goals and questions into and provide your answers. Look for specific key words to help you differentiate between qualitative and quantitative, and remember that the “why†answer is vital.
Research Goal
1. The goal of this study is to investigate whether leaders' well-being, in the form of positive affect and job stress, can be explained by leader-member exchange (LMX) quality at the group level of analysis.
2. What is the process of negotiating and reaching consensus within a particular social structure?
3. The purpose of this study is to explore how spousal carers of people with MS interpreted their lived experience with their partner, the way in they assigned meaning to their being in such a situation, and the skills and knowledge they have developed to live with their situation.
4. The purpose of this study was to investigate decision-making experiences and the social psychological processes family member surrogates use for health care decisions as they related to decision making with and for a terminally ill family member.
5. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which leaders' and teams' goals work together to affect a range of outcomes when their teams fail to regulate (i.e., when they focus exclusively on one particular type of goal). We explicitly focused on learning and performance goals because this distinction is perhaps the most obvious and salient type of goal tension in work organizations.
6. What role does friendship play in girls’ developing sense of self? Specifically, does girls’ friendship provide a form of resilience as they transition from childhood to adolescence?
7. This study will examine the roles of experiential opportunities, organization-initiated cross-cultural experiences (i.e., those found in leadership development programs) and non-work cross-cultural experiences.
8. The goal of this study is to analyze the conditions under which women are promoted to top leadership positions and exploring the challenges they face post-promotion.
Research Questions
1. What do caregivers define as successful day-to-day experience?
2. How do girls describe the development of their sense of self during transition from childhood to adolescence?
3. Does group-level analysis of leader-member exchange explain leaders’ psychological states of leader well-being, in the form of positive affect and job stress?
4. After promotion, do female leaders experience a lack of support and/or challenges to their le.
Research Goals and Research Questions-Qualitative or Quantitative-Give.docx
1. Research Goals and Research Questions:
Qualitative or Quantitative?
Given that you now know the philosophical differences in qualitative and qualitative
research, you should now be able to distinguish between those types of research goals. See
this list attached of research goals and research questions. 1) Match the research goal to the
research question(s) and 2) identify them as either qualitative or quantitative (no mixed
methods yet), and 3) explain WHY it is so.  Use the table below to cut/paste the goals and
questions into and provide your answers. Look for specific key words to help you differentiate
between qualitative and quantitative, and remember that the “why― answer is vital.
Research Goal Research Question
Research
Type
Reasons for Research Type
The goal of this study
was to examine the
relationships of
transformational
leadership and
organization climate with
working alliance in a
children’s mental
health service system.
The current study
investigates whether
organizational factors
such as climate and
leadership can also be
related to the quality of
interactions between
providers and clients.
Quantitative
The research question asks about
how multiple variables are
related to one another. There are
keywords like “examine
relationshipsâ€, “be related
to―, etc.
The purpose of the
current study is to explore
how teachers may shape
girls’ aspirations
towards STEM careers.
What is the role of
teacher talk in
girls’ pursuit of
and attitudes towards
STEM careers?
Qualitative
Key words include “to
explore―, which is more
commonly used with a non-
hypothesis qualitative
exploration. In addition, a study
looking at “teacher talk― is
harder to quantify in numbers, as
it’s about their
language/words, which indicates
the method may be interviews.
Research Goal
1. The goal of this study is to investigate whether leaders' well-being, in the form of positive
affect and job stress, can be explained by leader-member exchange (LMX) quality at the group
level of analysis.
2. What is the process of negotiating and reaching consensus within a particular social structure?
2. 3. The purpose of this study is to explore how spousal carers of people with MS interpreted their
lived experience with their partner, the way in they assigned meaning to their being in such a
situation, and the skills and knowledge they have developed to live with their situation.
4. The purpose of this study was to investigate decision-making experiences and the social
psychological processes family member surrogates use for health care decisions as they related
to decision making with and for a terminally ill family member.
5. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which leaders' and teams' goals work
together to affect a range of outcomes when their teams fail to regulate (i.e., when they focus
exclusively on one particular type of goal). We explicitly focused on learning and performance
goals because this distinction is perhaps the most obvious and salient type of goal tension in
work organizations.
6. What role does friendship play in girls’ developing sense of self? Specifically, does
girls’ friendship provide a form of resilience as they transition from childhood to
adolescence?
7. This study will examine the roles of experiential opportunities, organization-initiated cross-
cultural experiences (i.e., those found in leadership development programs) and non-work cross-
cultural experiences.
