Assessing and Recommending Quantitative Designs - Research Paper Example

?Quantitative Research Plan - Assessing and Recommending Quantitative Research Designs Descriptive Research Design (Tutor) (Date) As cited by Shields and Rangarajan (2013) quantitative research usually deals in numbers, unchanging static data, logic and the objective, focusing on the logic, and utilizes convergent reasoning. The research is going to determine the relationship between library’s sources of income (partnerships, joint ventures, and organizational sponsorships) which is the independent variable and financial stability which is the dependent or outcome variable, since the Clayton County public library was facing financial deficits which needed to be alleviated. Isaac and Michael (2009) note that the data used in descriptive research is collected using structured research instruments, such as personal interviews, the use of surveys, filling of questionnaires, secondary data sources or archival data, and the examination of the traditional and current methods of funding for the libraries. From the quantitative study, information was collected in order to ascertain if: partnerships, joint ventures and organizational sponsorships increase the long-term financial stability of the public library; alternative sources of funding have more long-term benefits for the public library than traditional sources; and if private libraries are more structured to adopt alternative sources of funding than public libraries. Therefore, as cited by Creswell (2009) the most appropriate research design for this research project was a quantitative research methodology with a descriptive design. The proposed study focuses on partnerships, joint ventures, and organizational sponsorships as the main alternative sources of funding in the process of assessing and testing the independent variable. The public-private library relationships and traditional-alternative sources of funding are important concepts that will be utilized as moderating factors in measuring the statistical relationships between the independent and dependent variables (Babbie, 2010). The study utilizes a quantitative research methodology with a descriptive (survey research) design to examine the statistical relationships, and hence provide answers as to how the Clayton Country Public library can diversify its funding sources to become more financially sustainable. The study sets out to use a descriptive design due to its capacity to not only identify the unique characteristics of an observed phenomenon, but also examining the situation as it is without shifting or modifying it (Creswell, 2009, Sekaran, 2006). It was also used due to the fact the research was aimed at answering the question like ‘what is” and ‘what was.’ For instance, in what manner does the public library increase in the long-term when partnerships, joint ventures and organizational sponsorships are included in the alternative funding package? The descriptive research aims at describing the current status of an identified variable. These research projects are designed in way that will offer systematic information about a phenomenon (McNabb, 2010). Here the researcher does not start formulating a hypothesis, but develops one after collecting data which included: H1: Partnerships, joint ventures and organizational sponsorships increase the long-term financial stability of the public library; H2: Alternative sources of funding have more long-term benefits for the public library than traditional sources, and; H3: Private libraries are more structured to adopt alternative sources of funding than public libraries. Descriptive research is used to when one wants to get information in relation the current status of the phenomena to describe "what exists" with regard to variables or conditions in a situation. The methods comprises of a survey which describes the correlation study which investigates the relationship between variables. Furthermore, the descriptive function of the research is often depends on instrumentation for observation and measurement (Frankfort-Nachimias and Nachimias, 2008). The descriptive experimental design was used because an independent variable is determined but it is usually not manipulated by the experimenter. Besides, the effects of the independent variable on the dependent variable are measured. The researcher usually does not randomly assign groups and needs to utilize ones that are naturally formed or the pre-existing groups (Shields, Patricia, & HassanTajalli, 2009). The identified control groups that have been exposed to the treatment variable were studied and compared to groups that were not. When analyses and conclusions were performed, establishing causes must be done with utmost care since other variables, both unknown and known, could still affect the outcome (Nenty, 2009).   Jackson (2009) points out that since the descriptive study consist of case-study methods, observational and survey methods. The study on Clayton County Public Library System, Georgia used the survey method. The survey method was appropriate since the study involved collection of information through interviews and filling of questionnaires. The participants in the study required to answer the questions as the researcher described the responses. The descriptive research design was used since the study wants to make a very crucial decision with regard to Clayton County public library system which is being faced with budget deficits in order for it to continue providing essential services to the community (Harris, 2011). The problems that mostly affect the social world have been made to be known through sample survey techniques (Weitzman, Silver & Brazill, 2006). This is why the researcher conducted a study on a social amenity Clayton County Public Library to illuminate on the financial hurdles that the entity was undergoing. The descriptive research design was used because the researcher will at times not interact with participants by collecting the financial and library data from existing records. This method was used since descriptive studies report summary data for instance measures of central tendency such as median, mode, mean, median, variation, deviance from the mean, and percentage, as well as correlation between variables (Creswell, 2009). Unlike the other research designs which need multiple variables, descriptive research only requires one variable which in this case was financial