Your dissertation topic will need to be aligned with your degree
program and specialization. For the purposes of this assignment,
consider how you could research your chosen dissertation topic through a
quantitative lens, using quantitative methods and research questions
that are aligned with quantitative research. The focus of this course is
quantitative research methodology and design. Be sure that your
assignment reflects a quantitative problem, purpose, and research
question methodology (even if you plan to pursue qualitative methods for
your dissertation).
Remember having been working with me, my topic is the effect of athletes’ use of social media on a human resources department. Be sure to keep your quantitative research
simple for this course. Recall that the focus of the course is learning
quantitative research methodology and design.
Develop a problem statement, purpose statement, and research
questions with corresponding set of hypotheses for your intended
dissertation research (or a quantitative example) that will use a
quantitative approach. You may want to use the Methods Map to provide an
overview of a quantitative approach. When using the map, it is
recommended that you begin with “Quantitative Data Collection,” which
will provide a list of the method on the right. You can click on any of
these for more information. Remember to look at the top box for
definitions of terms/concepts.
This is to be based on: (1) the review of the literature in your
topic area; (2) the identification of a problem based on your analysis
of this literature; (3) evidence for a research-worthy problem; (4) well
formulated research question(s) and hypotheses; and (5) your
understanding of the alternative types of quantitative research
studies.
Use the following section headings to organize your assignment response:
- Overview of the Research Focus.
- Provide a brief introduction to the research topic and focus.
- Statement of the Problem
- Begin with a clear statement of the problem.
- It is recommended to use the phrase: “The problem addressed is …”
- Evidence that the problem is current and worthy of a research study
using citation of source(s) from the literature and/or empirical
evidence from a credible source. Be sure to include a minimum of 3
sources that support or source the problem. Continue to search for
additional sources during this course to build the Statement of the
Problem section for the signature assignment. - Purpose of the Study
- Provide a clear statement of the research purpose that addresses the problem identified in the problem statement.
- It is recommended to use the phrase: “The purpose of this quantitative study is…”
- Do not exceed three sentences for this section.
- Research Question(s)and Hypotheses
- For this section, use the following format for listing the research
question(s) and associated set of hypotheses (null and alternative
hypotheses). NOTE: Descriptive research questions are excluded for this
assignment. NOTE: Descriptive research questions are excluded for this
assignment. - RQ1:
- Begin text here
- H10:
- Begin null hypothesis text here.
- H11:
- Begin alternative hypothesis text here.
- Repeat for each research question and set of hypotheses using RQ2, H20, H21, etc. It is recommended to not exceed two research questions for the purposes of this assignment response.
Length: Your paper should be between 3-5 pages, not including title and reference page.
References: Include a minimum of eight (8) scholarly resources.
Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas
and concepts that are presented in the course and provide new thoughts
and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should
reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards.
Info:
Overview of Quantitative Research and Review of Problem Statements
There are four main designs that you can use with a quantitative
methodology, including descriptive, correlational, quasi-experimental,
and experimental. You will need to look at your research study to figure
out which design will be most appropriate for you to answer your
research question. For example, if your research question talks about a
relationship between multiple variables, you will likely choose a
correlational design. You need to choose the design to best test your
hypotheses and answer your research question(s). The Methods Map
(located in the Resource section) is a fun and interesting tool that
provides an overview of not only alternative approaches but also a
number of methodological procedures.
As discussed in the overview for Section I, before researchers can
even think about the research design, it is essential to start at the
foundation of the business research process by defining and evidencing
the problem. It is extremely important to define the problem carefully
because the definition will determine the purpose of the research and
the research design.
Reminder: for this course, the focus is on problems whose purpose involves the use of a quantitative approach.
Once you have examined the approaches to quantitative research, you
need to present your problem statement, research purpose, and research
questions making sure that the purpose is consistent with a quantitative
study. (Yes…if you are thinking that the method stems from the purpose
and the research questions, and not the other way around, you are
correct.) In this case, however, make sure you are developing research
questions consistent with a quantitative study.
