The Relationship between Internet Addiction and Anxiety among Students - Research Paper Example

Research Design Critique Introduction Research studies try or attempt to comprehend different perceptions and issues that take placein life. Thus, every kind of study applies appropriate research design. The research ensures that the right inference gets made with regards to the quest for information and solution towards a certain issue. Accordingly, there are several qualitative research designs. They differ in terms of the explicit issues they intend to address in the context of research. The first one is the phenomenological study design (Groenewald, 2004). Other designs include ethnographic, grounded, historical and case studies (Denzin, & Lincoln, 2009). Each of these research designs collects and organize different categories of information, just like the titles suggest. The subject research design in this critique paper is the phenomenological design. It applies in study situations where the main objective is to examine human experiences. The information gets retrieved from the victims of the human experience in question. This paper aims at analysing and performing a research design critique on a peer-reviewed study. Peer-reviewed case study selected The peer-reviewed research study in this context is the case study addressing “The Relationship between Internet Addiction and Anxiety among students of the University of Sargodha” (Yasmeen, Khan, Salim, Bilal, Hussain & Haseeb, 2014). It was carried out in the year 2014 by a number of individuals whose zeal was to establish actual information about internet and anxiety amongst students. The Problem being explored Why is it a problem? The subject matter in this study is the internet addiction and anxiety amongst students in the University of Sargodha. Thus, the entire impacts of internet play the central role of the study. Arguably, internet addiction and anxiety is a problem since it is affecting the normally of the society where the mind-set of an individual is not supposed to suffer from untold anxieties (Chappell, Eatough, Davies & Griffiths, 2006). The issue is artificial, and the impacts may lead to a moral panic within the society. What makes it appropriate for research? First, this problem is common amongst the youths. The impacts of addiction to the internet, among them anxiety, seem to derive another structure of a society (Bernardi, & Pallanti, 2009). The topic needs to face in-depth research so that ultimate and prompt solutions can get retrieved before the matter goes out of hand. Therefore, the magnitude of the problem and the feasible impacts of the problem it does not get resolved call for research on the same. A brief history of the problem How is the problem framed? The problem commenced from a humble initiation of new technology of computers. The main aim was to configure information for learners, most of whom are in higher institutions. The internet came forth, and the major users happened to be the youths. The problem of internet addiction grew from the overuse of internet. The side effect is anxiety. This context contemplates that the youths are at the centre of the problem. The context provided The contracted history provides a clear indication that the youths, since the initial times of internet introduction, were the major users. In addition, the larger population of the youths using the internet is the students. Therefore, the problems associated with addiction and anxiety still lie on the students. The inference drawn is that the students are the best respondents in this qualitative research. The objectives of the research What are the objectives? The study intends to establish a relationship between internet addiction and the level of anxiety with respect to the university students. The addition explains the excess usage of computers which occupies and distracts other activities in life. On the other hand, the level of anxiety expresses an unpleasant mind status due to increased behaviour of using the internet. How well are the objectives met? The research applies analytic strategies to gather information about the trends of students with respect to the use of internet. Accordingly, it addresses each of the two issues separately before drawing a final inference about the interrelationship. The use of questionnaires supports the process since the respondents give their experience vis-à-vis using the internet. The research acquires successful data worth comparing. The study design and why it is appropriate How is the design appropriate? In what ways is it not appropriate? The study design used in this research is the phenomenological research design. The research design was very appropriate considering the situation under analysis. It required precise acquisition of information from the victims themselves. It is a qualitative study which incorporates data collection in samples (Finlay, 2009). It also incorporates analysis of the same data that gets collected from the respondents. The research incorporates the use of a questionnaire to aid in carrying out the interview. The sample collected in the research is comprised of 300 students from 6 school departments. They got selected on equal numerical terms. The study design is appropriate since the result acquired will be as a result of