8110 Week 10 Discussion
8110 Week 10 Colleague Response
Assignment Task #2
· Read one of your classmate posting.
· Respond to a classmate in a 150 word response who was assigned the opposite position by further supporting or respectfully countering his or her position.
Colleague response
Alfred Lewis
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Explain why this position is the best strategy for selecting research participants.
Probability sampling is the best overall strategy for selecting research participants. Through the many types of random sampling, such as simple, stratified, cluster, critical case, etc., a researcher can “generalize the quantitative and/or qualitative findings to the population from which the sample was drawn” (Onwuegbuzie & Collins, 2007, p. 285). By facilitating generalizations, this allows future research to be conducted that confirms or invalidates the findings in other groups. Additionally, by choosing totally random participants, research reliability is increased. Teddlie & Yu (2007) noted that using random sampling as part of a mixed methods research design also allowed for broader participants, rather than the small sample sizes often found in more targeted sampling, especially in quantitative studies.
Select a data collection method and explain at least one strength and at least one limitation.
One data collection method is surveys. Surveys can be used to collect the informed experiences of participants, such as within the qualitative portion of a mixed methods research design. One strength of a survey is its ability to provide context to numerical data, and to describe a shared phenomenon among participants” (Onwuegbuzie & Collins, 2007). One limitation of a survey is its reliance on participation by the research participants, which can limit the sample size of the study.
Identify a potential ethical issue with this method and describe a strategy to address it.
One potential ethical issue with using surveys to collect could occur if the surveys are being given in one’s immediate workplace (Walden University; Center for Research Quality, 2015a). Losing researcher objectivity can occur through this approach, but can be addressed through IRB approval.
Explain the relationship between measurement reliability and measurement validity using an example from your discipline.
Drost (2011) stated that “a reliable measure is not necessarily a valid measure” (p. 107). Drost further explained “reliability is that part of a measure that is free of purely random error and that nothing in the description of reliability requires that the measure be valid” (p. 107). In essence, reliability is “consistency of measurement over time or stability of measurement over a variety of conditions” (Drost, 2011, p. 108). Validity is the “meaningfulness of research components” (Drost, 2011, p. 114). There are four types of validity, statistical conclusion validity, internal validity, construct validity, and external validity (Drost, 2011).
In an educational research setting, reliability is actualized when the results of research are repeatable with minor variations, such as implementing an intervention and seeing a similar effect on different groups. Validity under this same scenario would be similar, as “external validity of a study or relationship implies generalizing to other persons, settings, and times” (Drost, 2011, p. 120).
Sources
Teddlie, C., & Yu, F. (2007). Mixed methods sampling: A typology with examples. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1(1), 77–100.
Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Collins, K. M. (2007). A typology of mixed methods sampling designs in social science research. The Qualitative Report, 12(2), 281–316. Retrieved from http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol12/iss2/9
Drost, E. A. (2011). Validity and reliability in social science research. Education Research and Perspectives, 38(1), 105–124.
Walden University: Center for Research Quality. (2015a). Data resources & support: Home. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/dataresources
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