EMHSS699_An

The Literature Review The literature review examines what others have researched and written on your research topic. Each research topic includes numerous areas or themes to examine. Once you have identify themes within your area of research begin with an outline. This will allow you to see what areas exist and then you can find gaps. Fill in the gaps.

Now that you have a full outline, begin with a topic sentence related to the subtopics you have identified. Next, find literature you identified in the annotated bibliography that relates to this topic and use these sources to critically evaluate the topic. You may find agreement, disagreement, overlap, and gaps in the literature. The gaps and disagreements are areas in which you can determine if your research may address. If so, this adds to the validity of the research. If not, this gap or disagreement may be an area of future study. You may find you need more literature at this point and you can return to the academic databases in the library to refine your searches. You should ensure that you look at other business sectors as you compile your literature review. We can not solve problems through research only looking within our discipline. If we had the answer, we would not need to conduct research.

While there are not page minimums or maximums on the literature review, the literature review provides a basis for your study and must cover all of the literature and topics related to research study. Failure to connect your research to the literature will lessen the strength of your study.

A recorded webinar on the literature review and its contents, purpose and connection to the overall research study is located through the APUS library.

A recorded webinar on the development of Research Questions and Literature Review can be found.

Analyzing the Data Analysis of quantitative data is straightforward, as long as there are no errors in the data arrays or computational errors. The biggest errors at the master's level are using the wrong statistical method or not knowing what statistical method to apply. Fortunately, there are many resources to help design the computation correctly. Within the APUS library is a series of math based videos.

Analysis of qualitative data is fraught with opportunities for error. The most common error is bias. Because words are the data element, and because any two humans will often perceive the exact same word in different ways, it's absolutely vital for the researcher to ensure that he or she is not writing their own meaning into the words that are being studied. Doing this perfectly of course is impossible, since we cannot remove ourselves totally from the observation and evaluation process. However, qualitative researchers make every effort to be conscious of the potential for bias at all times.

Qualitative analysis is largely a matter of pattern matching and looking for replication in word patterns and themes. The theory is that the more prevalent a pattern or theme is, the more likely it is to be true. Again, the possibility for error is significant. Group-think, for example, can provide a single theme answer that is absolutely wrong, and if the researcher does not realize what is happening, then the research will not be valid. A useful electronic book from the APUS library is Qualitative Research in Practice: Stories From the Field

Despite these issues, the careful researcher can ward off questions of validity and make positive contributions to knowledge and society. It just takes attention and effort.

Gathering the Data "Between the opening and the endgame, the gods have decreed that there will be a middle game." (Old Chess Proverb)

Project development is now complete. What's known has been identified, what's unknown has been identified, and a research strategy to find out the answers to what's unknown has been developed. Now it's time to get to work.

Much of the data that is likely to be required may already have been gathered as part of the development of the bibliography if you are completing desk research. Sometimes answers can be found by looking at old data in new ways.

However, it's quite likely that at least some new data will be required, which will be gained by gathering previously unknown resources or by creation through interviews, surveys, observations, and other data-creation methods. It is important that the data collection properly matches to the research questions and will be able to answer the research questions. As a student under time and location constraints, it is important to understand your ability to collect the data. If you want to interview local responders from the Haiti earthquake, can you travel to Haiti or develop a data collection strategy to gather the information remotely? Surveys are commonly utilized, but can fail if not written properly. Decide if limited answers, such as Likert Scales and multiple choice answers can adequately answer your research questions. If not, you may need an additional data gathering instrument, such as an interview. It is not uncommon to use more than one data gathering instrument to fully answer your research questions. However, I caution that you only have 16 weeks for the entire course. Be sure your design matches your time constraints.

The process of gathering new quantitative data is usually pretty straightforward. An experiment is conducted, results are written down, and statistical analysis applied. A result pops out, and the hypothesis is proven or dis-proven. Pretty straightforward.

The qualitative analysis process is more complex. Data is gathered. The data is evaluated to determine if the research question has been answered. If not, then more data is gathered. This process continues until the question is answered or there is no more data that can be gathered.

Be sure to reference your materials from the research methods course to help in your data collection. Additional resources can be located through the APUS library.

A recorded webinar that explains the data collection process can be located through the APUS library.

EMHSS699 Not Research on Human Subjects Form

If your proposed project involves research with human subjects, do not submit this form. Instead, complete and submit a draft IRB application by the end of week 2. After you have:

1. Reviewed the materials in the IRB folder in RESOURCES, 2. Taken the CITI course, 3. Emailed your CITI course completion certificate to the instructor, and 4. Determined that your capstone research project does NOT involve research on human subjects,

Submit this form. Student’s name: ROBERT OWONO AWONO Title of project: The use of drones in emergency and disaster management

In a paragraph, explain why your project does not involve research on human subjects. Use the terms you learned in the CITI course.

The project does not involve research on human subjects because it focuses solely on

technology and its application in crisis situations. Unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, are used

for many purposes, including search and rescue operations, assessing damage after a disaster,

monitoring wildfire progression, and bringing emergency supplies to distant regions. Drones

used in emergency and disaster response are classified as non-human subjects of research.

Because this kind of research focuses on the technology itself and examines its capabilities,

limitations, and possible applications to enhance emergency response efforts that ensures human

volunteers are not directly engaged in the study. This research does not include the collecting of

personal data or the experimenting on humans. In terms of ethics, the research project focuses on

the utility and influence of drones in emergency and disaster management rather than their

effects on human beings. It does not address questions of participant harm, privacy, or informed

consent. The project will use case studies, data analysis, and previously published material to

evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of employing drones in emergency situations. To perform

this research ethically, it is vital to respect the privacy and confidentiality of any data collected

by drones, as well as to adhere to local laws and regulations governing their operation. The

research, which employs data analysis and previously published information, is primarily

concerned with the technology itself and how it is used in crisis situations (Daud et al., 2022).

This kind of study is characterized as non-human subjects research since it poses no risks to

participants, informed consent, or privacy.

Your signature: _______________________________________________________ Send a signed and scanned copy of this form to your instructor as an email attachment before the end of week 2.