8. The goal of this study is to analyze the conditions under which women are promoted to top
leadership positions and exploring the challenges they face post-promotion.
Research Questions
1. What do caregivers define as successful day-to-day experience?
2. How do girls describe the development of their sense of self during transition from childhood
to adolescence?
3. Does group-level analysis of leader-member exchange explain leaders’ psychological
states of leader well-being, in the form of positive affect and job stress?
4. After promotion, do female leaders experience a lack of support and/or challenges to their
leadership?
5. What barriers do caregivers have in their everyday life?
6. Do leaders’ relatively immutable personality characteristics (i.e., the Big Five) affect
global leadership competencies?
7. How did legal family member-surrogates honor self-determination with imperatives of caring
for ill family member?
3. 8. What are the potential benefits of having leaders and work teams pursue compensatory goals?
9. How do stakeholders enter into negotiations and what motivates and constrains them during
this process?
"Who Can Be an Effective Helper?
Questioning whether you are really cut out for a job is to be expected when you enter a new
field. Are you like the professionals you know? What must you know, and what abilities must
you possess going in? Although there is no single personality configuration that defines the
perfect helper, various writers have looked at specific traits that lead to effective helping. They
have also looked at the beliefs and attitudes most conducive to learning and working in the
profession. Knowing more about these may help you because many of these qualities can be
acquired.
The writings of 15 different authors describe 55 characteristics, attitudes, and beliefs of
effective helpers. In this section, I have tried to consolidate these into five key elements
(Combs, Avila, & Purkey, 1971; Corey, Corey, & Corey, 2019; Gladding, 2018; Kottler, 2012;
McConnaughy, 1987; Patterson & Eisenberg, 1983; Spurling & Dryden, 1989; Truax &
Carkhuff,
1967).
First, an effective helper has a positive, accepting view of other people. That means embracing
people who are different from the helper and not being judgmental about other people’s
lifestyles, values, cultures, and religions. The effective helper believes that people have the
desire to change. Most importantly, the helper must be able to communicate this genuine
nonjudgmental attitude as well as warmth and caring.
Second, the effective helper has good self-esteem and is a secure and mentally healthy person.
Learning to be a helper because of a personal mental disorder is not the correct motivation, nor
4. should it be a way to experience power over others or to feel superior to those with more
serious problems. Does this mean that if you have a serious mental disorder, you should not be
a professional helper? I think the answer is yes. Although the process of recovery may intrigue
the recovering alcoholic or addict, recovery is not the only credential one needs. Addicted
clients need to be well beyond the thrall of their addictions before becoming counselors.
Similarly, individuals who have received help themselves may be attracted to the field that
helped them so much. Yet before entering the field of professional helping, you should evaluate
your own mental health and stamina and get a second opinion from a professional. Effective
helpers appreciate their strengths but know their limitations, too. They can examine
themselves critically. They have the courage to look at themselves under a microscope and can
separate helping the client from boosting the ego of the helper. They make reflection and
personal growth part of their lifestyle. They seek help when their personal issues intrude.
Third, most writers agree that the effective helper has good self-care skills. Many who are
attracted to this profession want to help others but soon find that doing so can be depleting. It
is easy to become emotionally “bankrupt†and “burned out†if one does not develop
techniques
for stress management, time management, relaxation, leisure, and personal self-renewal. The
effective helper has a stable and fulfilling personal life with close family and friends to provide
support as a buffer to the stress of helping. You must be able to bounce back from the demands
of helping to be resilient. The effective helper understands the importance of wellness in a
demanding career. Now is the time to develop a wellness plan that includes your goals to
maintain physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness (see Granello & Young, 2019).
Fourth, the effective helper is both creative and intellectually competent, a Renaissance person
who appreciates both the science and the art of helping. The effective helper has specialized
5. knowledge of human relationships, human motivation, and human development and
understands how to create change. Those who remain vital in the profession have an
“insatiable curiosity― to learn and grow in their skills and knowledge (Spurling & Dryden,
1989);
they are lifelong learners. Creativity and flexibility are equally important. Helping requires one
to devise innovative ideas with different clients in different situations. A helper must be able to
deal flexibly with ambivalence, unfinished business, and moral dilemmas. This means allowing
clients to work through difficult situations without pushing them to premature decisions.
