Week 3 – Assignment

Research Methods Literature Review

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, review the qualitative and quantitative research designs encountered so far in this course.

For your literature review, you will select one design from each of the following categories.

Category

Non-experimental

Quantitative experimental

Qualitative

Mixed methods

Designs

Descriptive

Archival

Observational

Correlational

Survey research

Pretest-posttest control group

Posttest-only control group

Solomon four-group

Ethnography

Phenomenology

Grounded theory

Narrative

Participatory action research (PAR)

Explanatory

Exploratory

Triangulation

Parallel

Visit the Research Methods research guide in the Ashford University Library and search the databases for a minimum of one peer-reviewed journal article published within the last 10 years about each of the research designs you selected. The articles must not be research studies using the designs. Instead, they must be about how to conduct a study using the design. Examples of acceptable articles for this assignment are listed at the Suggested Articles tab in the Research Methods research guide.

In your paper, briefly outline the topic you selected for your Final Research Proposal in Week One and apply the scientific method by suggesting both a specific research question and a hypothesis for the topic. Evaluate your chosen peer-reviewed articles summarizing each and explaining how the research design described could be useful for designing original research on your topic. Compare and contrast the paradigms or worldviews inherent in the methodology associated with each research design. Apply professional standards and situate yourself as a researcher by identifying which of these approaches best fits with your worldview.

The Research Methods Literature Review

Must be four to six double-spaced pages in length (not including title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.).

Must include a separate title page with the following:

Title of paper

Students name

Course name and number

Instructors name

Date submitted

Must use at least four peer-reviewed sources published within the last 10 years.

Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Must include a separate reference page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

Week 2 – Assignment

Research and Critique an Experimental Study

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, be sure to have read all the required resources for the week.

Find an experimental research study on the topic chosen in Week One for your Final Research Proposal. You may choose to include an experimental study which was included in the literature review you used in the Week One assignment by searching the reference list for experimental research studies on the topic. However, it is also acceptable to find and include an experimental research study on the topic that is not included in that literature review.

Identify the specific experimental research design used in the study. Summarize the main points of the experimental research study including information on the hypothesis, sampling strategy, research design, statistical analysis, results, and conclusion(s). Evaluate the published experimental research study focusing on and identifying the specific threats to validity that apply to the chosen study. Explain whether or not these threats were adequately addressed by the researchers. Describe how the researchers applied ethical principles in the research study.

The Research and Critique an Experimental Study

Must be three to four double-spaced pages in length (not including title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.).

Must include a separate title page with the following:

Title of paper

Students name

Course name and number

Instructors name

Date submitted

Must use at least one peer-reviewed source in addition to those required for this week.

Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Must include a separate reference page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.