APPLIED RESEARCH Essay Guru only
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M5RESPONSE.docxDavid Berner
yesterday at 3:59 PM
Hi Tracey,
Great job this week in your assessment on the strengths and weaknesses in regard to surveys and interviews. I especially appreciated what you wrote in regard to the disadvantages of interview concerning Bryman’s (2016) consideration. While we, as researchers, are expected to surrender our own biases prior to conducting the interview, it is virtually impossible to neglect our own personal interpretations—what we may consider to be a specific connotation or patois exhibited by an individual could be entirely different from their intent, which can have significant impact upon the analysis of the data, especially if we are trying to interpret non-verbal cues. I suppose this is why it is really important for the interviewer not to be afraid of asking for clarification during the interview itself (Hamill & Sinclair, 2010). In regard to your specific focus for your research, I agree with your assessment that a semi-structured interview is the best approach, as that gives you the ability to be flexible with your participants in regard to collecting data.
Just out of curiosity, in regard to a mixed-methodology, do you feel it appropriate for the interviewer to recall a participant’s survey answers during the interview? For example, if a participant filled out the survey questionnaire, is it appropriate for the interviewer to ask for clarification based off those answers, or should the interviewer stick to a new line of questions?
INSTRUCORS FEEDBACK AND QUESTION
yesterday at 6:52 PM
Keep in mind Argosy does not allow cash incentives- or any gifts for participation in your study. nVivo and SPSS are two very powerful tools for data analysis. nVivo has some awesome tutorials posted on YouTube as well (created by the company). What types of follow- ups or corrections do you think you will have?
RESPONSE 1
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Interviews and surveys are ways a research can use to gather information on a topic of interest. Interviews can allow the researcher to interject him or her-self into the process of obtaining data from respondents, and can be used for a variety of research designs. A key strength of conducting interviews is the level of flexibility they afford to the researcher and allow the ability to modify the interview to meet the dynamic nature of the exchange process (Robson & McCartan, 2015). Disadvantages of interviews is they can be time-consuming, difficult to properly conduct, and may introduce bias based on what the respondent thinks, sees, or hears from the researcher.
Surveys are widely used by researchers and have specific strengths and weaknesses. As a strength, a survey is a somewhat simple way of obtaining data about a specific issue or topic of interest, a survey can be very adaptable to meet the human conditions, a survey can lend anonymity to the respondents, a survey can gather a large volume of data, and a survey can solicit a wide variety of the population (Robson & McCartan, 2015). Some of the disadvantages of surveys is they can have a relatively low response rate and may not properly capture the honest condition of a respondent, as a respondent may not be truthful, a respondent may not clearly understand the question, and the respondent may be having an overly good or bad day that may influence their response (Robson & McCartan, 2015). Much of the validity of survey results is dependent on the quality of the survey instrument and process used to solicit the data.
Given the intent of introducing SQEs in a specific high technology organization is not clearly known, but assumed to be an attempt by the organization’s management to reduce the receipt of inferior or defective products from suppliers, the primary means of obtaining relevant data could by through the conduct of one-on-one interviews.
The interview questions would be selected based on the support of scholarly literature and the researcher’s personal experience. The preferred research methodology of initiating the interview process would follow an orderly step process, involving multiple levels of analysis that will be complied with accepted qualitative methods (Creswell, 2013). In a preparation effort, the individual interview questions for the proposed study will be asked of one person, not part of the potential sample population, so that practice can be obtained in conducting an interview. After the preparation effort, ten participants will be selected from the volunteers that create a diverse group from the fifteen potential Subcontract Managers who were supporting efforts before the introduction of SQEs. Once consent has been obtained by the participants, the ten selected will be scheduled for an in-depth, 60-minute face-to-face interview and all the participants will be scheduled for a 120-minute group discussion. The participants will be asked questions about their interpretation of adding SQEs to program management execution. The questions will be designed to identify the essence of the lived experiences of the participants and will address the primary, and secondary research questions.
The questions to be asked during the face-to-face interviews includes:
1. Why do you think your organization introduced SQEs?
2. What are some of the activities and tasks that SQEs perform?
3. Did you like the way the organization introduced SQEs into the organization?
4. What do you think the primary purpose of SQEs is?
5. What have SQEs done to improve the supplier performance?
6. What have been some of the challenges the SQEs have faced?
7. Do you think the introduction of SQEs was a good idea? Why?
8. Do you think the organization should continue to use SQEs?
The process of coding is an important aspect of qualitative research that allows the researcher to organize the collected data. Once the recorded or transcribed data is available, the researcher will assign a code, a specific label or tag, to a section of the collected data. The section can range in size from a word or two up to full paragraphs. These codes help to identify a body or cluster of like oriented data (Creswell, 2013). The codding approach helps to manages and synthesis the larger volume of data into manageable areas that can be compared to the results obtained from other participants, so the analysis aspect of the study can be completed. There are different types of coding practices, such as open and focused coding. Open and focused coding is the process of involving a specific prompt or hint to the participant during the interview process that helps direct the participant into a desired area that will be assigning a specific code codes once the data is collected (Raddon, Raby, & Sharpe, 12009).