J. L. Moreno, the founder of psychodrama, was once asked what the most necessary quality
was for a group leader; his unexpected response was “courage.― This fifth characteristic of
an
effective helper has two facets: First, the helper must be able to listen unflinchingly to stories of
great pain. Like a physician who sets a broken arm, you must be able to look with a detached
eye at human destruction and see where the healing can be started. Second, the helper’s job
requires risk taking and action, without the security offered by other sciences. Individuals who
believe that they can control every circumstance and that there is a procedure and a solution
for every crisis have a difficult time as helpers. For example, no psychological test can
accurately predict a person’s tendency to be violent toward themselves or others.
Helpers’
decisions must be based on experience, training, and even intuition. Because human behavior is
relatively unpredictable, effective helpers must have the courage to help even in situations of
uncertainty.
What Can You Bring to a Client?
Although the preceding list identifies some basic characteristics of effective helpers, no one set
of
6. personal qualities defines the ideal helping professional. There is room for many types of
individuals,
each of whom brings significant strengths and unique limitations. The example of a former
student may
help to illustrate this. Maria, a graduate student, got under my skin sometimes because she had
little
patience for long theoretical discussions and did not like studying anything that did not have
immediate
application. She seemed to roll her eyes when the discussion became too intellectual. She was
practical
and concrete and liked people who were “down to earth.― She wanted to solve problems
and make a
difference in the lives of children. It seemed to me that sometimes she tended to be too quick to
come
to closure with adult clients when they became stuck or were indecisive. Sometimes she pushed
them to
make decisions and seemed insensitive to their turmoil.
However, Maria now works effectively as a school counselor. Her strength is that she knows
how to
manage crises. She instantly grasps what needs to be done and takes bold and concrete steps to
accomplish it. She has excellent judgment and is indispensable to her school because she takes
quick
action and exudes calm and poise in times of confusion. Maria’s case illustrates that each of
us brings
strengths to the helping role. Much depends on knowing our own abilities and finding an
environment
where they can be put to good use.
As you consider the characteristics of effective helpers that we have identified, remember two
things.
8. Overview of Research Design and Methods
Learning Objectives
• Distinguish between methodology, method, and research design
• Compare and contrast research design as logical and as logistical
• Appreciate the difference between reconstructed logic (quantitative) and logic-in-use
(qualitative), es-
pecially an emergent research design
• Explain the five logics of mixed methods research designs
• Appreciate the link between research inquiry and research design
• Describe the purpose and importance of the Methods section of a research report
• Compare and contrast qualitative and quantitative intellectual inquiries
• Identify the major reporting components (subheadings) of qualitative and quantitative
research re-
ports
• Compare and contrast the most agreed-to approaches and terms about research integrity,
rigor, and
quality that are used in each of the three methodologies, and learn the attendant strategies to meet
the standard for the specific research methodology
Introduction
This chapter focuses on the constructs of research design and the Methods section in a research
paper. Re-
search design is a larger construct than methods, to be explained shortly. But within a research
paper, once
the authors have stated the research question, developed an introduction to the study, and
presented a re-
view of the literature (and maybe a theoretical framework), their next step is to provide a
description of the
10. conversation then shifts to a general overview of methods (distinguished from methodology).
The purposes of
the Methods section are identified followed with general introductions to the major differences
between qual-
itative and quantitative inquiries, the major reporting components (subheadings) of each of these
research
reports, and the topic of rigor and quality in each of the three methodologies.
Etymology and Definition of Methods and Research Design
Method is Greek methodus, “for mode of inquiry or investigation.― It stems from meta,
“after,†and hodos, “a
travelling, a pursuit, a way of teaching or going― (Harper, 2016). In effect, method refers to
investigating or
inquiring into something by going after or pursuing it, especially in accordance with a plan. It
involves tech-
niques, procedures, and tasks used in a systematic, logical, and orderly way (Anderson, 2014).
Within the
context of conducting and reporting research, it is the stage wherein researchers design
instruments, appa-
ratus, or procedures or gain site access (if relevant), obtain a sample, and then collect and
analyze data from
that sample (or entire population) (Johnson & Christensen, 2012). As was discussed in Chapter
2, this book
distinguishes between method and methodology, with the latter connoting the philosophical
underpinnings of
the study.
The other term used in this chapter is research design. Research is French recercher, “to
search.― In the con-
text of this book, it refers to the accumulation of data that are interpreted, leading to new
knowledge. Design
12. reasoned judgments) and logistics (doing), with logic coming first, inherently shaping logistics
(methods) (Yin,
1984).
