Course Code: EDU7702-8 Course Start Date: 02/15/2016 Section: Synthesis: Research problem, method, design Week: 7 Activity: Develop Research Methodology for Hypothetical Research Study Activity Due Date: 04/03/2016 Activity Description For Week 6, you developed the research problem, purpose, and questions for both a qualitative and a quantitative research study. For this task, choose one of the research problems and questions that you developed in Week 6 (either the qualitative or the quantitative) and develop the methodology for the chosen study. Then, next week you will develop the methodology for the second study and then combine the methodology section with other elements of the study to create a concept paper. (Thus, you may want to choose the study of most interest to you and develop the methodology for that study as part of the assignment for Week 8). There are several documents in the NCU dissertation center that will be helpful in developing the research methodology for your Week 7 and Week 8 assignments. These include the concept paper templates and the proposal templates. Details regarding the research methods for the dissertation are explained in Chapter 3 of the dissertation proposal. The dissertation proposal template shows the sections that should be included in Chapter 3 of the dissertation proposal. These sections include the following: 1.  Research Methods and Design(s) 2.  Population 3.  Sample 4.  Materials/Instruments 5.  Operational Definitions of Variables (Quantitative/Mixed Studies Only) 6.  Data Collection, Processing, and Analysis 7.  Assumptions 8.  Limitations 9.  Delimitations 10.  Ethical Assurances 11.  Summary In developing the methodology section for this week’s assignment, you will want to address Sections 1-6 and Section 10. You will find a discussion of these sections below that will help you develop these sections of the research methodology. (1) Research Methods and Design: Explain the methodology and design that you will use to address the research purpose and questions. Will you use the qualitative methodology or the quantitative methodology? Explain your reasoning for the methodology that you will use to answer the research questions. Why is the specific methodology appropriate for answering the research questions? Which of the designs is appropriate for your study? Refer to Section 5 for a review of the qualitative and quantitative designs. Then, explain the design that you will use. When is this design appropriate for use and why is the design appropriate for your research purpose and questions? You will want to cite sources for your reasoning to use the methodology that you use. Be sure to explain why the methodology and design is appropriate for your study. Potential sources for defending the methodology and design include the following: Cozby, P. & Bates, S. (2012). Methods in behavioral research. Boston, MA: McGraw Hill Higher Education. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qu.

1. Course Code: EDU7702-8
Course Start Date: 02/15/2016
Section: Synthesis: Research problem, method, design
Week: 7
Activity: Develop Research Methodology for Hypothetical Rese
arch Study
Activity Due Date: 04/03/2016
Activity Description
For Week 6, you developed the research problem, purpose, and
questions for both a qualitative and a quantitative research stud
y. For this task, choose one of the research problems and questi
ons that
you developed in Week 6 (either the qualitative or the quantitati
ve) and develop the methodology for the chosen study.
Then, next week you will develop the methodology for the seco
nd study and then combine the methodology section with other e
lements of the study to create a concept paper. (Thus, you may
want to
choose the study of most interest to you and develop the method
ology for that study as part of the assignment for Week 8).
There are several documents in the NCU dissertation center that
will be helpful in developing the research methodology for you
r Week 7 and Week 8 assignments. These include the concept pa

2. per
templates and the proposal templates. Details regarding the rese
arch methods for the dissertation are explained in Chapter 3 of t
he dissertation proposal. The dissertation proposal template sho
ws the
sections that should be included in Chapter 3 of the dissertation
proposal. These sections include the following:
1. Research Methods and Design(s)
2. Population
3. Sample
4. Materials/Instruments
5.
Operational Definitions of Variables (Quantitative/Mixed Studie
s Only)
6. Data Collection, Processing, and Analysis
7. Assumptions
8. Limitations
9. Delimitations
10. Ethical Assurances
11. Summary
In developing the methodology section for this week’s assignme
nt, you will want to address Sections 1-
6 and Section 10. You will find a discussion of these sections be
low that will help you develop
these sections of the research methodology.
(1) Research Methods and Design: Explain the methodology and
design that you will use to address the research purpose and qu
estions. Will you use the qualitative methodology or the quantit
ative
methodology? Explain your reasoning for the methodology that
you will use to answer the research questions. Why is the specif
ic methodology appropriate for answering the research question
s? Which

3. of the designs is appropriate for your study? Refer to Section 5
for a review of the qualitative and quantitative designs. Then, e
xplain the design that you will use. When is this design appropri
ate for use
and why is the design appropriate for your research purpose and
questions? You will want to cite sources for your reasoning to
use the methodology that you use. Be sure to explain why the
methodology and design is appropriate for your study.
Potential sources for defending the methodology and design incl
ude the following:
Cozby, P. & Bates, S. (2012). Methods in behavioral research. B
oston, MA: McGraw Hill Higher Education.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitati
ve, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. I
SBN: 9781452226101
Lodico, M. G., Spaulding, D. T., & Voegtle, K. H. (2010). Meth
ods in educational research: From theory to practice. San Franci
sco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0470588691
Merriam, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design a
nd implementation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ncent/reader.action?docID=10856838
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analy
sis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sa
ge
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0803955405
(2) Population: In quantitative research, it is the researcher’s int
ent to generalize research findings of a sample to a larger popul
ation. The researcher will identify the population and randomly

