Researchers can employ a quantitative or qualitative approach, or a combination of the two. In quantitative studies, you often see tables of numerical data or graphs in the Results section. Qualitative studies, on the other hand, use interviews, focus groups, and observations to understand the participants’ perceptions. Rather than using statistics to summarize the study, these studies look at themes and present the material using words, phrases, and often paragraphs to illustrate what they are representing. Here you might see portions of transcribed interviews in the Results section. A mixed-methods approach, as the name implies, uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to answer the research questions. It is important to understand the methodological approach in any given article so that you may evaluate whether the research study was conducted appropriately.
In this Assignment, you return to your six peer-reviewed research articles to identify the research question and the associated methodological approach in each.
To Prepare:
- Review the Learning Resources on research methodologies, including the interactive media on qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods.
- Revisit the six peer-reviewed articles you gathered on your topic in Weeks 2 and 3. Consider the research question and methodology the researchers have employed in each study.
By Day 7
Using the six peer-reviewed research articles that you gathered in Weeks 2 and 3:
- Identify the research question in each and provide justification.
- Identify the methodological approach in each (qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods) and provide justification.
Use the Learning Resources to support your identification of the research question and methodology. Make sure to include appropriate APA citations and a reference list.