Research Inquiry and Research Design
The logic and thinking that researchers use to design their research is affected both by the (a)
methodology
(which shapes the research questions and all assumptions underlying the effort), and (b) type of
research
inquiry they are conducting. In short, (a) exploratory research strives to reach a greater
understanding of a
problem, usually laying the groundwork for future studies; (b) descriptive research seeks more
information
so as to accurately describe something in more detail, creating a fuller picture by mapping the
terrain; and
(c) explanatory research seeks to connect ideas to understand causal inferences (explain
relationships) (de
Vaus, 2001; Suter, 2012; Yin, 1984). These approaches apply to both quantitative and qualitative
research
methodologies (except explanatory), with qualitative also seeking to (d) illuminate meaning and
subjective
experiences and (e) understand processes and structures (Blaxter, 2013; Shank & Brown, 2007).
Articulating Research Purpose in Research Design
Each of these five types of research inquiry represents the deeper purpose of the study (the
problem), or the
reasons for doing it, which is why Yin (1984) said research design is logical (i.e., it entails
reasoned judg-
ments). Each type of inquiry offers a different reason for why the study is needed (e.g., to
describe, explore,
find meaning, or theorize). Authors must not confuse research purpose (reason for inquiry) with
methodolo-
14. the researchers designed an inappropriate study if they wanted to explain it. An unfortunate
conse-
quence of authors neglecting to clearly state their purpose and problem is that some readers may
uncritically accept their results and change their practice when they should not.
Research Design as Logical and Logistical
Research designs guide the methods decisions that researchers must make during their studies,
and they
set the logic by which interpretations are made at the end of studies (Creswell, 2008). To further
appreciate
the link between research design logic and method, authors can consider this metaphor. Before
builders or
architects can develop a work plan or order building materials, they must first establish the type
of building
required, its uses, and the needs of the occupants; that is, they must think about their entire build
and justify
any design decisions they make. Their work plans (methods) to construct the building then flow
from this logic
(i.e., their reasoned judgments about the build). The same idea holds for a study’s research
design (de Vaus,
2001).
Research design as logic concerns researchers thinking about what sorts of data are needed to
answer the
research question, including what methods might be most appropriate to generate those data. The
type of
research inquiry (i.e., the purpose behind the research) shapes the overall structure of the study,
especial-
ly the methods (Kotler, 2000; Newman et al., 2003). Research design as logical equates to a
blueprint with
SAGE
17. The research designs included in Table 8.1 (based on only reconstructed logic) do not adequately
represent
“the logic and processes of qualitative research [which] lacks such an elaborate typology into
which studies
can be pigeonholed†(Maxwell, 2008, p. 214). Maxwell (2008) said “this does not mean
that qualitative re-
search lacks design― (p. 215). Instead, qualitative research requires a broader and less
restrictive concept of
research design, in which researchers use “‘logic-in-use’ [as well as] ‘reconstructed
logic’ [to accommodate
the] ‘design in use’ [principle]― (p. 216). This is called an emergent research design
wherein the original plan
changes as the research unfolds, meaning it is nonlinear (Creswell, 2009) (discussed in Chapter
9). Regard-
less, the end result is data that are then analyzed, interpreted, and discussed, leading to
conclusions, impli-
cations, and recommendations (de Vaus, 2001; Suter, 2012; Yin, 1984).
As a final caveat, de Vaus (2001) explained that researchers should not equate a particular
logistical method
with a particular research design logic. It is also erroneous to equate a particular research design
with either
quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods approaches. Instead, authors need to bear in mind the
link be-
tween (a) the purpose of the research (logical inquiry) and (b) their research design (both logic
and logistics)
(Yin, 1984) and then introduce their Methods section accordingly (see examples 8.2 and 8.3).
Example 8.2 Quantitative research design and method This exploratory, quantitative research
inquiry employed a cross-sectional research design. Data were collected from a purposive
sample
19. triangulation. Researchers would strive to use data from each strand to corroborate each other
(confirm or
give support). If researchers use an integrative logic, they likely choose this at the beginning of
the research
design process so they can intentionally link insights from both data streams to get a better
picture of the
whole phenomenon (see Chapter 10).
Mason (2006) identified multidimensional logic as the most challenging type of mixed methods
logic. “The
argument is that different methods and approaches have distinctive strengths and potential
which, if allowed
to flourish, can help [researchers] understand multi-dimensionality and social complexity. . . .
