This document provides instructions for drafting the methodology chapter of a research study. It outlines what should be included in the procedure, data collection, and data analysis sections. For procedure, the researcher must introduce and provide rationale for their chosen data collection strategy and how it aligns with the research question and participants. For data collection, details are needed on who, where, when, and how data will be gathered. For analysis, qualitative studies should use thematic analysis to code and identify themes in narrative data. Quantitative studies must identify variables and statistical analysis that will be used.

1. Draft Description of Procedure, Data Collection, and Data
Analysis
Instructions
For this post, describe how you will collect data, the
instruments used to collect the data, and how the collected data
will be prepared for interpretation and analysis. Complete the
following:
Write your research question at the top of the post.
Use the research question to identify the procedure:
Introduce your procedure section of the methodology by
providing a rationale for the chosen data-collection strategy.
Be sure that your data-collection strategy aligns with your
research question, recruitment strategy, and choice of
participants.
Describe how data will be collected.
Describe who will be collecting data.
Describe where data collection will take place.
Describe how long data collection will take.
Will it take place one time or over a series of meetings?

2. Will the time spent collecting data be the same or different for
all participants?
Will there be different time frames for various participant
groups or are all participants engaged in the same data-
collection procedures?
If testing an intervention, describe the planning and the nature
of the intervention.
Describe where, how long, and who is engaged in the
intervention.
If you are interviewing participants, describe how you will
record the interviews and how you will transform recordings
into transcripts or actual data.
If you are observing instances of specific behaviors, describe
how they will be recorded and who will record them.
Include examples of your data-collection instrument.
Instruments can be surveys, recording sheets, checklists,
surveys, records, questionnaires, interview guides, or lists of
open-ended interview questions.
Explain how your instrument aligns with your research

3. question.
Upload your discussion post as a Word document set in 12-point
Times New Roman, with all sources cited in current APA style
and format. In addition, please copy and paste the document
content into the message box for your post submission.
Note
: As you prepare this post, be sure to recognize the limitations
of your study. Try to anticipate the questions a reader will have
and identify problems to be researched next to extend your
findings into new areas.
Qualitative Analysis
For qualitative studies, use thematic analysis. This strategy,
which relies on coding, allows you to sort through the words,
observations, phrases, and concepts of transcribed narrative
data. The goal is to identify the categories of meaning and the
themes that emerge across transcripts, documents, and data
forms, and that support specific interpretations of meaning
offered by participants. Use examples to describe how you will
interpret narrative data.
It is helpful to address aspects of trustworthiness,
dependability, transferability, credibility, authenticity,
confirmability, rigor, triangulation, member checking, and other
considerations associated with scientific merit in qualitative
research as appropriate to the research question.
Quantitative Analysis
For quantitative studies, identify variables and discrete units of

4. measure that can be compared statistically to represent,
describe, and explain observations of natural phenomena. You
will describe how numerical values are obtained, interpreted,
and understood. Typically, you will explain which statistic
applies to the identified variables; it is important to supply your
rationale for choosing that statistical measure.
It is helpful to address
reliability
—the degree of consistency and accuracy—and validity, or
whether the measure tests what it is intended to test. It is also
helpful to address generalizability and strategies associated with
scientific merit in quantitative research. Use charts, diagrams,
and other examples as needed.
When you submit your post, include all of Chapter 3, from the
introductory paragraphs to the analysis section. Be sure to
revise your introductory paragraphs for this chapter by
including a short overview of the procedure and the analysis
sections of Chapter 3. Revise the entire chapter based on
feedback from your instructor and peers.