Research questions outline the problem to be investigated in a study,
stated in the form of a question. Remember to use the same verbiage in
the research questions that you did in the problem and purpose
statements.
- Research questions that describe data are called descriptive.
Descriptive research questions typically ask “How,” or “What,” and do
not have corresponding hypotheses. Descriptive research questions alone
are not appropriate for a dissertation research study. Although these
may be included with a comparative or correlational research question. - Research questions that compare one or more groups are called
comparative. Comparative research questions typically ask, “What is/are
the difference(s).” Comparative research questions have, at minimum, a
null and alternative hypotheses and are appropriate for a dissertation
research study. - Research questions that examine relationships are called
correlational (simple correlation) or relationship (multiple
correlations or regression models) questions. Correlation and
relationship questions typically ask, “What is the relationship.”
Correlational research questions, have, at minimum, a null and
alternative hypotheses and are appropriate for a dissertation research
study.
Each research question, with the exception of descriptive research
questions, contains a minimum of two hypotheses: the null hypotheses and
the alternative hypothesis. Hypotheses are declarative statements that
outline relationships or comparisons to be tested in your research
study. The null hypothesis is the core idea in hypothesis testing. The
null hypothesis is the hypothesis to be rejected, also referred to as
nullified. Null hypotheses for comparative research questions typically
state that two or more groups are not statistically the same. Null
hypotheses for correlational and relationship research questions
typically state that there is no statistically significant relationship
between the variables of interest. The alternative hypothesis, sometimes
termed research hypothesis, is the logical opposite of the null
hypothesis. Remember to use the same verbiage in the hypotheses that you
did in the research questions.
Hypothetical Examples
These
examples are simplistic for the purposes of alignment clarity. Both of
these research problems hold a greater depth and structure that need to
be explored and developed for an appropriate dissertation research
study. The problem will need to be supported with multiple works that
are current. Likewise, the problem and research questions would be
extended in depth and structure. If interested, take some time to access
and read the referenced articles.
Correlational Design Hypothetical Example
Problem
The problem addressed is the high attrition rate of U.S. police officers within their first 5 years of service.
Evidence
The Police
Executive Research Forum reported that 29% of police officers
voluntarily resign within their first year of service and an additional
40% of police officers voluntarily resign between their second and fifth
years of service (Police Executive Research Forum, 2019). Ozkan, et al.
(2020) reported a moderate, negative relationship (r = -.549, p <
.01) between job satisfaction and turnover intention in the US based on
their findings from a meta-analysis of 101 research studies between 1998
and 2018. (NOTE: Additional evidence will be needed for the
dissertation research study.)
Purpose
The purpose
of this quantitative research study is to examine the relationship
between U.S. police officer intent to attrite within 5 years of service
and overall job satisfaction.
Research Question (Correlational)
RQ1:
What is the relationship between U.S. police officer intent to attrite
within 5 years of service and overall job satisfaction?
Hypotheses
H1ο: There
is no relationship between U.S. police officer intent to attrite within
5 years of service and overall job satisfaction.
H1ι: There is a
relationship between U.S. police officer intent to attrite within 5
years of service and overall job satisfaction.
Population and Measurable Variables of Interest
Population of Interest:
U.S. police officers within their first five years of service
Independent Variable:
Job satisfaction
Dependent Variable:
Intent to quit
Comparative Design Hypothetical Example
Problem
The problem
addressed is, despite state legislature and public service announcement
campaigns, the incidence of distracted driving vehicle accidents,
because of secondary task engagement, persists as a public challenge.
Distracted driving accounted for
approximately 21% (400,000) of vehicle accident injuries and 7.8%
(2,841) of vehicle accident fatalities incurred in 2018. (Center for
Disease Control, n.d.). Distracted driver injuries have been estimated
to cost Americans approximately 129 billion per year (Center for Disease
Control, n.d.). Increase in the prevalence of hand-held electronic
device use by drivers, a primary source of secondary task engagement, is
estimated to have increased from 0.2% in 2005 to 3.2% in 2018 (National
Safety Council, n.d.). The primary method for studying prevalence of
secondary task engagement has been observational studies. Based on a
systematic review of 117 observation studies, Huemer et al. (2018)
purports most studies were focused on passenger cars because secondary
task behavior is hard to observe in vans or truck vehicles. (NOTE:
Additional evidence will be needed for the dissertation research study.)
