assignment
Week 2: Quantitative Research Designs
In Week 1, you examined some fundamental differences between quantitative and qualitative research methods. This week beings the in-depth exploration of quantitative research, which will continue through Week 9. This is not to diminish the use of qualitative research methods, which have just as much merit as quantitative methods. Quantitative research, on the other hand, has at least one underlying commonality—some engagement with numerical values. Because of this, there are many general considerations and principles that can be applied to quantitative research.
This week, you consider the characteristics and uses of many different kinds of quantitative research study designs. You also explore various important components of quantitative research, including research problems and questions, hypotheses, and variables. You examine the purpose and significance of conducting a quantitative research study of your choice, formulate a research problem statement, and develop hypotheses related to the research study you selected. These skills in developing quantitative research designs will assist you in analyzing research studies. This week, you begin your article critique; this assignment will give you the opportunity to apply many of the concepts presented throughout Weeks 1 through 9 of the course.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Formulate a research question, testable hypothesis, and appropriate research design for a quantitative research study
Identify independent and dependent variables
Evaluate the purpose and significance of a proposed research study that applies to evidence-based practice
Learning Resources
Required Media
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Research methods for evidence-based practice: Selecting a research topic and developing a hypothesis. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 13 minutes.
In this week’s video, Dr. Leiyu Shi discusses the characteristics of a good research hypothesis and details the steps in developing a hypothesis that can be tested through research.
Accessible player
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Research methods for evidence-based practice: Musings: Aligning research question and methodology. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.
This video discusses the importance of having a well-defined research question, which informs the methodology that you use in creating a hypothesis for a research study.
Accessible player
Laureate Education. (2011). Important events in clinical research history. Retrieved from http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/CLRA/6100/01/mm/timeline/index.html
This timeline identifies and describes key historical events related to the development of clinical research throughout the ages.
Required Readings
Gray, J.R., Grove, S.K., & Sutherland, S. (2017). Burns and Grove’s the practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.
Chapter 5, “Research Problem and Purpose”
Chapter 5 outlines how to identify and develop a research problem statement, purpose, and research questions. The chapter also provides examples of both quantitative and qualitative research topics, problems, and purpose.
Chapter 6, “Objectives, Questions, Variables, and Hypothesis”
This chapter explains the different types of hypotheses and assesses how research variables can be used to formulate research objectives in both quantitative and qualitative studies.
Chapter 10, “Quantitative Methodology: Noninterventional Designs and Methods”
Chapter 10 describes the principles of research design and those foundational concepts that influence the selection of an appropriate quantitative design: causality, bias, manipulation, control, and validity.
Chapter 11, “Quantitative Methodology: Interventional Designs and Methods”
This chapter builds on the material presented in Chapter 10 and discusses how to select the most appropriate quantitative research design for addressing a particular research problem.
Select one of the following articles to use for this week’s Assignment:
Fouquier, K.F. (2011). The concept of motherhood among three generations of African American women. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 43(2), 145–153.
Grey, M., Whittemore, R., Jaser, S., Ambrosino, J., Lindemann, E., Liberti, L., Northrup, V., & Dziura, J. (2009). Effects of coping skills training in school-age children with Type 1 diabetes. Research in Nursing & Health, 32, 405–418.
Methey, N.A., Davis-Jackson, J., & Stewart, B.J. (2010). Effectiveness of an aspiration risk-reduction protocol. Nursing Research, 59, 18–25.
Newhouse, R.P., Morlock. L., Pronovost, P., & Breckenridge-Sproat, S. (2011). Rural hospital nursing: Results of a national survey of nurse executives. Journal of Nursing Administration, 41(3), 129–137.
Handouts
Laureate Education. (2011). Litmus test for a doctoral-level research problem. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Optional Resources
Caress, A., Luker, K., & Chalmers, K. (2010). Promoting the health of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Patients’ and carers’ views. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 19(3–4), 564–573.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Mbeba, M. M., N., Jere, D. L., Kachingwe, S. I., Crittenden, K. S., McCreary, L. L., ... Norr, K. F. (2011). Peer group intervention reduces personal HIV risk for Malawian health workers. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 43(1), 72–81.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Miller, J., Gaboda, D., Nugent, C., Simpson, T., & Cantor, J. (2011). Parental eligibility and enrollment in state children’s health insurance program: The roles of parental health, employment, and family structure. American Journal of Public Health, 101(2), 274–277.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Su, C., Lu, X., Chen, W., & Wang, T. (2009). Promoting self-management improves the health status of patients having peritoneal dialysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(7), 1381–1389.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Assignment 1: Article Critique [Major Assessment 4]
DNP graduates are expected to apply research findings and integrate nursing science into evidence-based practice. To develop your ability to engage in this high level of nursing practice, you will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of a research study over the next several weeks using the concepts presented throughout Weeks 1 through 9 of the course. Your final analysis will be a 5- to 7-page paper that includes the following:
Brief one to two paragraph overview of the study
Two to three strengths of the study and support for your selection (i.e. why is this a strength)
Two to three weaknesses of the study and support for your selection (i.e. why is this a weakness)
Note: The strengths and weaknesses you identified should be in relation to design, sampling, data collection, statistical analysis, results and discussion of the study
Proposed changes to improve the quality of the study, capitalizing on the strengths and improving on the weaknesses identified in the study
Summary of the implications for nursing practice
The purpose of the analysis is to help you develop a deeper understanding of the research process, to inspire you to think critically and deeply about research on a specific topic, and to strengthen your ability to integrate research findings into evidence-based nursing practice. This assignment also gives you practice in analyzing the research literature, which will support you when you begin your DNP project. Before you proceed, please review the rubric for this assignment, which is located in the Grading section in the left-hand navigation menu of this course. Keep in mind that you will be working on your article critique throughout Weeks 2 through 9 with your critique due by Day 7 of Week 9.
To prepare for this week’s assignment complete the following:
Select one of the four research articles cited in this week’s required readings.
Review the various quantitative research designs presented in the textbook readings and research articles and discussed in the “Musings: Aligning Research Question and Methodology” media.
Consider the research design used in your selected article. Ask yourself the following questions. Is the design appropriate for the study? Would a different design provide better results?