W3 Assignment: Crafting your research design

In this assignment, you will continue adding to your methodology chapter. In this portion of your methodology chapter, you will work to connect your problem and purpose to a chosen research design, as you investigated in weeks 1, 2, and 3. This week you incorporated your thinking about theoretical frameworks, as well. 

1. Remind the reader of your problem and purpose (About 200 words) [Note to writer: Please look at the attached “Comments from Instructor” word document and the comments given. Incorporate the comments and make the necessary changes to this assignment. This will be an ongoing process.]
2. Explain your research design, using foundational resources (About 400 words)
   • Do not use our course texts in this section. For example, if you are designing a case study, you should reference Robert Stake, Robert Yin, and/or Sheran Merriam. If you are planning an action research design, you should reference authors such as Herr & Anderson; Mertler; Stringer; Efron & Ravid; or, others who are experts in the field.
   • Describe the design.
   • Do not describe a mixed-methods design.
   • Do not describe a quantitative design–only qualitative designs.
3. Provide a rationale for using this design to investigate your problem. This rationale should be based on what the design can accomplish as noted by foundational authors (2 paragraphs)
4. Describe the context, population, and participants (one paragraph)
5. Discuss your chosen theoretical framework and how it will guide your design (1-2 paragraphs).

Required Textbooks

• Anfara, V. A., Jr. & Mertz, N. T. (Eds.). (2014). Theoretical frameworks in qualitative research (2nd ed.). Sage. ISBN-13: 9781452282435
• Bloomberg, L. D. & Volpe, M. (2018). Completing your qualitative dissertation: A roadmap from beginning to end (4th ed.). Sage. ISBN-13: 9781544336527
• Leavy, P. (2017). Research design: Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, arts-based, and community-based participatory research approaches. Guilford. ISBN-13: 9781462514380

Recommended Textbooks

• Flick, U. (2018). The Sage handbook of qualitative data collection. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 
• Krueger, R. A., & Casey, M. A. (2014). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research (5th ed.). Sage.  ISBN-13: 9781483365244
• Kuckartz, U. (2014). Qualitative text analysis: A guide to methods, practice, and using software. Sage. ISBN-13: 9781446267752
• Merriam, S. D. & Tisdell, E. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass. ISBN-13: 9781119003618
• Mertler, C. A. (Ed.). (2019). The Wiley handbook of action research in education. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell. 
• Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2019). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (4th ed.). Sage. ISBN-13: 9781506353074
• Seidman, I. (2019). Interviewing as qualitative research (5th ed.). Teachers College Press. ISBN-13: 9780807761489

REQUIRED READINGS FOR WEEK 3

Required Readings

• Anfara & Mertz (Eds., 2015). Theoretical frameworks in qualitative research (2nd ed.).
  • Chapter 1, Anfara & Mertz, Setting the stage, pp. 1-20.
  • Chapter 2, Henstrand, Seeking an understanding of school culture: Using theory as a framework for observation and analysis, pp. 21-41.
  • Chapter 3, Fowler, Struggling with theory, pp. 42-61.
  • Chapter 6, Mills & Bettis, Using multiple theoretical frameworks to study organizational change and identity, pp. 96-118.
• Leavy, Chapter 5, Qualitative research design, pp. 124-163 (as applicable to completing the assignment–note that parts of chapter 5 will be used throughout the rest of this course to support your continued learning about a qualitative methodology chapter).

The readings above encompass the introductory chapter by the editors, and three additional chapters by authors who wrote about their work with theory, based upon the research reports cited at the beginning of each chapter.

Recommended Resources

• Video: Dr. Guy White: Theoretical Frameworks

Recommended Readings

• Tucker, Lori J., “A Narrative Inquiry With Three Formerly Abrasive Leaders: Stories of Disruption, Awakening, and Equipping” (2019). Paper 154. (Read chapter 1, pp. 1-17). (You read this in week 2).
• The remaining chapters of the Anfara & Mertz text may also be helpful to you as you work to understand how to incorporate theory into your dissertation.
• Bloomberg & Volpe, chapter 8, Presenting methodology and research approach, pp. 182-229.