Assignment: Research Design and Sampling

Using the empirical research article that your instructor approved in the Week 5 assignment, ask yourself: "Is this a quantitative research article or a qualitative research article?" Remember, in quantitative research, the emphasis is on measuring social phenomenon because it is assumed that everything can be observed, measured, and quantified. On the other hand, in qualitative research, it is assumed that social phenomenon cannot be easily reduced and broken down into concepts that can be measured and quantified. Instead, there may be different meanings to phenomenon and experiences. Often in qualitative research, researchers use interviews, focus groups and observations to gather data and then report their findings using words and quotations.

Consider how these different methods affect the sampling design and recruitment strategy, and ask yourself how the recruitment of research participants will affect the findings.

For this Assignment, submit a 3-4 page paper. Complete the following:

• Read your selected empirical research article, and identify whether the study is a quantitative or qualitative study. Justify the reasons why you believe it is a quantitative or qualitative study. (Your instructor will indicate to you if you are correct in identifying the research design. This will point you to whether you will use the "Quantitative Article and Review Critique" or the "Qualitative Article and Review Critique" guidelines for the final assignment in week 10.)

• Using the empirical research article, focus on the sampling method in the study and begin to evaluate the sampling method by answering the following:

1. Describe the sampling methods in your own words (paraphrase, do not quote from the article).

2. Describe the generalizability or the transferability of the research finding based on the sampling method.

3. Discuss the limitations the article identified with the sample and how those limitations affect the reliability or credibility.

4. Explain one recommendation you would make to improve the sampling plan of the study that would address these limitations in future research.

Article: The Relationship Between Postpartum Depression, Domestic Violence, Childhood Violence, and Substance Use: Epidemiologic Study of a Large Community Sample (By Cindy-Lee Dennis1,3 and Simone Vigod)