4. select a
sample from that population. For the quantitative study, describ
e the population for the study. To whom do you expect the resul
ts to apply? Who would be included in the large group from whi
ch you
would draw the sample? For the qualitative study, identify the a
ttributes of the sample. What qualifies inclusion in the sample?
(3) Sample: Explain how you will obtain your sample. Who will
be included in the sample? How many individuals will be in yo
ur sample and how did you determine who would be in your sam
ple? Will
you purposefully select individuals for your sample (qualitative
methods) and if so, who will you purposefully select? Why did
you select the individuals that you selected? What methods will
you use to
select the sample? Will you randomly select members of the sa
mple or will you purposefully select members of the sample? In
quantitative methods, you should use some type of sample gener
ator to
determine the appropriate sample. For the purpose of this assign
ment, it is not necessary to use the sample generator. Select a h
ypothetical sample that will allow you to answer the research qu
estions
for the study.
(4) Materials/Instrument: What materials will you use in the stu
dy? Will you use an interview protocol? If so, then provide the
protocol that you will use for a qualitative study. Will you use s
ome type of
written document? If so, then describe the document so that it is
clear how the document will answer your research question. Fo
r quantitative studies, it is advised that you use an instrument th
at is
already published because this instrument will have validity and

5. reliability. For each study, provide the instrumentation and/or
materials that you will use to collect data to answer the research
questions.
For the quantitative study, explain the validity and reliability of
the instrument. You must search for the instrument and you can
locate information about instruments in the Mental Measureme
nts Yearbook.
When you go to the NCU Library home page, select “Databases”
under “Research Resources” and then find the database entitled
, Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print. You can
search this database for published instruments to measure the va
riables in your study. Use the variables as search terms. The res
ults will provide an explanation of the tests. This information w
ill be
useful when describing the instrument for a quantitative study.
(5) Operational Definitions of Variables: Complete this section
only for the quantitative study. List the variables for your study
(independent and dependent). These variables should be include
d in
your research questions and hypotheses. Explain how these vari
ables are quantified or measured. For example, gender is a com
mon variable that is used in research studies. There are two valu
es for
the gender variable, males and females. Another example might
be the score that kindergarten students earn on a reading compre
hension test. The operational definition for reading comprehensi
on
(the dependent variable) would be the instructional level earned
on the DIBELS test for test reading and comprehension (TRC).
The instructional level ranges from 0.0 to 12.9. The actual instr
uctional
level obtained by the student on the DIBELS test of reading and
comprehension administered at the end of the school year will
be recorded for each student. The level of measurement is interv
al. You

6. will find additional information in the descriptions of instrumen
ts catalogued in the Mental Measurements Yearbook database th
at will help you to explain how the variables are measured (oper
ational
definitions).
(6) Data Collection, Processing, and Analysis: This section shou
ld be completed for either the qualitative or quantitative study.
How will you administer the instrument or how will you conduc
t
interviews? How will you collect data? Provide a detailed descri
ption on how you will administer instruments and collect data.
How will you process the data? Will you enter data into SPSS or
some
other type of computer software program? How will you analyze
the data? Will you look for themes in the data? Will you run a t
-
test analysis? How will you analyze the data? Provide as much d
etail as
you can to explain the processes of data collection, processing,
and analysis.
(7) Ethical Assurances: For Week 3, you examined the ethical is
sues associated with qualitative and quantitative methodology.
You studied the NCU Consent form and developed a process for
obtaining consent from parents of minor children. Based on you
r learning in Week 3, identify the potential issues that may be o
f concern for the methodology that you develop. Are there parti
cular
concerns with anonymity and/or confidentiality? How will you a
ssure anonymity and confidentiality? How will you obtain conse
nt? Is there a need to obtain assent? Will you use de-
identified data?
Address these issues and/or concerns by explaining how you wil
l assure ethical treatment of the study participants.

7. For the methodology that you choose (qualitative or quantitative
) for this week’s assignment, develop a paper in which you expl
ain each of the seven sections above. This is the Research Meth
od
section of the concept paper. Each of the seven sections would b
e a subheading of that section. Thus, you want to write the Rese
arch Method section of the concept paper for either the qualitati
ve or
quantitative research questions that you created in Activity 6. Y
ou want to provide as much detail as possible in addressing each
of the sections. The goal is to provide sufficient detail so that s
omeone
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0470588691
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ncent/reader.action?docID=10856838
https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0803955405
else could replicate your study based on the descriptions that yo
u provide. Use the PPT Concept Paper Template and the Doctor
al Candidacy Resource Guide as a guide to the hypothetical desi
gn you
present.
Length: 5-7 pages (double-
spaced), not including title and reference pages.
References: Minimum of three to five scholarly resources
Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the i
deas and concepts presented in the course by providing new tho
ughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your paper sho
uld reflect
scholarly writing and current APA standards. Review APA Form
and Style.
Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University's Academic Integri