first-hand information (Sadala, & Adorno, 2002). First-hand information is very reliable when making conclusion about a research issue. The sample for the study What are ramifications for transferability based on the sample given in the study? The concept of transferability involves the demeanour of process of readers of research to compare incidences displayed in the research with their life situations (Schünemann, Fretheim, & Oxman, 2006). In this study, transferability works best in the context that the institution is the best option to access addicted users of the internet. The problem of internet addictiveness is a global problem. However, the inference or ultimate solution acquired from the study offers a generalized context. Thus, the sample will define a better role in the study. Step by step explanation of the activities carried out in the research The research is one of the easiest that one can engage. The steps depended on the objectives of the study. Precisely, the research intended to establish the magnitude of internet addiction. The research would then establish the level of anxiety expressed by this respondent in the field study. The first step was to formulate research objectives and questionnaire (Kotrlik, & Higgins, 2001). The second step was to sample 300 respondent students from school departments. The research made use of the internet addiction scale Beck Anxiety inventory, a special questionnaire used in the study. They were the appropriate tools to collect and analyse data from the primary respondents (Creswell, & Miller, 2000). It is from the results that discussions and statistical inferences got made concerning the trends of the social problem. How easily could the research be repeated? Arguably, the research would be quite easy if it were to get repeated. First, the respondents showed maximum cooperation (Kothari, 2004). Statistics indicates that the respondents participated on a 100 percent attendance basis. Additionally, the issue under research does not infringe or coerce anyone to tell sensitive information about oneself. The phenomenological research design is appropriate in this research. Thus, it will not take the time before an appropriate research design gets identified for the research. How clear are the steps followed? The research show explicit orderliness in terms of how activities get carried out. For instance, the objectives are analysed differently where individual inference yields. The research on internet addictiveness occurs first and then it gets followed by the research on the level of anxiety. The process of relating the two solution get applied leading to the acquisition of a clear result of the study. Inherent implications regarding reliability and validity? The research relies on personal opinions from the primary respondents of the questionnaires. Therefore, information gathered from the respondents does not any alternative or comparative advantage. The respondents in the research are expected to give true information. The extent of truth in the information given by the respondents determines the level of validity of the information (Creswell, & Miller, 2000). Lack of validity in the information ultimately leads to redundancy of the particular research results. What data were collected and how? What were the data sources? The use of sampling and questionnaires played a crucial role in gathering of the data in this research. The questionnaire comprised of 20 questions that the sampled 300 students ought to answer in the research. The respondents filled in two sets of questionnaires. The first one remains affiliated with internet addictiveness. The second one is an affiliate of anxiety index. The questionnaires were distributed to the students with the hope of getting credible inferences. Why were these sources appropriate? First, the sample of students is the source of information. The 300 students from the University of Sargodha is the portfolio target source of information for the study. The source is appropriate, especially with regards to the problem being addressed in the research (Malterud, 2001). University students are avid users of the internet. Accordingly, the possibility of identifying different usability behaviours in the university is very high. It makes the students the most appropriate sources of information. Other sources of information that deserved consideration Students are the most appropriate sources of information. However, the teaching staff from different departments in the university can also serve as a feasible source of information. The number of respondents that the staff might offer is smaller (Denscombe, 2010). However, they are avid users on the internet since they carry out research on a frequent basis. Any ethical considerations What ethical considerations did the author address? The authors of this research show outstanding ethics of research in their entire research process. For example, the questions of the study do not include any provocative questions in them. Precisely, the questions do not involve questions that seek personalized information that respondents would wish to retain (Onwuegbuzie, & Leech, 2006). The same case applies to the questions included in the questionnaire. The questions tend to be realistic, thus the perfect response rate from the students. The