Experimental Validity & Quantitative Research Designs

Resources

Required Text

Malec, T. & Newman, M. (2013). Research methods: Building a knowledge base. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. ISBN-13: 9781621785743, ISBN-10: 1621785742. Chapter 5: Experimental Designs – Determining Cause-and-Effect Relationships

Required References

Explorable (2010). Experimental research. Available at  https://explorable.com/experimental-research (Links to an external site.)

Onwuegbuzie, A. & Leech, N. L. (2005). On becoming a pragmatic researcher: The importance of combining quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(5), 375-387. doi: 10.1080/13645570500402447

Svensson, C. (2014). Qualitative methodology in unfamiliar cultures: Relational and ethical aspects of fieldwork in Malaysia. London: SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/978144627305014533923

Trochim, W. M. K. (2006). Research methods: Knowledge base. Available at  http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/ (Links to an external site.)

Tsene, L. (2016). Qualitative multi-method research: Media social responsibility. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. doi: 10.4135/978144627305015595393

Week 4 - Discussion 1

Quantitative Research Designs

A research design is like a blueprint for conducting research. It guides the researcher in determining when and how often the data will be collected, what data will be collected and from whom, and how the collected data will be analyzed. While there are several research designs available, the most common designs associated with quantitative research include true experiments, quasi- experiments, pre-experiments and correlations.

Instructions:

First, select one quasi-experimental design and develop an example of a study that would require that design. Identify the independent and dependent variables, and discuss the necessary conditions required for that design.

Then, answer the following questions:

· How could you change this study to make it a true experiment?

· What would be the advantages of using a true experimental design over a quasi-experimental design?

· In what situations might a quasi-experimental design be preferred over a true experimental design?

Week 4 - Discussion 2

Experimental Validity

Experimental validity refers to the manner that variables influence the results of the research and the generalizability of the results to the population at large. The two types of validity that are relevant to experimental designs include internal validity and external validity.

Instructions:

Using a topic of interest to yourself, briefly describe a proposed research study you would like to conduct.

· Provide a detailed discussion regarding some of the potential threats that could occur to the internal validity of your study.

· Examine how these threats could reduce the validity of your study and possibly make the study invalid.

· What are some ways you could increase the internal validity?

· What is the importance of external validity for your study?

· Is internal validity or external validity more important for your study?

· What do you find most difficult about the idea of validity?

· What aspects of evaluating it or integrating it into research desin are the most challenging and why?

· What questions do you still have about experimental validity after this exercise?