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As always, you NEED at least two interactive postings with other students. Don't forget to be thoughtful, fact-packed and well-reasoned. Steer clear of postings that say, "I agree with you" or simply restate what someone else has said. Add value! Instructions: Please respond to at least 2 other students. Responses should be a minimum of 200 words and include direct questions. Responses Due: Sunday, by 11:55pm ET

Angel Smoke,

Terrific post this week.  I agree that obtaining essential information that is pertinent to the project is crucial to achieve a quality research result.  There is nothing worse than sifting through reams of inconsequential data only to find that the nuggets you are looking for are not there.  I think that you make a good point in that moving away from one’s “comfort zone” is necessary.  But, I also think that it can be rewarding.  By this I mean that by taking a risk the researcher will add more kit to the toolbox.  In other words, by getting outside the “comfort zone” the reward is really to expand your “comfort zone” and open up new avenues and capabilities.  Do you find this to be true?  Or, do you think that each new project is stand-alone and does not necessarily open up new horizons?

I do not necessarily disagree with your assessment that the approach will affect the conclusion.  But, I think there is a little more to it than just expanding a research database.  I think that the research question itself really drives much of the approach.  For instance, with your example of surveying a company on a particular subject, if the research question is centered on a single company, such as “How much time do ACME employees spend on smoke breaks?”  Then, the research would only involve the single company and would probably be best served by a quantitative approach.  However, if the research question is “What affects can smoke breaks have on the morale of widget makers?”  Then, I think a qualitative research approach that encompasses several industry companies would be called for.  Do you see what I mean?

Thanks!

Wade

Discuss this weeks topic with your classmate.

Ray Hinojosa

Why is it important to think about the research approach you plan on using for your papers?

The most important thing to think about when it comes to the approach for a research paper is who the audience is. One could have a great paper but if the paper is above the audience (langue used, examples given) the paper will be worth nothing. It is important to approach writing a paper as well the research conducted in that paper in a manner that an audience will understand. For example I know a lot about the department of corrections, I know the vocab, the structure, inmate politics as well as how most administrations work and I could easily create a research paper about the department of corrections. However, if the approach I take is one with the assumption that everyone knows just as much as I do, the reader will become bored and even lost. The verbiage and the abbreviations may be confusing as well as the paramilitary structure that is followed on a daily basis. Having a strong research question is also important.

It is easy to get lost and find yourself in the weeds when it comes to research. Therefore is important to know what exactly you need to research. By taking this approach one will not waste time on looking up something that does not pertain to the research topic one has chosen to do. Using this strategy it will prevent a paper from going off topic and overall save time on the amount of effort that is being put into the research aspect.  Lastly, have an outline of what it is that you want to cover in the paper. If the research paper is about how to keep the border secure write things down to research that pertain to the border. For example it would not be a bad approach to list such things as what is the border, why is it important, why should it be protected would all be good research question to put into a research paper. That way the reader will know what you are discussing and why it is important. One also saves time due to the fact they already know what they will be researching.

Does the approach a person takes to research affect the conclusions?

Yes, the approach a person takes does affect the conclusion of the overall paper. For example I think former President Obama was a complete disaster for this country. He doubled the national debt, forced government health care onto citizens and gave Iran billions of dollars. I also think Trump is doing great; he is putting the nation first and has actually done something when a country crossed a “red line”. Depending on the approach and what type of research a person does there paper will either support my opinion of contradict it, a biased approach will lead the researcher into only looking up facts that support their opinion.  The approach a person has a huge outcome of the overall conclusion of the paper.                                                                              Does the type of research question drive the approach to research?

No. Research is research. It may be an easy topic or a hard/ specific topic but in the end it is simple a question that needs to be looked into prior to answering.  No matter what the question is, the way I conduct research as well as my approach rarely changes.  I conduct an outline of what I am asking and research those questions.  I same use same tools and ask the same questions i.e. who is the audience, what is and is not relevant to the question being asked.

References

Mora, M. (2010). Quantitative Vs. Qualitative Research: When to Use Which. Research. Retrieved July 4, 2107.