Good Research

Overview

In the book, by John Creswell, there are three types of research designs that are important. They include qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. The purpose of this paper is to differentiate between the three research designs. In addition, the focal point of this paper will distinguish between poor and high quality research articles.
Discussion

Research Methods
Qualitative. Qualitative research can be defined as methods that predict knowledge claims (Creswell, 2003). The approaches that tend to apply to qualitative approaches include philosophical assumptions, and constructivist advocacy. These strategies are inquired with phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, case study and narrative. Other characteristics of qualitative approaches include open-ended questions, emerging approaches, and text or image data. These practices of research are used as the researcher positions himself or herself, collects participants meanings, focuses on a single concept or phenomenon. Qualitative approaches add personal values into the study, context and setting of participants. Other ways of determining qualitative approaches focus on validation of the accuracy of its findings, by interpretations of data. Lastly, they create an agenda for change, reform and are able to collaborate with the participants.

In an article, “Carrots reduce cancer risk by one third in laboratory rats”, Dr. Kirsten Brandt prefers the use of qualitative methods to quantitative methods (Brandt, 2005). The research completed the study by testing 24 rats with pre cancerous tumors, later the rats were separated into three groups. Each of the groups were feed different diets, to determine the results of including carrots in the diet. After careful observation, the team concluded that the rats with carrots in their daily diet were less likely to develop full-scale tumors. This was just one example of the importance of conducting quality qualitative research. This particular study can also be further broken down to decide if there a certain types of carrots that will prevent the risk of cancer.

Quantitative. Investigators often use the quantitative approach in order to gain post positivist claims for development of knowledge (Creswell, 2003). Another common root includes surveys and experiments. Methods may be employed through use of close-ended questions, predetermined approaches and numeric data. Some areas in which practices of research may use includes tests, theories, explanations, variable, hypotheses, reliability, and statistics.

In a scientific examination about pediatrics to geriatrics, a study was conducted on elderly humans. This study focused on the relationships between energy intake and the recovery time for elderly patients in resistive training (American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 2005). The materials and methods used were fifteen frail, hospitalized elderly people, about 84.1 years old. These patients would participate in a high resistance training class for four weeks and five times per week. The load would continue over the weeks to increase until reaching about 80% of it repetition maximum (RM). Next, the group was divided into two groups, one consisting of persons whose energy intake was over the total energy expenditure (TEE) and one that was under the energy intake for TEE. After consistent training and study, the following conclusions were made:
1) resistance weight training leads to gains in muscle size among frail elderly patients for 4 weeks.
2) It was suggested that energy intake on resistive training over the total energy expenditure
accelerate the muscle hypertrophy (American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 2005).

Mixed Methods. Mixed methods are different from qualitative and quantitative methods since they respond to both open and closed ended questions (Creswell, 2003). Mixed methods are unique since they focus on pragmatic knowledge claims, and they use strategies that are sequential, concurrent, and transformative. The mixed methods approach collects both quantitative and qualitative data. Other attributes about the approach include developing a rationale for mixing, integrating the data at different stages of inquiry, and the used of visual pictures. For instance, a study was conducted to in an educational environment. The benefits of using mixed methods would help to tear down the professional rifts in qualitative and quantitative research (Viadcro, 2005).

Designing research
The three methods discussed are important in conducting the appropriate research. In conducting good research, examiners must properly introduce the proposed research (Creswell, 2003). Often research work may be sloppy due to vague introductions. To avoid this researchers must ensure that the situation is properly identified. A good research project should also have a purpose statement. The purpose statement is found in the beginning of the research and tells the reader the intent of the study. Researchers should also incorporate research questions and hypotheses in their study to draw the attention of the reader. The will capture the attention of the reader and answer any questions. Lastly, a good researcher will determine the type of methods used in the study, whether it is quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods procedures.

Conclusion

Opinion. Overall, the importance of conducting a good research relies on the researcher. The researcher must be able to pull together accurate precise information that is not biased. Often in research environments, the method of study will tend to lean to the left or right. In my opinion, a good research method would incorporate both qualitative and quantitative, producing a mixed methods approach.


References

American society for parenteral and enteral nutition. (2005). Scientific paper session.
Pediatrics to geriatrics. Red Nova. Retrieved February 13, 2005, from http:www.rednova.com/modules/news/tools.

Brandt, K. (2005). Carrots reduce cancer risk by one third in laboratory rats. Medical
news today. Retrieved February 13, 2005, from http: www.medicalnewstoday.com

Creswell, J. (2003). Research Design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods
approaches. London. Sage publications.

Viadrcro, D. (2005). Mixed methods research examined. Education week. Retrieved February 10, 2005, from http: www.educationweek.com