Research Plan: QUALITATIVE STUDIES ONLY
Scientific Merit Criteria for the Research Plan
Advances the scientific knowledge base.
Makes a contribution to research theory.
Meets certain “hallmarks” of good research methodology.
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
Learners, please insert your answers directly into the expandable boxes that have been provided!
A. Learner and Specialization Information
(to be completed by Learner)
Learner Name
Laganna
Learner Email
Specialization
Human Services
Methodology
QUALITATIVE
Section 1. Topic Endorsement
1.1 Research Topic (2 paragraphs)
FIRST PARAGRAPH: Describe the specific topic to be studied.
SECOND PARAGRAPH: describe the significance of this topic to your program/field (e.g., Psychology, Counseling, Business, Technology, Public Service Leadership, Education, etc.) AND your specialization within your program.
The Research Topic should be correctly formed:
The Research Topic should be appropriate for the specialization.
The Research Topic should use appropriate language for key concepts/phenomena.
Relationships between/among the concepts should be clearly specified (e.g., correlation).
The target population should be named
The concepts should be appropriately focused.
· Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
· Use APA style in citing all resources.
Research indicates that 12.4% of the population in the United States are 65 years and above and make up over 12.4% of the population. The statistics in 1990, which shows that the group only made 4% of the population and projections showing that older adults are expected to reach over 21% of the population by 2030, makes it urgent for the issues affecting the elderly to be addressed (Conner et al., 2011). Moreover, the elderly above 85 years of age were about four million in 2000 but their number is expected to increase to 19 million by 2050.
The growing population makes the prevalence of elder abuse a concern for social workers as it defines a deeply entrenched element of ageism in the highly individualized culture. Social workers are a target of the research because elder protection laws have several loopholes such as cases of self-determination and competency, which create discrepancies and variances in elderly protection (Conner et al., 2011). Give that no clear model is present as that of child abuse, the issue deserves critical attention now more than ever.
1.2 Research Problem (1 Paragraph)
Write a brief statement regarding the need for the study that fully describes the problem or need being addressed. The “need for the study” is what we often refer to as the Research Problem.
In simplified terms, the research problem should take this form:
“The research literature on _________ indicates that we know ________, we know __________, but we do not know ______________.”
The Research Problem should be correctly stated:
Existing literature and key findings should be summarized
Gaps or problems in the existing literature should be clearly formulated
The Research Problem should be explicitly stated, not implied.
.
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
• Use APA style in citing all resources.
Elders living in residential centers offering long-term supportive services record a high prevalence of abuse and neglect. The group of the elderly is especially vulnerable from the chronic diseases they suffer, which lead o limitations in physical and cognitive functioning as well as dependence on others (Hildreth, Burke & Golub, 2011). Many do not report cases of abuse fearing that they may incur retaliation or affect their lives negatively. Research indicates that those who live in the long-term care residential settings risk abuse and neglect in their nursing homes.
However, research on elderly abuse is limited even though some research suggests that it may as widespread as child abuse. Despite the increased attention, research on elderly abuse and neglect has kept away from contextual settings and focused more on incidences, reasons for the prevalence and risk factors (Hildreth, Burke & Golub, 2011). Using this train of thought, the elderly who live in settings different from their homes and apartments has received little attention in research and policy communities. The general goal of the paper is to provide evidence on the prevalence of abuse and neglect, specific to residential care facilities while suggesting a research agenda.
Section 2. Research Overview
2.1 Research Problem Background (3 paragraphs)
Provide a brief SUMMARY of your review of the research literature on the topic. This should include citations from at least 10 articles.This should be demonstrated by providing a statement about the body of existing literature on the topic, then, summarizing recent research findings on the topic, highlighting the findings that are most relevant to your proposed study, demonstrating how your proposed research could add to the existing literature on the topic. Be sure to provide appropriate in text citations and include references in the reference section.
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
• Use APA style in citing all resources.
2.2 Research Question
List the primary Research Question.
Your Research Question (s) should be correctly formed:
The Research Question(s) should be aligned with your Research Problem, the Research Topic, and the title.
The Research Question(s) should be phrased in a way that it can be answered by the intended methodology and analyses.
• Define the terms of the research question referencing the definitions with references from the literature.
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
• Use APA style in citing all resources.
2.3 Purpose of the Study
State the purpose of the study.The purpose of the study will be to answer the research question in order to solve the research problem and to contribute information about the wider social or community problem to a specific audience or audiences.
Note:
Describe thepurpose using the language of the specific study, topic, research problem, and research question.
