Appraising the Merits of Qualitative Method. 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) post positivism, (b) constructivism, (c) advocacy/participatory, and (d) pragmatism. Traditional, modern, postmodern, and integrative are other ways that you can view the world (Mertens, et al., 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 your degree type makes a difference in selecting a framework. 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. Appraising the Merits of 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. 1. 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. 2. Determine if there is the potential to employ a mixed methods approach (1-2 cited paragraphs). 3. Explain how your degree path informs your research approach (1-2 cited paragraphs). 4. Based on your discovery of your worldview share your thoughts about how this will affect your research (1-2 cited paragraphs). 5. 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. 6. Include a brief discussion on how your degree type affected your framework selection. 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. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University’s Academic Integrity Policy. Upload your document and click the Submit to Dropbox button. Appraising the Merits of Qualitative Method