Week 2

Week 2 - Assignment: Appraise the Merits of Using the Qualitative Method

Continue with the CITI training. This week’s readings and activities were introspective: you had to evaluate how your choice of a degree path and your worldview will affect your research. Now you will appraise the merits of qualitative research designs. Begin your paper with an overview of the value of qualitative research (1-2 cited paragraphs). Be sure to make the connection between the research problem and the qualitative approach. Determine if there is the potential to employ a mixed methods approach (1-2 cited paragraphs). Explain how your degree path informs your research approach (1-2 cited paragraphs). Based on your discovery of your worldview, share your thoughts about how this will affect your research (1-2 cited paragraphs). Justify and construct a theoretical or conceptual framework for the research problem; this section must be clearly written to ensure that the reader is seeing the proposed research through your framework.

Length: 3-5 pages.

References: Include a minimum of 5 scholarly sources; find 3 additional sources to support your framework.

Your written assignment should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards.

Qualitative Research Methodology

This week, you will begin to further the development of your research by grappling with some questions. What is a framework, and should you use one? A framework is a lens through which you and your readers will develop an understanding of the direction and outcomes of your study. In this week’s resources are two documents that give concise definitions of the commonly applied frameworks in research. As you review these materials, and with your research problem in mind, think about why you would select one over the other. Yes, every study must have a framework.

Another consideration is: What is your worldview? According to Creswell (2013), a worldview is an orientation to the world that is shaped by the field of study, beliefs of self and others, and previous experience. Four worldview categories are: (a) postpositivism, (b) constructivism, (c) advocacy/participatory, and (d) pragmatism. Traditional, modern, postmodern, and integrative are other ways that you can view the world (Mertens, Holmes, Harris, 2009). After reading this week’s resources, you may be able to discern your worldview. What is the connection between that part of your thinking and your approach to the research problem?

The final aspect to determine this week is whether or not your degree type makes a difference. Read the NCU document “Differentiating the Research (Ph.D.) and Applied Doctoral Degrees.”

Be sure to review this week's resources carefully. You are expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.

References:

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry & research design : choosing among five approaches. SAGE.

Mertens, D., Holmes, H., & Harris, R. (2009). Transformative research and ethics. In D. M. Mertens & P. E. Ginsberg, The handbook of social research ethics. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Conceptual framework

A conceptual framework is a research tool used to establish the fundamental structure, focus, and rules of a project. It is a theoretical outline of principles, assumptions, and guidelines that is supported within a broader concept. A conceptual framework examines previous research and uses existing theories and strategies to guide current projects.

Conceptual frameworks can be used in almost any area of theoretical development. The designs can be visual in representation, illustrating a research project's organization or primary theoretical principles. Such visual representations generally appear as standalone figures or graphics or as supplemental material at the end of a review. Another way to view a conceptual framework is in terms of the examined theory itself. For example, the framework may be defined by a researcher's exact description of his or her theory. A third view considers the conceptual framework an interconnecting web comprising all elements of the research process, including goals, opinions, contexts, settings, theory, and methods.

Overview

In most research, conceptual framework acts as an argument to explain why the topic being studied matters. It also addresses why the methodology used for the research is appropriate and accurate. This information is meant to convince readers of the importance and thoroughness of the research. The research questions must take into account this argument for relevance. The design of the research is also important and must be compatible with the research questions, goals, and context. Collected data must further support the conceptual framework by providing researchers with the raw material necessary for exploring each question. The researcher's analytical methods should provide a better understanding of the questions even if the data does not answer those questions.

Ideally, a conceptual framework takes into account all existing theories, findings, and contexts related to a research question. It is important that researchers review multiple disciplines to properly frame their work. This helps better identify gaps in both existing research and current research plans, which can lead to additional questions and experiments for the project.

Another important component in designing a conceptual framework is identifying potential biases. In examining established research, reviewers may discover important questions that were overlooked. These may have been missed because of wrongful assumptions or because key data did not support a hypothesis. Researcher should take an objective approach to their research, as any biases could affect the results of the project.

Conceptual frameworks can be graphic or narrative in composition. Many researchers use imagery such as graphs, charts, and illustrations to summarize previous studies. Narrative conceptual frameworks are more common despite being more difficult to navigate. Researchers employing narrative conceptual frameworks are encouraged to provide visual organization for readers in the form of bulleted points and bold and italicized texts.

Bibliography

Botha, M. Elaine. "Theory Development in Perspective: The Role of Conceptual Frameworks and Models in Theory Development." Journal of Advanced Nursing, vol. 14, no. 1, 1989, pp 49–55.

"Conceptual Framework." Sage Publications, www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/48274‗ch‗3.pdf. Accessed 14 Feb. 2018.

Jabareen, Yosef. "Building a Conceptual Framework: Philosophy, Definitions, and Procedure." International Journal of Qualitative Methods, vol. 8, no. 4, 2009, pp 49–62.

Ravitch, Sharon M., Matthew Riggan. Reason & Rigor: How Conceptual Frameworks Guide Research. Sage Publications, 2016.

Regoniel, Patrick A. "Conceptual Framework: A Step by Step Guide on How to Make One." Simply Educate Me, 5 Jan. 2015, simplyeducate.me/2015/01/05/conceptual-framework-guide/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2018.

Shields, Patricia M.,‎ and Nandhini Rangarajan. A Playbook for Research Methods: Integrating Conceptual Frameworks and Project Management. New Forums Press, 2013.

Glatzeder, Britt, Vinod Goel, and Albrecht Müller, editors. Towards a Theory of Thinking: Building Blocks for a Conceptual Framework. Springer, 2010.

Magher, Maria. "What Is the Meaning of Conceptual Framework in Research?" Leaf Group Ltd, classroom.synonym.com/meaning-conceptual-framework-research-6664512.html. Accessed 14 Feb. 2018.