Week 5 Discussion 1 Law Enforcement Research Design and Analysis - Essay Example

Week 5 Discussion Law Enforcement Research Design and Analysis of affiliation Use of theory checklist In social science research, there is an expanding and limitless array of methodologies being accepted as trail to fresh knowledge and understanding. The result is that the validity of research becomes questionable for lack of consistency depending on the method used hence reducing trust from the audience. Instead of providing an overaching theory like evolutionary psychology theory proposed by Ploeger (2010), the proposal in this article is to use mixed methods through formation of research questions and making of logical decisions.

The author reveals the reason for using mixed method as being due to research projects being non-linear but facing unanticipated directions with time which result to changes in the purpose. However, the researcher defines that the original purpose should be retained such that any changes within the research whether consistent, resistant or contrary to the original purpose can aid the researcher to craft them to meet the needs of the original purpose. The author gives examples of the use of mixed methods theory with a consistent original purpose through the Finn and Achilles (1990) to identify the failure of students to learn reading and math (Newman, Ridenour, Newman, & Paul DeMarco).

This made it possible to draw implications to support the study or the reason for conducting the study. With the results, then it is possible to craft them to meet the needs of organizing school environments. The author advances propositions of the theory through a typology of thinking through the research process using the researcher’s lens. At any given time, the researcher should work using only one lens since more than one lens used simultaneously results to failure of even good research intent.

There are dependent and independent variables identified by the researcher and these are the original purpose and the resistant, consistent or contrary purposes of study respectively. While the original purpose (independent variable) drives the lens used by the researcher, the resistant, consistent and contrary purposes of study are dependent on it and can only be crafted in line with it. Based on logic theory, the purpose of the study is bound to change owing to unanticipated events but this does not automatically change the original grounded and rooted purpose of the research.

In this respect, the original meaning has to remain intact and craft the meaning of the changed purposes.ReferencesNewman, I., Ridenour, C., Newman, C., & Paul DeMarco, G. M. (n.d.). A typology of Research purposes and its relationship to mixed methods. In Methodological and analytial issues (pp. 167-188).Ploegger, A. (2010, july). Evolutionary Psychology as a metatheory for social sciences. Integral review, 6(3).