The logic imag-
ines ‘multi-nodal’ and ‘dialogic’ explanations which are based on the dynamic
relation of more than one way
of seeing and researching. This logic requires that researchers factor into their accounts the
different ways of
asking questions and of answering them†(pp. 9–10). It differs from the other logics, which
assume data inte-
gration rather than a data intersection. The latter “involves a creative tension between the
different methods
and approaches, which depends on a dialogue between them― (p. 10). This dialogue cannot
occur without
everyone involved embracing a logic that respects multiple dimensions and points of view
(researchers them-
selves and research methodologies, with attendant assumptions, as discussed in Chapter 2).
Review and Engagement
When critically reading a research report, you would
â–¡ Ascertain whether the authors used the term research design when introducing their methods,
with-
21. overview chapter.
Table 8.2 Main Types of Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Research Designs
Qualitative Research Designs (in-
volve changing tactics over the
course of the study)
Quantitative Research Designs (involve adhering to a formal
plan with no deviation)
Mixed Methods Research Designs (in-
volve some prioritized combination of
strategy and tactics)
• Interpretive—insights from inter-
preting data change the research
design
• Investigative—traces out a phe-
nomenon in its natural field set-
ting
• Participatory—research design
is codeveloped with participants
• Descriptive—describes what actually exists, as well as its fre-
quency, and then categorizes the information
• Correlational—examines whether a change in a variable (no
manipulation) is related to change in another
• Comparative—measures variables that occur naturally in ex-
23. 10 (quantitative and mixed methods).
Methodology Versus Methods
Many disciplines use the word methodology to refer to methods (Schneider, 2014). This section
explains how
this book uses these terms, respecting the lack of a consensus in the scholarly arena for their
usage. This
book clearly distinguishes between methodology and methods (see Chapter 2). Methodology
(ology) is fo-
cused on what is involved in creating new knowledge and refers to the branch of philosophy that
analyzes the
principles and axioms of research. The word method refers to a system of strategies used to
obtain informa-
tion for a study.
Many disciplines’ use of the word methodology to refer to methods (Schneider, 2014) most
likely occurs be-
cause the empirical (quantitative) research paradigm is so prevalent. Given its dominance,
authors tend to
• Illuminative—strategically focus-
es on one aspect of research de-
sign
• Instrumentation—study creates
a new data collection instrument
• Sensitization (descriptive)—sen-
sitizes readers to participants’ sit-
uation
• Conceptualization (theory build-
ing)
25. Review and Engagement
When critically reading a research report, you would
â–¡ Determine whether the authors used the terms methodology and methods but did not confuse
them
â–¡ Ascertain if they clarified their methodology before presenting their methods
â–¡ Check to see if they provided enough information for you to judge the appropriateness of the
se-
lected method(s) against the implicitly or explicitly stated methodology
Purpose and Importance of the Methods Section
Some scholars feel that the Methods section is the most important part of a research paper
(Azevedo et al.,
2011; Kallet, 2004). It fulfills several key roles. In this section of their paper, authors have an
opportunity to
convince readers they have fully documented all of the steps undertaken to collect and analyze
data for their
study. With sufficient information, readers can rest assured that authors have carefully and
systematically
thought about their methods, indicating they are clear-thinking and competent researchers who
do high-qual-
ity work. In particular, in quantitative research, readers need sufficient information to enable
them to repro-
duce the procedures and get similar results (called replicability and reliability). In qualitative
work, readers
need sufficient information to enable them to determine if the methods and findings are relevant
to, and can
be adopted in, their context (called dependability) (Dillinger, 2011; Labaree, 2016; Shon, 2015;
VandenBos,
2010).
27. have not settled on how to measure gender identity or prejudice. These are examples of
discontinuities per-
petuated in the literature.
Authors may choose to select from and adapt previous attempts to measure a phenomenon, and if
so, they
must provide a solid rationale for their method choices. Using this rationale, readers can
critically evaluate
the study’s overall quality (Dillinger, 2011; Labaree, 2016; VandenBos, 2010) (see Chapter
1). As explained
in Chapter 2, quantitative and qualitative research embrace different notions of what counts as
knowledge,
reality, logic, and the role of values. These philosophical differences determine what data are
collected and
how, and how these data are analyzed and reported.