stability (Frankfort-Nachimias & Nachimias, 2008). Descriptive design was used because the researcher used in-depth, narrative descriptions of small numbers. It also used description as a tool for organizing data into various patterns that will merge during analysis. These patters assist in comprehending the qualitative study and its implications (Brians, et al., 2011). The other reason why descriptive research was implemented was because it yields rich data that leads to important recommendations (Gay & Airasain, 2012). The researcher opted for descriptive research design since the study was aimed determining and reporting the way things were in relation to the diversification of funding sources for financial sustainability at Clayton County public library. However, the limitation of this design is that there is lack of generalizability of data and multiple interpretations of data (Dulock, 2011). The other designs The other research designs include cross-sectional, experimental, quasi experimental, and pre-experimental. In the experimental designs there is random assignation of units to the experimental and control groups and the independent variable is only introduced to the experimental group (Jackson, 2009). On the other hand, pre-experimental designs offer least credibility in finding out if two or more variables are actually casually related. The cross-sectional design was not used because in this type of research it will recognize trends and patterns in data, although it will not go far in its analysis to prove for the patterns that were observed. Quasi-experimental designs often include combinations of some of these elements but all of them. Designs like this allow for manipulation, generalizability, comparison, and control. The above research designs were not used because they answered the question about when, how, and why, whilst the research on diversifying of funding sources for financial sustainability: The case of Clayton County public library system, Georgia addresses the ‘what’ question. Furthermore, the other designs such as causal-comparative or quasi-experimental, correlational and experimental research designs were not used since they do not provide basis for decision making (Krueger, 2009), since they do not offer a better and deep comprehension of Clayton County public library system that is faced with a budget deficit which needs to be addressed. This is because the library most depends on grants and funding from the local government. Strengths and limitations of each of the research designs Campbell and Stanley (2009) maintain that quasi experimental designs and experimental designs have the benefit of permitting the researcher to conduct the study on a natural setting, and also they do not need the random assignment of individual cases to the comparison groups. However, the disadvantages include the researcher not being able to manipulate the independent variable and also lack of control over rival explanations. The other research design as noted by Trochim (2010) is the experimental designs are advantageous in the sense that they enable the researcher to adequately control extrinsic and intrinsic variables, thus strengthening internal validity, and also the experiments enables the researcher to control the introduction of the independent variable. On the other hand, the external validity is weak since the design does not permit researchers to replicate observations and also researchers depend on self-chosen subject for their samples, thereby making the sample not to be representative of the population of interest. The preexperimental design have the advantage of allowing the researcher to collect information when no other research design can be applies, although they are both weak external and internal validity. In addition, it does not permit researchers to make casual inferences (Singh, 2007). Threats to validity for descriptive research design Some of the threats that research considers is instrumentation, repeated testing, selection, and experimenter bias, as well as selection interactions (Black, 2012). With regard to instrumentation, the dependability of the instrument used to measure the dependent variable (financial stability) or manipulate the independent variable (sources of funding) for Clayton County library might change in the course of an experiment. For instance, the amount of money the received by the library from well wishers and the local government vary from time to time. A threat to external validity is actually an explanation on how you would be wrong to make a generalization. Generalizability is usually limited when the independent variable (financial stability) relies on the other factors; consequently, all threats to external validity interact with the independent variable (sources of income such as partnerships, joint ventures, and organizational sponsorships). How to increase internal and external validity Huitt, Hummel and Kaeck (2009) point out that external and internal validity can be increased through the utilization of a research design and statistical analysis suitable to the types of data collected, and the investigator(s) and question(s) the research is attempting to answer. Single-subject experimental studies always have high internal validity because subjects serve as their own controls. However, they are extremely low in relation to external validity. Isaac and Michael (2009) note that single-subject studies acquire external validity via the process of replication and extension such as repeating the study in different settings and with a different subject. The results of group studies are also more acceptable by the scientific community when replicated. According to Mitchell and Jolley (2010) assert that external and internal validity is enhanced by means of using reducing e confounding variables. These are factors that would affect the dependent variable which is financial stability. As cited by Aronson, et al., (2007) external and internal validity is increased thorough reducing the generalizations of observations. Therefore, the participants need to be randomly selected from the population to avoid biasness in the findings. Reference List Babbie, Earl R. 2010.The Practice of Social Research. 12th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage. Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., Akert, R. M., & Fehr, B. (2012). Social psychology. (4 ed.). 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