2.4Methodology and Basic Design Overview
Provide an overview of the basic research methodology and the research model. Also state how this methodology is a good fit for the question being asked and the phenomena being studied.
• Describe the qualitative methodology (for example phenomenology) and research model (for example Giorgi – empirical phenomenology or Moustakas – transcendental phenomenology) you propose to use.
· Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
· Use APA style in citing all resource.
2.5 Title
Your title should be correctly formed:
The title should be aligned with your Research Problem (1.2) and Research Question (2.2), (use the same terminology for all).
The title should reflect the key variables or constructs to be studied.
The title should reflect the method to be employed in the research.
The title should be concise (12 words or less).
Section 3.Research Theory
3.1 Advancing Scientific Knowledge
Demonstrate how the study (a) will advance the scientific knowledge base; (b) is grounded in your field; and (c) addresses something that is not known, something that is new or different from prior research, something that extends prior research, or something that fills a gap in the existing literature. Describe precisely how the study will add to the existing body of literature on your topic. It can be a small step forward in a line of current research but it must add to the body of scientific knowledge in your specialization area and on the topic.
To respond to this question you will need to:
1. Provide a paragraph that describes the background for the study and how the research question relates to the background of the study.
2. Then, in a second paragraph discuss previous research and demonstrate exactly how the study (answering research question) will advance the scientific knowledge base on this topic. Include in-text citations and place the references in the reference section.
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
• Use APA style in citing all resources.
3.2 Theoretical Implications
Describe any theoretical implications that the proposed study may have for understanding phenomena. For example, does the study generate new theory, provide a description of the lived experience of the participants or provide a description of a cultural phenomena?
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
• Use APA style in citing all resources.
3.3 Practical Implications
Describe the practical implications that may result from the research. Specifically, describe any implications the research may have for understanding phenomena for practitioners, the population being studied, or a particular type of work, mental health, educational, community, stakeholders or other setting. Relate these back to the Research Problem.
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
• Use APA style in citing all resources.
Section 4. Research Methodology
4.1 Research Design
Describe the qualitative design (for example grounded theory) and research model (for example Strauss and Corbin or Charmaz – constructivist grounded theory) to be used, supported and referenced by primary sources. Describe in detail the method(s) proposed to collect the data, such as: structured, unstructured, and semi-structured interviews, journaling, letters, pictures, observations, field notes, focus groups. Describe the philosophy underlying the methodology and model.
Briefly describe how the study will be conducted. (Describe how the study will be carried out.)
The Research Design should be clearly identified.
The Research Design should be appropriate to the Research Question.
*Use primary sources as resources to support statements.
• Use APA style in citing all resources.
4.2 Population and Sample
Describe the characteristics of the larger population from which the sample (study participants) will be drawn. Include sampling strategy such as purposeful.State the estimated sample size needed for the study. Justify the sample size with support from the literature.
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
• Use APA style in citing all resources.
4.3 Ethical Considerations
Describe any ethical considerations given the sample, population, and/or topic. Please explain as fully as possible (i.e., How will human participantsbe protected while identifying the sample, while collecting the data, while analyzing the data, after data is collected, and during data storage?)
Is the proposed population or research topic greater than minimal risk?
Yes No
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
• Use APA style in citing all resources.
Section 5. Research Data
5.1 Data Collection – Sampling Procedures
Describe in detail each step to be taken from the beginning of recruitment to consent from the participants to participate. You must provide specific details and present the details in the order in which they will occur. You must include all of the following (if applicable):
· The recruitment site(s), acknowledgement of any permissions needed from the sites, and if there is an IRB at any of the sites.
· All of the means by which recruitment will occur (i.e., flyers, e-mails, social media)
· How potential participants may contact the researcher/s.
· How the potential participants will be screened and how you will proceed if they do qualify and if they do not qualify for the study.
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
• Use APA style in citing all resources.
a
5.2 Data Collection Procedures
Describe where and how data will be collected and describe the exact procedure(s) that will be used to collect the data. This is a step-by-step description of exactly how the research will be conducted. This should read like a recipe for the data collection procedures to be followed in the study. Be sure to include all the necessary details so that someone else will be able to clearly understand how data will be obtained.
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
**Use APA style in citing all resources
5.3 Guiding Interview Questions
Describe the interview method to be usedand how interviews will be conducted. List guiding interview questions that canbe used in the qualitative interviews with the participants. Provide a rationale for how and why you selected the interview technique to be used to address the primary research question. Be sure to discuss the results of any field test that was conducted as a part of the process of developing the final version of the guiding interview questions.
