Quantitative Research Designs

dis 5 and 6 Order Description Discussion 5 Quantitative Research Designs In order to fin" rel="nofollow">ind the best in" rel="nofollow">information on a topic, not only should you develop a question and search for resources, but you should also know how to analyze the value of the resources that you identify. There are different ways to evaluate resources, such as usin" rel="nofollow">ing the hierarchy of evidence, which you explored in" rel="nofollow">in Week 4 of this course. Another way to evaluate resources is to consider the appropriateness of the research design. Understandin" rel="nofollow">ing how research designs contribute to the quality of a study is essential for bein" rel="nofollow">ing able to analyze resources when conductin" rel="nofollow">ing a literature review or locatin" rel="nofollow">ing evidence for practice. In this Discussion, you consider the different research designs and evaluate how these designs have been used to research a specific topic. You also consider strategies for selectin" rel="nofollow">ing an appropriate research design. To prepare: Review the in" rel="nofollow">information in" rel="nofollow">in the course texton quantitative research designs. Focus on the in" rel="nofollow">information in" rel="nofollow">in Box 9.1, “Guidelin" rel="nofollow">ines for Critiquin" rel="nofollow">ing Research Designs in" rel="nofollow">in Quantitative Studies” located on page 230 of the course text. Select a topic from the list below and search the Walden Library to fin" rel="nofollow">ind two different quantitative research studies addressin" rel="nofollow">ing that issue: Caregiver stress Anxiety in" rel="nofollow">in children Sleep apnea Depression in" rel="nofollow">in college freshmen Rural health care issues Post-traumatic stress syndrome Traumatic brain" rel="nofollow">in in" rel="nofollow">injury in" rel="nofollow">in veterans Health effects of environmental contamin" rel="nofollow">inants Bipolar disorder End-of-life ethical issues Alternative medicin" rel="nofollow">ine For each of the sources that you select, identify the type of quantitative research design used, and evaluate whether it is the most appropriate approach to the research. Consider the ramifications of choosin" rel="nofollow">ing an in" rel="nofollow">inappropriate design for a research study. By Day 3 Post the topic you selected, references for the two sources you identified, and the quantitative research design used in" rel="nofollow">in each. Critique the appropriateness of the design used and justify your comments with in" rel="nofollow">information from the Learnin" rel="nofollow">ing Resources. Discuss the ramifications of choosin" rel="nofollow">ing an in" rel="nofollow">inappropriate design for a research study. Discussion 6 Validity in" rel="nofollow">in Quantitative Research Designs Validity in" rel="nofollow">in research refers to the extent researchers can be confident that the cause and effect they identify in" rel="nofollow">in their research are in" rel="nofollow">in fact causal relationships. If there is low validity in" rel="nofollow">in a study, it usually means that the research design is flawed and the results will be of little or no value. Four different aspects of validity should be considered when reviewin" rel="nofollow">ing a research design: statistical conclusion validity, in" rel="nofollow">internal validity, construct validity, and external validity. In this Discussion, you consider the importance of each of these aspects in" rel="nofollow">in judgin" rel="nofollow">ing the validity of quantitative research. To prepare: Review the in" rel="nofollow">information in" rel="nofollow">in Chapter 10 of the course text on rigor and validity. Read the method section of one of the followin" rel="nofollow">ing quasi-experimental studies (also located in" rel="nofollow">in this week’s Learnin" rel="nofollow">ing Resources). Identify at least one potential concern that could be raised about the study’s in" rel="nofollow">internal validity. Metheny, N. A., Davis-Jackson, J., & Stewart, B. J. (2010). Effectiveness of an aspiration risk-reduction protocol. Nursin" rel="nofollow">ing Research, 59(1), 18–25. Padula, C. A., Hughes, C., & Baumhover, L. (2009). Impact of a nurse-driven mobility protocol on functional declin" rel="nofollow">ine in" rel="nofollow">in hospitalized older adults. Journal of Nursin" rel="nofollow">ing Care Quality, 24(4), 325–331. Yuan, S., Chou, M., Hwu, L., Chang, Y., Hsu, W., & Kuo, H. (2009). An in" rel="nofollow">intervention program to promote health-related physical fitness in" rel="nofollow">in nurses. Journal of Clin" rel="nofollow">inical Nursin" rel="nofollow">ing, 18(10), 1,404–1,411. Consider strategies that could be used to strengthen the study’s in" rel="nofollow">internal validity and how this would impact the three other types of validity. Thin" rel="nofollow">ink about the consequences of an advanced practice nurse neglectin" rel="nofollow">ing to consider the validity of a research study when reviewin" rel="nofollow">ing the research for potential use in" rel="nofollow">in developin" rel="nofollow">ing an evidence-based practice. By Day 3 Post the title of the study that you selected and your analysis of the potential concerns that could be raised about the study’s in" rel="nofollow">internal validity. Propose recommendations to strengthen the in" rel="nofollow">internal validity and assess the effect your changes could have with regard to the other three types of validity. Discuss the dangers of failin" rel="nofollow">ing to consider the validity of a research study.