Purpose
The purpose
of this quantitative study is to examine the incidence of distracted
driving vehicle accidents, because of secondary task engagement, by
vehicle type (passenger vehicle or delivery vehicle) in the US to
identify a group for enhanced public service announcement campaigns.
Research Question (Comparative)
What
is the difference in distracted driving vehicle accidents, because of
secondary task engagement, between passenger vehicles and delivery
vehicles occurring in 2018 in the US?
Hypotheses
Hο: There
is no difference in distracted driving vehicle accidents, because of
secondary task engagement, between passenger vehicles and delivery
vehicles occurring in 2018 in the US.
Hι: There is a difference in
distracted driving vehicle accidents, because of secondary task
engagement, between passenger vehicles and delivery vehicles occurring
in 2018 in the US.
Population and Measurable Variables of Interest
Population of Interest:
U.S. drivers
Independent Variable:
Vehicle Type: Passenger or Delivery
Dependent Variable:
Distracted driving vehicle accident because of secondary task engagement
It is important that you pay close attention to the School of
Business Prospectus Template. The details of what is required to make a
problem acceptable for your dissertation research, specifically at NCU,
is noted there. For instance, you need to demonstrate that experts in
the discipline believe the problem is worthy of scholarly research. This
requires providing evidence from contemporary scholarly
literature in the area. “Contemporary” is defined as studies that have
been published within the past 5 years while scholarly sources as those
that have undergone the rigors of peer review.
Be sure to review this week’s resources carefully. You are expected
to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your
assignments.
Heads-Up to the Signature Assignment
Your culminating Signature Assignment (due in Week 8) will be a
reflection of all that reflect what you have learned within the course.
It requires that you complete some work ahead of time. To ensure you are
prepared and have adequate time to complete this assignment, please
review the instructions by looking ahead to Week 8. You can contact your
professor if you have questions. It is important that you apply the
concepts learned in this course as well as your Instructor’s feedback to
develop the signature statement. You may need to work with your
professor during the course if your assignments in weeks 1 – 7 need
considerable refinement.
For this Signature Assignment, you are required to write a research
quasi-proposal involving quantitative research. The particular data
collection design is dependent on the topic of your choice and what is
appropriate given your problem and interest area.
References:
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.) Transportation Safety. Distracted Driving https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/distracted_driving/index.html
Huemer, A., Schumacher, M., Mennecke, M., & Vollrath, M. (2018).
Systematic Review of Observational Studies on Secondary Task Engagement
While Driving. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 119 (2018), 225-236.
National Safety Council (n.d.) Motor Vehicle Safety Issues. https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/motor-vehicle-safety-issues/distracted-driving/
Ozkan, A. H., Elci, M., Karabay, M. E., Kitapci, H., & Garip, C.
(2020). Antecedents of Turnover Intention: A Meta-Analysis Study in the
United States. E+M Ekonomie a Management, 1, 93. https://doi-org.proxy1.ncu.edu/10.15240/tul/001/2020-1-007
Police Executive Research Forum. (2019). The Workforce Crisis, and What Police Agencies are Doing About It. (ISBN 978-1-934485-53-8). https://www.policeforum.org/assets/WorkforceCrisis.pdf
In this section, you will
focus on an overview of quantitative research methods, the use of
primary and secondary data, and the specification of the problem and
purpose of the study.
In this course, you will have the opportunity to explore your
dissertation research study using quantitative methodology and design.
The opportunity to explore and apply these designs enables you to better
understand quantitative research and nuances of designing a research
study. It will also provide a foundation to critique studies by other
researchers in your field.
