Research Designs: Recommending a Research Scenario

When choosing a research design, the design to use depends on the question you're asking. For this Discussion, you will work a bit backwards: you will be given a design and then determine the research question that would be appropriate to the design. By looking at the design from both ends, you will learn this vital concept in more depth than if you had only approached it in one way.

To prepare for this Discussion:

•  
• Read the Campbell and Stanley text, paying particular attention to the design that your instructor has assigned you.
  
  
• You will be assigned a design from the Campbell & Stanley text and become an expert on it for your colleagues. You do NOT need to use the assigned design for your final project.
  
  
• Analyze the design given in terms of appropriateness, assumptions, strengths and weaknesses, and threats to internal and external validity. See the Application for more detail.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 3 a 3- to 5-paragraph analysis of your assigned quantitative research design (INSTITUTIONAL CYCLE DESIGN. Your analysis should include:

•  
• A brief description of the design and where it is most appropriately used
  
  
• The assumptions for the design
  
  
• The strengths and weaknesses of the design and the threats to internal and external validity
  

Please cite from: Campbell, D. T., & Stanley, J. C. (1963). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.