https://create.twu.ca/ldrs591-sp18/unit-6-learning-activities/
Chan, K. W. C, & So, G. B. K. (2017). Cultivating servant leaders in secondary schooling. Servant Leadership: Theory and Practice, 4(1), 12-31.
- Did the researcher(s) use at least three strategies to validate the findings?
Chan and So did not provide evidence of Triangulation, member checking or an outsider audit to validate their findings. They used focus group interviews and then categorized and coded the results. If my understanding of the research is correct, they did not use sufficient strategies to validate the findings.
Rating: 1
- Did the findings include a good description of the people, places, or events in the study?
Chan and So (2017) provide a clear description of themes that were outlined in the results. Plano-Clark and Creswell suggest that in a higher quality qualitative research design, “the important context of the study is described in rich detail using a broad-to-narrow form, factual information, action words and modifiers, participant quotes and tables or figures that provide additional details.” (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 377). Chan and So provide the reader with several participant quotes, and use factual information. They provide one table. They could strengthen their research in this area by adding more tables and figures with information to back their findings.
Rating: 2
- Did the findings include appropriate themes about the central phenomenon?
Chan and So (2017) identified seven themes. They were (a) listening, (b) empathy, (c) empathy and healing, (d) awareness, (e) planning: conceptualization and foresight, (f) persuasion, and (g) community building. Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015) suggest five to seven themes. (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015, P 377).
Rating: 3
- Did the findings provide a good exploration of the central phenomenon?
Chan and So (2017) also broke the 7 themes into sub-themes which Plano-Clark and Creswell suggest as an indicator of high quality research. “The theme of awareness was subdivided into purpose, reflection, stewardship, development of self and development of others. The theme of community building was also subdivided into perseverance, teamwork, and relationship.” (Chan and So, 2017, P 22). They used several participant quotes as evidence, however they did not use comparison tables.
Rating: 2
My overall rating for evaluating the data analysis and findings is 8. This places the research by Chan and So (2017) in the category over an overall low quality article in terms of Data Analysis. I feel that there are several components missing from this research preventing it from being adequate or high quality.
References
Chan, K. W. C, & So, G. B. K. (2017). Cultivating servant leaders in secondary schooling. Servant Leadership: Theory and Practice, 4(1), 12-31.
Plano-Clark, V., & Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.