Developing a Research Proposal

PART ONE:

Hypothesis

The suitable hypothesis that can be identified as a causal relationship is that the financial stability of a drug trafficker is essential in determining their advancement in the illegal business.

Key Variables to be controlled

Crime Correlation

This variable will be controlled. The research will not dwell on the other criminal activities other than drug trafficking. It is not uncommon for most drug traffickers to run other chains of criminal activities. The strategy is used by most drug dealers to instill fear in their competitors and to amass respect from their workers which will, in turn, propel them to complete dominance and authority in the market (Chung, 2019). Besides, the drug dealers will in most cases be ruthless and will indulge in heinous activities to protect their territories and also to eliminate those who are a threat to their business (Murch, 2015).

Social Status

This is one of the variables to control. The research will not have social status as one of the major considerations so as to get reliable results. Most wealthy individuals will enter into the business as a result of peer pressure and the urge to blend in a given social class. However, this is different from the individuals that come from the middle class. They will enter into the business just to help them meet their basic needs and sustain their livelihood (Chung, 2019).

Longitudinal Research Design

In longitudinal research design, I will again use both campus population and a larger population for the next two weeks. Through the longitudinal study, I will be able to detect changes and developments in the characteristics of drug traffickers in the larger population and the campus within the week. The changes can be detected both individually and in groups. The key in this aspect is that longitudinal studies can extend beyond a single moment. Therefore, it is possible to establish a sequence of events of drug traffickers within the campus population or the general population.

PART TWO

Testing Hypothesis

A random sample is to be taken from a population of wealthy individuals around Malibu Beach who deal in drugs business and the null hypothesis is to be tested. The sample may be obtained from investigative agencies and police records. If it is found that the higher the financial strength of drug dealers the greater their involvement in the drug business in Malibu area, then it would be assumed that the financial stability of a drug trafficker is essential in determining their advancement in the illegal business and that means the population and the null hypothesis would not be rejected.

Recruitment and Randomization Procedures

Students were recruited from the campus population and a 2 by 2-factorial design for participant recruitment and randomization was used. The recruitment strategies were either opportunistic or systematic. The randomization strategies were either an individual or by the type of course taken by the students. Feasibility results comprised the time taken to recruit the students as the target number of the contributors within the study.

Internal validity is impacted by mistakes within the study itself such as inability to control some of the key variables or glitches with the research instrument. Therefore, results can be internally invalid since they may have been affected by factors instead of some thought to have caused them or because the analysis of the data by the researcher is not acceptable.

To deal with the issue of internal validity in the study, one should be consistent. Through this instrumentation, threats can be reduced or eradicated by making an effort to uphold reliability at each point of observation. Besides, it is important to avoid selection of participants depending on extreme performance score.

Given that the sample of the students used in the campus was not huge, it is clear that there would be no broad generalizability produced. The sample statistics from campus may also be significantly different from the statistics of a different population hence the results cannot be generalized. Also, the obtained data may not be entirely reliable due to the sensitivity of the subject. To increase the generalizability, random samples should be drawn from different areas.

Protection of Human Subjects

The initial step is to ensure that IRB approves the process. Institutional Review Board must approve the strategy proposed to employ the research that involves the human subjects. The process can also deploy a series of decision charts that are useful in sorting through what constitutes human subject research and when the research might be exempt from the approval by the IRB. A consent form will also be part of the protection of human subjects. Through the consent form, the participants will have enough details of information on the study so that they can make informed, voluntary and reasonable decision to take part in the research.

References

Chung, A. (2019). BCB Activities 2: Drug Trafficking. In Chinese Criminal Entrepreneurs in

Canada, Volume I (pp. 159-191). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Hofmann, D. C., & Gallupe, O. (2015). Leadership protection in drug-trafficking

networks. Global crime, 16(2), 123-138.

Murch, D. (2015). Crack in Los Angeles: Crisis, militarization, and black response to the late

twentieth-century war on drugs. Journal of American History, 102(1), 162-173.