The interviews will be recorded, field notes will be taken, and observations will be recorded. The participants will be asked to complete some of the questions in advance of the interview. The same process will be used to collect the data during a group discussion, with all participants, and the research questions will be posed to the group to stimulate open discussion and sharing. The recorded interviews and group discussion will be transcribed, sorted, and coded using NVivo to identify themes and patterns. The themes and patterns will be identified using open coding that segregates the participant responses to the specific questions by the various grammatical grouping of nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adverbs. Additionally, axil coding will be used to group the responses by common words and phrases, as well as selective coding that combines the axil coding results into formulas so that a single voice may be identified against each question. Once these coding activities have been completed for each response and question, the emergence of common themes against of the research questions will be identified.
References
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing Among Five Approaches, 3rd Edition. [Argosy University]. Retrieved from https://digitalbookshelf .argosy.edu/#/books/9781483339467/
Raddon, M., Raby, R., & Sharpe, E. (2009). The Challenges of Teaching Qualitative Coding: Can a Learning Object Help?. International Journal Of Teaching A
RESPONSE 2
Interviewing can be a resourceful practice for researching many different themes or subject matter. Meanwhile, the techniques the interview use yields the most rewards. For instance, Motivational Interviewing (MI) skills elicit participation, knowledge and possible change. In the modern approach, motivation is not dichotomous (i.e., either people are motivated, or they are not) but rather it is dynamic and evolving (Herman, Shepard, Frey and Reinke, 2014).
Conducting interviews is not a simple task. There are advantages and disadvantages. Obtaining answers or responses simply because the researcher is present would be a disadvantage. Respondents may tend to respond to please the interviewer overlooking the true purpose of the interview or study. Likewise, the cost can be high and different interviewers may interpret responses differently. A desired advantage of conducting interviews face-to-face is that some obvious data that can be manipulated online or through a survey is less likely to be manipulated. Conducting interviews rewards the interviewer with physical responses such as body language, no influence from group members on interviewee, and adds a human dimension to the purpose.
Conducting surveys has advantages and disadvantages as well. For instance, with the use of internet, taking surveys are no longer on multiple pages of paper sitting on the table of the anticipated survey taker un-opened. Today, a great advantage is that surveys can be tailored and effectively conducted via phone, internet and like the Neilson television ratings through mail. If the researcher has the right survey questions, a survey can produce high-quality feedback. A disadvantage that can be an advantage is exposed by Dillma, Smyth and Christian (2014, p. 1 par. 2) that reads “Sometimes, the justification is that the sponsors do not know the opinions or beliefs of those they want to survey.” In this case the researcher may get unsolicited feedback or new perceptions.
The chosen tool for the prospect applied research project will utilize the benefits of both interviews and surveys (if possible). The application of both techniques will increase the range in number of participants. The reasoning is to have the ability to interview those formerly incarcerated individuals who may have reading limits and can benefit the research by giving verbal responses or explanations. In either case, the flexibility to probe for further explanatory information can be utilized by detailing question in an open fashion. This semi-structure allows for ideas to be expressed and explored as the interview takes place. The survey will utilize open-ended questions to produce more colorful and rich feedback from participants that are not provoke and are coming straight from their own lived experience. These techniques are both chosen for the qualitative results as expressed by the participants. Meanwhile, it has been observed that utilizing both open and closed questions assist in gathering facts and figures for analysis and open to fill in the details.
In conclusion, it had been suggested that a tool such as Survey Monkey be used to reach formerly incarcerated individuals as those who are incarcerated are of a protected group. When using this type of electronic tool, there are criteria that the user can set to collect data such as via web link, tracker, validation of right format for responses and even setting a limit for responses. The tool used will collect the data and the researcher will further analyze it. School social workers now have available tools for online surveys that can help carry out needs assessments, practice evaluation, and program evaluation—Survey Monkey is one such tool (Massat, 2009).
Potential Research Questions
1. How many times have you been incarcerated in prison?
2. How would you describe a good leader?
3. How would you describe a bad leader?
4. Can you think of any ordinary people who are leaders and explain what they do to be leaders?
5. In prison, how many leaders did you come into contact with?
6. How did you determine that this person in prison was a leader to you? Share details.
7. Did the leaders in prison make you feel like you would be successful once you left prison?
8. Please give examples of encouragement you were given from the leaders in prison.
9. Thinking of the leaders you encountered: If you were told negative things or spoke to in a way that hurt your feelings please give an example. (remember no one will know your answer)
10. Did prison make you better? More conscientious about committing crime? Or conscientious about not going back (getting caught)? Please explain your response.
References
Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., & Christian, L. M. (2014). Internet, phone, mail, and mixed-mode
Surveys: the tailored design method. Accessed: August 1, 2018.
Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.libproxy.edmc.edu
Herman, K. C., Shepard, S., Frey, A., & Reinke, W. M. (2014). Motivational Interviewing in
Schools: Strategies for Engaging Parents, Teachers, and Students. New York: Springer
Publishing Company. Retrieved from: http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.libproxy.edmc.edu. August 1, 2018.
Massat, C. R., McKay, C., & Moses, H. (2009). Monkeying around: Use of Survey Monkey as a
Tool for School Social Work. School Social Work Journal, 33(2), 44-56.
Retrieved from: http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.libproxy.edmc.edu. August 1, 2018.
