LDRS591, Unit 1, Assignment 1.1

My post-secondary education in English literature presented assignments that asked me to “research” certain topics. My understanding of research was investigating what scholars discussed. In contrast to this definition, Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015) define research as “a process of steps used to collect and analyze information in order to increase our knowledge about a topic or issue” (p.4). This definition of research poses the systematic process of research where a question is posed, data is collected, and data is analyzed to formulate an answer (Plano-Clark & Creswell, 2015, p.4). The “research” I was asked to perform during my degree did not consist of these steps, and is instead defined as literature review, theoretical discussion, and opinion papers (p.5). Beyond my high school science classes, my experience with research is limited due to the nature of my degree. In recent years, the only memorable research that fits Plano-Clark & Creswell’s (2015) definition is in the research studies I studied in psychology. Do you see research playing a role in the liberal arts?

Currently, my role as an administrative assistant in a non-profit organization that serves a community struggling with poverty, homelessness, and addictions in Vancouver does not require extensive research. While I do read research such BC’s Homeless Count Report to better understand the continual rise of homelessness in Vancouver, I must admit, I do not intentionally seek other research about the homeless or addictions situation. My personal education of these issues come through News reports, but these come with biases and cannot be defined as research; once again, I am learning from opinion papers and not research. While my role does not require research, I recognize my need of understanding the situation my organization is trying to address through data. Would you have a suggestion of where I can begin reading more research on homelessness and addictions issues?

As the administrative assistant, I work closely with the supervisors of our team. I am often a logistical resource for our team, and they come to me with a range of questions and problems. On one occasion when our supervisors were absent, a pregnant team member entered my office with tears after finding blood in her urine. Her doctor told her to go to the hospital, but she was unable to contact her husband to drive her. Understanding the need to make a decision in the absence of our supervisors, I quickly assessed our current staffing needs, transportation options, policies, and our team value of grace. I booked a company vehicle, asked a teammate to drive, implemented a scheduling plan to fill in the staffing gaps, and contacted our manager about the decision. I made a decision based on the organizational values, past experience, and policies.

References

BC Non-Profit Housing Association & M. Thomson Consulting. (2017). 2017 Homeless Count in Metro Vancouver [Data File]. Retrieved from http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/homelessness/HomelessnessPublications/2017MetroVancouverHomelessCount.pdf

Britten, L. (2017, Sep. 26). Homeless count finds housing affordability crisis numbers up. CBC News. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-homeless-count-2017-1.4308345

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

Questions from: https://create.twu.ca/ldrs591-sp18/unit-1-learning-activities/