In week 1, we will begin with establishing a quantitative problem,
purpose, and research question. If you do not have a research topic at
this time; then contact your instructor or use a simple quantitative
research study in your field that you are familiar with. Be sure to keep
your quantitative research simple for this course. Recall that the
focus of the course is learning quantitative research methodology and
design.
As you learned in your prior course, Scholarly Literature Review, the
development of the problem begins with a review of the literature. The
problem needs to be consistent with your degree program, and your
specialization. For instance, given that you are obtaining a graduate
degree in business, it would not be appropriate to select topics on
opiate addiction remedies or learning interventions for students with
dyslexia. While these are certainly important topics, they are not
consistent with the business degree you are seeking. One indication of
this alignment with your degree program is whether at least some of the
literature that forms the basis of the study is published in business or
business-related journals or conference proceedings.
The most critical element in any research proposal is the problem
statement. When developing the problem statement, it is important to go
beyond a general topic to a specific, focused problem, that is
consistent with your degree and specialization. The problem statement
will include a focused topic of interest along with the population of
interest. It is important to state the problem as a problem. The purpose
of a study stems from the problem and the research questions stem from
the purpose. These need to be interconnected where it is clear how one
flows from the other. One way to ensure this does happen is to
use the same verbiage in the purpose statement that you did in the
problem statement. For example, if you use the term “Information
Security” in the problem statement, you must use “Information Security”
in the purpose statement. There should be no question that the purpose
of your study is to specifically address the problem you defined. Keep
in mind that this is the second piece of the foundation.
Research questions are the third piece. These should use the same
verbiage as well since the questions stem from the purpose. In a
quantitative research study, you will also have hypotheses that are
aligned with the research questions.
The research methodology is then designed to provide answers to the
research questions and test the hypotheses. There are a number of
alternative quantitative methods that will be reviewed in the course. In
this section, the focus is on using secondary data and observation
research.
In this section, you will
focus on an overview of quantitative research methods, the use of
primary and secondary data, and the specification of the problem and
purpose of the study.
In this course, you will have the opportunity to explore your
dissertation research study using quantitative methodology and design.
The opportunity to explore and apply these designs enables you to better
understand quantitative research and nuances of designing a research
study. It will also provide a foundation to critique studies by other
researchers in your field.
In week 1, we will begin with establishing a quantitative problem,
purpose, and research question. If you do not have a research topic at
this time; then contact your instructor or use a simple quantitative
research study in your field that you are familiar with. Be sure to keep
your quantitative research simple for this course. Recall that the
focus of the course is learning quantitative research methodology and
design.
As you learned in your prior course, Scholarly Literature Review, the
development of the problem begins with a review of the literature. The
problem needs to be consistent with your degree program, and your
specialization. For instance, given that you are obtaining a graduate
degree in business, it would not be appropriate to select topics on
opiate addiction remedies or learning interventions for students with
dyslexia. While these are certainly important topics, they are not
consistent with the business degree you are seeking. One indication of
this alignment with your degree program is whether at least some of the
literature that forms the basis of the study is published in business or
business-related journals or conference proceedings.
The most critical element in any research proposal is the problem
statement. When developing the problem statement, it is important to go
beyond a general topic to a specific, focused problem, that is
consistent with your degree and specialization. The problem statement
will include a focused topic of interest along with the population of
interest. It is important to state the problem as a problem. The purpose
of a study stems from the problem and the research questions stem from
the purpose. These need to be interconnected where it is clear how one
flows from the other. One way to ensure this does happen is to
use the same verbiage in the purpose statement that you did in the
problem statement. For example, if you use the term “Information
Security” in the problem statement, you must use “Information Security”
in the purpose statement. There should be no question that the purpose
of your study is to specifically address the problem you defined. Keep
in mind that this is the second piece of the foundation.
Research questions are the third piece. These should use the same
verbiage as well since the questions stem from the purpose. In a
quantitative research study, you will also have hypotheses that are
aligned with the research questions.
The research methodology is then designed to provide answers to the
research questions and test the hypotheses. There are a number of
alternative quantitative methods that will be reviewed in the course. In
this section, the focus is on using secondary data and observation
research.