LDRS 591 Activity 591

Unit 5 Learning Activities

As a consumer of research reports, the most important thing(s) for me in the methods and results section of a high-quality quantitative research report is/are…

 

After reading the required chapters of the textbook for this unit, I realized that my criteria for evaluating a study have been vague. I now have a better idea what to look for in a high quality quantitative research. I have combined the criteria in chapters 5,6,7 of Plan-Clark and Creswell (2015) along with some personal criteria tat I feel strongly about.

Research design: The authors should clearly state their reasons for the choice of study and data collection methods.

Participants: For me this is the most important component of the study. The validity of the study depends to a large extent on how the researchers choose their participants. For a high-quality study it must be clear what attempts the researchers made to identify and eliminate any bias or sampling error,  an explanation that the sample is representative of the population, and that the size of the sample is appropriate for the type of study conducted.

Data collection: The instruments that the authors use to collect data must be validated through prior research. If the authors use an instrument created by them, there should be a clear explanation by the authors how that instrument would help collect data for the variables they plan to study.

Data analysis and results: I will admit that my understanding of statistics is very basic, even after having read chapter 7 of the above textbook. I usually read the results and discussions section to understanding the outcome of the study. The results should clearly address the research questions and hypotheses. The results and discussion section should also be arranged in a comprehensive and orderly manner, addressing the research questions in a linear way.

Question: I find myself instinctively trusting studies that use validate instruments. Is it fair to judge a study as falling short if the authors create their own instrument/s , as long as they attempt to include all the variables they are studying ?

Reference

Plano-Clark, V., Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide. (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.