8. ty Policy. View the Northcentral Academic Integrity Tutorial to
refresh your knowledge of how to achieve academic integrity.
Upload your assignment using the Upload Assignment button be
low.
Learning Outcomes
1.0 Conduct literature searches using the NCU library databas
e related to a potential research topic of interest.
3.0 Develop an aligned problem statement, purpose statement,
and research question(s) when designing research.
5.0 Determine the ethical requirements of human subjects whe
n conducting research.
6.0 Defend the use of a chosen research methodology and corr
esponding design for a hypothetical study.
Resources
Books
Reference Instruction
Cozby, P., & Bates, S. (2012) Methods in behavioral research.
Review
book
Creswell, J. W. (2014) Research design: Qualitative, quantitativ
e, and mixed methods approaches.
Review
book
() Leong, F., & Austin, J. (Eds.). (2006). The psychology resear
ch handbook: A guide for graduate students and research assista
nts (2nd ed.).
http://sk.sagepub.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/reference/hdbk_psychrsc
h

9. Review
book
() Lodico, M. G., Spaulding, D. T., & Voegtle, K. H. (2010). Me
thods in educational research: From theory to practice.
https://www.researchgate.net/file.PostFileLoader.html?id=56ab0
12964e9b20c218b4568&assetKey=AS%3A323112883687426%4
01454047522725
Review
book
() Merriam, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to desig
n and implementation.
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ncent/reader.action?docID=10856838
Review
book
() Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data an
alysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.).
https://books.google.com/books?id=U4lU_-
wJ5QEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Miles+and+Huberman&hl=e
n&sa=X&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAmoVChMIi5Wwj_jnxwIVwrgeCh3
Z3wzy#v=onepage&q=Miles%20and%20Huberman&f=false
Review
book
Articles
Reference Instruction
Baskas, R. S. (2011). Applying knowledge of qualitative design
and analysis.
http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED525676

10. Review article
Baskas, R. S. (2011). Applying knowledge of quantitative desig
n and analysis.
http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED523700
Review article
Golafshani, N. (2003). Understanding reliability and validity in
qualitative research.
http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR8-4/golafshani.pdf
Review article
Newton, P. E., & Shaw, S. D. (2013). Standards for talking and
thinking about validity.
http://proxy1.ncu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/log
in.aspx?
direct=true&db=pdh&AN=2013-24388-001&site=eds-live
Review article
Nolen, A. L., & Vander Putten, J. (2007). Action research in ed
ucation: Addressing gaps in ethical
principles and practices.
http://edr.sagepub.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/cgi/reprint/36/7/401
Review article
Wright, K. B. (2005). Researching Internet-
based populations: Advantages and disadvantages of
online survey research, online questionnaire authoring software
packages, and web survey
services.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/doi/10.1111/j.108
3-6101.2005.tb00259.x/full

11. Review article
Websites
Reference Instruction
Borgatti, S. (1998). Elements of Research.
http://www.analytictech.com/mb313/elements.htm
Review website
CITI: Course in the protection of human research subjects. (201
4). CITI Program.
http://www.citiprogram.org/default.asp
Review website
Desiardins, F. (2010). Writing the Theoretical Framework.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcnufgQzMjc
Review video
Dissertation Research Methods, NCU Library.
http://library.ncu.edu/dw_template.aspx?parent_id=252
Review website
Formulating a Research Problem
http://cyberhouse.arted.psu.edu/502/resources/LitRev/prob1.htm
l
Review website
How to structure quantitative research questions. (2012). Lund
Research Ltd.
http://dissertation.laerd.com/how-to-structure-quantitative-
research-questions.php

12. Review website
Northcentral University dissertation center
http://learners.ncu.edu/ncu_diss/default.aspx
Retrieve the Concept Paper Templates and the Proposal Templat
e
Surveys & research methods workshops. (2005). Wadsworth Ce
ngage Learning.
http://www.wadsworth.com/psychology_d/templates/student_res
ources/workshops/res_methd/surveys/surveys_01.html
Review website
Types of Qualitative Research. (2015). University of Missouri.
http://www.umsl.edu/~lindquists/qualdsgn.html
Review website
Types of quantitative research question. (2012). Lund Research
Ltd.
http://dissertation.laerd.com/types-of-quantitative-research-
question.php
Review website
Types of Research Designs. (2015). University of Southern Cali
fornia Libraries.
http://libguides.usc.edu/content.php?pid=83009&sid=818072
Review website
Vickers, P., & Offredy, M. (n.d.). Research Design
http://www.researchproposalsforhealthprofessionals.com/researc

13. h_design.htm
Review website
What is Research Design? (n.d.). NYU.
http://www.nyu.edu/classes/bkg/methods/005847ch1.pdf
Review website
http://www.apastyle.org/learn/faqs/index.aspx
http://learners.ncu.edu/public_images/learner_portal/AI_Tutoria
l/Academic_Integrity_Tutorial.htm