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
•Use APA style in citing all resources
5.4 Data Analyses
Provide a step-by-step description of the procedures to be used to conduct the data analysis. Support this process by identification and reference to primary descriptive sources, such as Moustakas, Giorgi, Stake Yin, Charmaz, or Braun et al. Check that that the data analysis process is consistent with the accepted analytical steps for the specific qualitative methodology chosen to conduct this study
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
•Use APA style in citing all resources
5.5 Role of the Researcher
Provide a description of any pre-understandings, preconceptions and biases about the topic and how you plan to set them aside.
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
• Use APA style in citing all resources.
5.6 Credibility, Dependability and Transferability
Present a strategy to ensure credibility, dependability, and transferability in the proposed study. Because the researcher is the primary instrument of research in qualitative studies, describe how the researcher established credibility for the research. Describe any training and experience you have in regards to the methods used for collecting and for analyzing the data. Credibility refers to confidence in the accuracy of the data as reported as well as a systematic and thorough interpretation by the researcher. Credibility involves carrying out the study in a way that enhances the believability of the findings of the data over time and over conditions. Credibility is assessed by how well the researcher/s demonstrated understanding of the research methodology and how well the methodology was applied to data collection and data analysis. Describe how the you plan to demonstrate expertise in regards to the research design. Transferability is demonstrated by showing that the sample fairly represents the target population, as well as by showing that the sample participants have the knowledge, experience, or expertise necessary to provide information that the discipline or field and the target population would find meaningful in regard to the topic.
Dependability is demonstrated by providing clear, detailed, and sequential descriptions of all procedures and methods, such that another researcher could repeat each of them faithfully.
• Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, PRIMARY resources to support statements.
Use APA style in citing all resources
Section 6. References
In the field below, provide your references for the research about your topic, and key theorists/researchers associated with the selected methodology. You will continue to build on this list of references throughout the project.
*Use APA style for all references.
Conner, T., Prokhorov, A., Page, C., Fang, Y., Xiao, Y., & Post, L. A. (2011). Impairment and abuse of elderly by staff in long-term care in Michigan: Evidence from structural equation modeling. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26(1), 21- 33. doi:10.1177/0886260510362880
Hildreth, C. J., Burke, A. E., & Golub, R. M. (2011). Elder abuse. The Journal of the AmericanMedical Association, 306(5), 568. doi: 10.1001/jama.306.5.568
Our Service Charter
-
Excellent Quality / 100% Plagiarism-Free
We employ a number of measures to ensure top quality essays. The papers go through a system of quality control prior to delivery. We run plagiarism checks on each paper to ensure that they will be 100% plagiarism-free. So, only clean copies hit customers’ emails. We also never resell the papers completed by our writers. So, once it is checked using a plagiarism checker, the paper will be unique. Speaking of the academic writing standards, we will stick to the assignment brief given by the customer and assign the perfect writer. By saying “the perfect writer” we mean the one having an academic degree in the customer’s study field and positive feedback from other customers. -
Free Revisions
We keep the quality bar of all papers high. But in case you need some extra brilliance to the paper, here’s what to do. First of all, you can choose a top writer. It means that we will assign an expert with a degree in your subject. And secondly, you can rely on our editing services. Our editors will revise your papers, checking whether or not they comply with high standards of academic writing. In addition, editing entails adjusting content if it’s off the topic, adding more sources, refining the language style, and making sure the referencing style is followed. -
Confidentiality / 100% No Disclosure
We make sure that clients’ personal data remains confidential and is not exploited for any purposes beyond those related to our services. We only ask you to provide us with the information that is required to produce the paper according to your writing needs. Please note that the payment info is protected as well. Feel free to refer to the support team for more information about our payment methods. The fact that you used our service is kept secret due to the advanced security standards. So, you can be sure that no one will find out that you got a paper from our writing service. -
Money Back Guarantee
If the writer doesn’t address all the questions on your assignment brief or the delivered paper appears to be off the topic, you can ask for a refund. Or, if it is applicable, you can opt in for free revision within 14-30 days, depending on your paper’s length. The revision or refund request should be sent within 14 days after delivery. The customer gets 100% money-back in case they haven't downloaded the paper. All approved refunds will be returned to the customer’s credit card or Bonus Balance in a form of store credit. Take a note that we will send an extra compensation if the customers goes with a store credit. -
24/7 Customer Support
We have a support team working 24/7 ready to give your issue concerning the order their immediate attention. If you have any questions about the ordering process, communication with the writer, payment options, feel free to join live chat. Be sure to get a fast response. They can also give you the exact price quote, taking into account the timing, desired academic level of the paper, and the number of pages.