Quantitative Research Methodology

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Health research is grounded in science. It looks at issues that affect not only how health care is developed, but also its affect on the community and society as a whole. Research is a process that can consume a large quantity of time or numerous participants; the process cannot be rushed or the process altered. Doing so could distort the results resulting in false outcomes or having to terminate the project altogether. Research can take on many forms and be performed through numerous methods. Whether the researcher is an active participant, as is the case with action researcher, running clinical drug trials, or performing a meta-analysis, the outcomes should reflect the purpose of what the researcher was trying to prove or disprove. Goals for research are set at the beginning, as part of the proposal the researcher presents to the committees overseeing the project. Methodology is the key to successful research. Determining how to run the study, whether it should be qualitative or quantitative can be dictated by the subject matter studied and the desired outcomes. Methodology is determined from the questions posed from the researcher; it is these questions that will guide the study and the desired outcomes. Methodology, theoretical foundation, ethical considerations, and contribution to society are components the researcher needs to address. Topics for research are based on subjects near and dear to the researcher; they can be issues directly affecting their work, community or organization. Qualitative methodology can be defined as a study that analyzes meanings and themes that the research has either observed or evaluated from a given situation (Jacobsen, 2012). Data is not translated i... ... middle of paper ... ...e to identify more programs. This would definitely strengthen outcomes for the research study. The second suggestion of setting better criteria for determining which institutions should be included in the study has also been incorporated when setting criteria. It has yet to be determined whether stand alone rural institutions, rural institutions associated with urban centers, or a combination of the two will yield the best results. At this point in time, this student is leaning towards the combination. Overall, feedback from the team has been positive and supportive. The suggestions are not ones this student had thought of and will prove useful in the future. As mentioned earlier, peer feedback is a crucial component of research and should be value in highest esteem. Research is a time consuming, tedious process that should not be rushed.

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