study also considers the art of gender. The research gives a chance for female and male students to give their sides of view. Ethical considerations addressed by the authors The extent to which the authors have obeyed ethics in research is very reputable in this research. The reasons for the research were effectively communicated to the respondents. It gave them a chance to give consent vis-à-vis their participation in the research. However, the authors failed to depict the potential risks affiliated the research. It also fails to address any circumstances where respondents might suffer foreseeable discomfort. Any limitations to this study The limitations discussed by the author? The authors of this research indicated two variable limitations of the research. First, the authors discussed the issue of excessive use of the internet. The research depicts that the excessive internet also uses results into other stronger impacts such as mental disorders (Caplan, Williams &Yee, 2009). Hence, it has a long lasting impact of the health status of users. Internet access may not only impact the lives of people with regards to the anxiety. However, it may also impact the people with respect to social inactiveness (Murali, & George, 2007). The response got from the respondents may not have been entirely affiliated with anxiety. Were the limitations appropriate? Are there any limitations missing? The limitations of this study were necessary and well stipulated. However, they are not sufficiently. There are other limitations affiliated with the research. For instance, some of the students may have thought of answering the questionnaire due to an identified duress by the institution. The results acquired may not be sincere since the impacts of excess internet use by the students, as well as, other potential users. Conclusion The research study shows explicit and perfect utilization of the phenomenological study design. For instance, the study undertakes data collecting and sampling strategies. These are essential tools for making accurate and reliable conclusions about a research problem. The research results, accordingly, show differentiated behaviours by the students and the experience of overusing the internet. It is an example of a well-organized research study designed to examine the behaviour and experiences of people in the computer world. Weaknesses in the research do not deplete the level of clarity expressed by the authors of the research. References Bernardi, S., & Pallanti, S. (2009). Internet addiction: a descriptive clinical study focusing on comorbidities and dissociative symptoms. Comprehensive psychiatry, 50(6), 510-516. Caplan, S., Williams, D., & Yee, N. (2009). Problematic Internet use and psychosocial well-being among MMO players. Computers in Human Behavior, 25(6), 1312-1319. Chappell, D., Eatough, V., Davies, M. N., & Griffiths, M. (2006). EverQuest—It’s just a computer game right? An interpretative phenomenological analysis of online gaming addiction. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 4(3), 205-216. Creswell, J. W. (2002). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative. Creswell, J. W., & Miller, D. L. (2000). Determining validity in qualitative inquiry. Theory into practice, 39(3), 124-130. Denscombe, M. (2010). The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Social Research Projects: For small-scale social research projects. McGraw-Hill International. Denzin, K. N., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2009). Qualitative research. Yogyakarta: PustakaPelajar. Denzin, K. N., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2010). Qualitative research. Yogyakarta: PustakaPelajar. Finlay, L. (2009). Debating phenomenological research methods. Phenomenology & Practice, 3(1). Groenewald, T. (2004). A phenomenological research design illustrated. Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research methodology: methods and techniques. New Age International. Kotrlik, J. W. K. J. W., & Higgins, C. C. H. C. C. (2001). Organizational research: Determining appropriate sample size in survey research appropriate sample size in survey research. Information technology, learning, and performance journal, 19(1), 43. Malterud, K. (2001). Qualitative research: standards, challenges, and guidelines. The lancet, 358(9280), 483-488. Murali, V., & George, S. (2007). Lost online: an overview of internet addiction. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 13(1), 24-30. Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Leech, N. L. (2006). Linking research questions to mixed methods data analysis procedures. The Qualitative Report, 11(3), 474-498. Sadala, M. L. A., & Adorno, R. D. C. F. (2002). Phenomenology as a method to investigate the experience lived: a perspective from Husserl and Merleau Pontys thought. Journal of advanced nursing, 37(3), 282-293. Schünemann, H. J., Fretheim, A., & Oxman, A. D. (2006). Improving the use of research evidence in guideline development: 13. Applicability, transferability and adaptation. Health research policy and systems, 4(1), 25. Yasmeen, M., Khan, R. B., Salim, M., Bilal, M., Hussain, A., & Haseeb, M. (2014). The Relationship between Internet Addiction and Anxiety among students of the University of Sargodha. Int. J. Acad. Res. Appl. Sci, 3(3), 16-25. Read More