Major Differences Between Qualitative and Quantitative Intellectual Inquiry
Table 8.3 portrays the main differences between the qualitative and quantitative approaches to
scholarship
and to academic inquiry (Ary, Jacobs, & Sorensen, 2010; Choudhuri et al., 2004; Creswell, 2009;
Driessnack,
Sousa, & Mendes, 2007a; Johnson & Christensen, 2012; Patton, 2002; Rolfe, 2006; Suter, 2012).
Authors
should write their Methods section using language and vocabulary reflective of the approach that
informed
the inquiry in their study. This narrative would reflect each methodology’s respective
assumptions about real-
ity, truth, the role of values, the importance of context, the role and voice of the researcher, the
applicability
of variable manipulation, logics, and so on. Critical readers can use this narrative (its presence or
absence)
32. SAGE Research Methods
Page 16 of 27 Understanding and Evaluating Research: A Critical Guide
https://methods.sagepub.com/book/understanding-and-evaluating-research/i2431.xml
https://methods.sagepub.com/book/understanding-and-evaluating-research/i2431.xml
https://methods.sagepub.com/book/understanding-and-evaluating-research/i2560.xml
Review and Engagement
When critically reading a research report, you would
â–¡ Ascertain whether the authors used language and vocabulary reflective of the research
inquiry ap-
proach that informed their study (see Table 8.3)
â–¡ Determine if they used methodology-specific headings to organize their Methods section (see
Table 8.4) and fully accounted for and shared their research design logic and logistics
â–¡ If subheadings are missing, determine if the authors at least included pertinent details for
each
stage of their respective methodology’s research design
• Data analysis (thematic, patterned examination of the thick data, often done
in concert with data collection)
• Account for trustworthiness (along several criteria)
• Data security and management
• Limitations of emergent research design
• Data security and management
• Limitations of predetermined research design (normally fol-
lows the Discussion section)
Table 8.5 Comparison of Criteria to Ensure High-Quality Quantitative and Qualitative Research
Quantitative (Positivistic, Empirical, Deterministic) Qualitative (Postpositivistic, Naturalistic, In-
34. the field.
Objectivity:
Empirical research is said to be value free, meaning the research process should not be influ-
enced by the researcher’s emotions, preferences, or personal prejudices. Researchers are sup-
posed to dispassionately engage in research from a stance of value neutrality, thereby ensuring
the truth is found. Judgments about the evidence should not coincide with the researcher’s
ori-
entation (despite that science is not really neutral; relative value neutrality is more likely than
absolute neutrality).
Confirmability (subjectivity):
Refers to the researcher’s neutrality when in-
terpreting data (i.e., self-awareness and con-
trol of one’s bias); appreciating that values
are central to the research process, re-
searchers still have to be sure their findings
can be confirmed or corroborated by others
(i.e., their values did not take over). It is the
extent to which findings are shaped by the
respondents themselves, rather than the re-
searcher’s bias.
Strategies: embrace the tenets of the scientific method and empirical inquiry; do not distort re-
search or let one’s values intrude by drawing on personal worldviews, motives, self-interest,
or
customs or by capitulating to external pressures (researchers are especially vulnerable to value
35. intrusion during the interpretation and discussion stage).
Strategies: reflexivity (involves self-critique
and disclosure of what one brings to the re-
search, especially one’s predispositions); au-
dit trails; method triangulation; peer review
and debriefing.
Internal validity:
This refers to the integrity of the research design. The word internal pertains to the inner work-
ings of the research process, designed and conducted to ensure that the researcher measured
what was intended to be measured (producing strong, valid data instead of weak, invalid data).
Also, the research design should follow the principle of cause and effect. There are seven major
threats to internal validity (i.e., measuring something other than what was intended): (a) conta-
mination by an extraneous event (history effect); (b) participants aging or tiring (maturation ef-
fect); (c) loss of subjects or attrition between testing (mortality effect); (d) sensitizing subjects
with pretest (testing effect); (e) extremely high or low pretest scores (statistical regression ef-
fect); (f) subjects are not carefully assigned to test groups (selection bias effect); and (g) unreli-
ability of an assessment instrument (instrumentation effect).
Strategies: take steps necessary to mitigate threats to internal validity (e.g., account for contam-
ination, maturation, attrition, sampling size, group formation and assignment, instrumentation
alignment, and testing sensitization).
Credibility (credible to the participants):
Did the researchers create a faithful account-
ing of people’s lived experiences (i.e., an ac-
37. ternally valid; that is, they do not hold true for other situations (based on statistical assump-
tions).
Transferability (determined by the user):
Refers to the degree to which findings can
be applied or transferred to other contexts or
settings—that is, used more widely by oth-
ers. It is the researcher’s responsibility to
provide accurate, detailed, and complete de-
scriptions of the context and the participants
so that users of the study can determine if
the findings and conclusions apply (are
transferable) in their context (based on simi-
larity of deep descriptors).
Strategies: judiciously choose appropriate research design protocol (especially sample size and
bias). Then, before asserting that the results are valid in other populations, situations, and con-
ditions, researchers must recognize, consider, and report on factors that mitigate these asser-
tions, notably any interactions (a) among treatment and subjects, settings, and history as well
as (b) between subjects and settings. Researchers often temper their assertions by setting out
study limitations.
Strategies: cross-case comparisons; litera-
ture comparisons; detailed, thick descrip-
tions; researcher reflexivity to mitigate inva-
lidity; state study limitations (account for se-
38. lection, setting, and history effects that might
make the study unique to only a single group
[i.e., not transferable]).
Reliability (of the instrument and methods):
Refers to the extent to which someone else can follow the research design with the same sam-
ple and get the same results. Are the methods reproducible and consistent, and is sufficient in-
formation provided so others can repeat the approach and procedures? To what extent are vari-
ations controlled?
The reliability of the instrument depends on six types of validity: (a) face validity (subjects think
the test is measuring what it is supposed to measure); (b) expert judges think the test is valid;
(c) test items actually contain content being measured; (d) compare a new test with a previously
validated test (concurrent validity); (e) taking a test is good prediction of a score when the test is
taken again in the future (predictive validity); and (f) construct validity (mix of all of the oth-
ers—did the test measure the intended higher-order construct and nothing else related to it, de-
termined by how the variables are operationalized?).
Strategies: standardized administration of instrument or procedure; internal consistency (i.e.,
ensure instrument items are actually measuring the underlying construct, reflected in Cron-
bach’s alpha); increase number of test items; use objective scoring; test-retest; ensure that
two
Dependability:
Related to reliability, researchers have to re-
sponsibly provide sufficient information so
others can repeat the research design proto-
col in their context but not necessarily get the
40. although very consistent in quantitative research, nomenclature for issues of rigor is not
consistent in qualita-
tive research (Suter, 2012) and has a unique twist in mixed methods (Teddlie & Tashakkori,
2006).
Integrity of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Designs
Table 8.5 provides an overview of the most agreed-to approaches and terms used by both types
of re-
searchers and of attendant strategies to meet the standard for the specific research methodology
(Ary et al.,
different forms of one test measure the same thing. mented.
Generalizability (breadth of applicability):
Researchers want to make broad statements from their specific case (they used a small ran-
dom sample from a whole population). They want their conclusions to hold for others not in their
study. Based on statistical assumptions, generalizability refers to the extent to which results and
conclusions can be applied to people, settings, or conditions beyond those represented in the
study.
Strategies: account for external validity.
Authenticity (realness for participants):
Researchers want to make specific state-
ments about only the people they studied
(how the latter see their world). So, authen-
ticity refers to the extent to which partici-
pants’ voices and agency are ensured, and it
strives for assurances that the researcher
has represented all views of all participants
43. https://methods.sagepub.com/book/understanding-and-evaluating-research/i2431.xml
https://methods.sagepub.com/book/understanding-and-evaluating-research/i2560.xml
https://methods.sagepub.com/book/understanding-and-evaluating-research/i2560.xml
(10%) and requires that authors employ a concise, tight, logical writing style. In a quantitative
report, authors
should devote about 10%–15% of their paper to their Methods section (Thomas, 2011). The
length of this
section in a mixed methods study depends on which strand was prioritized, qualitative or
quantitative.
Lynch (2014) clarified that the length of a qualitative Methods section is dictated by how much
detail is re-
quired to describe site selection, access, sampling, data collection, and analytical procedures.
Authors also
have to make available an audit trail (detail) that readers can follow to access researchers’
thinking while they
implemented and adjusted their emergent research design. The same principle of detail holds for
a quantita-
tive paper. The quantitative Methods section should be detailed enough that (a) it can be repeated
by others
because its essential characteristics have been recounted (reliability) and (b) readers can judge
whether the
results and conclusions are valid (i.e., did the study measure what it intended to measure?)
(Kallet, 2004).
More specifically, detail means those things that could logically be expected to influence the
results. “Insuffi-
cient detail leaves the reader with questions; too much detail burdens the reader with irrelevant
information―
(American Psychological Association, 2001, p. 18).
In all three methodologies, authors have to ensure that readers can follow what was done and
judge its rigor
45. or manage data― (p. 461). Journal editors commonly reject manuscripts due to errors or
omissions in the
Methods section (Boylorn, 2008; Hesson & Fraias-Hesson, 2010b). To offset this possibility,
authors need
to choose an organizational framework for their Methods section that “effectively make[s]
sense of data and
convince[s] the reader that the plan for data management [collection, and analysis] is
meaningful, structured,
and coherent― (Hesson & Fraias-Hesson, 2010b, p. 461).
“The organization of the method section depends on the author’s presentation logic―
(Rocco & Plakhotnik,
2011, p. 167). (a) The most common approach is chronological, meaning authors would arrange
the discus-
sion of their method in the order that things occurred. (b) Sometimes, in order to describe a
complex aspect
of their research design, authors may have to shift to a most-to-least-important structure within
the chrono-
logical approach. (c) Another common organizational pattern is general-to-specific (Boylorn,
2008; Hesson &
Fraias-Hesson, 2010b; Labaree, 2016). (d) Authors can also organize their Methods section using
the major
components of their research design, identified with subheadings, taking direction from Table
8.4 for each
of qualitative and quantitative reports (Boylorn, 2008; Hesson & Fraias-Hesson, 2010b; Rocco &
Plakhotnik,
2011).
Objective Versus Subjective Writing
When preparing quantitative papers, authors are encouraged to use descriptive writing so they
can ensure
47. a qualitative study, children spending longer than anticipated to examine the pictures may have
been a key
moment that shaped the researcher’s understanding of the phenomenon as experienced by
those living it.
Person, Tense, and Voice
The different use of language (i.e., person, tense, and voice) in the Methods section of
quantitative and quali-
tative papers reflects the different epistemological and axiological assumptions of these two
broad approach-
es to research (Lynch, 2014).
Person
Authors of quantitative papers conventionally write in third person so as to reflect the objective
nature of the
scholarship. The Methods section of qualitative papers is often written using a much more
subjective tone,
employing second, and even first, person because the author (researcher) is the main data
collection instru-
ment and is intimately involved in the implementation of the research design plan (Boylorn,
2008; Hesson &
Fraias-Hesson, 2010a; Johnson & Christensen, 2012). First person is now acceptable in social
sciences but
less so in the natural sciences (The Writing Center, 2014b). “This rhetorical choice brings two
scientific values
into conflict: objectivity versus clarity― (The Writing Center, 2014b, p. 7). The scientific
community has yet to
reach a consensus about which style should be used, meaning authors should at least consult the
journal’s
preferred style manual or its Guidelines for Authors (see Chapter 5).
SAGE
51. 2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
identified, followed with general introductions to (a) the major differences between qualitative
and quantitative
inquiry, (b) the major reporting components (subheadings) of each type of research report, and
(c) the topic
of rigor and quality in each of the three methodologies. The chapter wrapped up with an
overview of the basic
grammatical and organizational conventions of reporting and writing up the Methods section of a
research
paper.
Review and Discussion Questions
Based on the approach used in this book, how do methods differ from methodologies? How do
methods differ from the research design?
Distinguish between research design as logical and as logistical (Figure 8.1).
How is the research design tied with the type of research inquiry?
What are the main differences between qualitative and quantitative inquiry and their approach to
scholarship (see Table 8.3)? Which of these aspects of scholarly inquiry did you struggle with
the
most, and why?
53. o Figure 8.1 Research Design as Logic and Logistical
o Qualitative Research Design Logic
o Mixed Methods Research Design Logic
o Review and Engagement
o Most Common Research Designs
o Methods
o Methodology Versus Methods
o Review and Engagement
o Purpose and Importance of the Methods Section
o Major Differences Between Qualitative and Quantitative Intellectual Inquiry
o Major Components (Report Subheadings) of Qualitative and Quantitative
Research
o Review and Engagement
o Integrity of Research Designs
o Integrity of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Designs
o Integrity of Mixed Methods Research Designs
o Technical Aspects of Reporting Methods
o Length
o Organizational Logic and Approaches
o Objective Versus Subjective Writing
o Person, Tense, and Voice
o Person
o Tense
o Voice
o Review and Engagement
o Final Judgment on Research Design and Methods Section
o Chapter Summary
o Review and Discussion Questions