Quantitative Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Quantitative Research Paper Essay Quantitative research includes classification of certain features, calculations and construction of statistical models that can describe these features. In contrast, qualitative research is more focused on description of features excluding statistical descriptions. In quantitative research, data are summarized in the form of verbal descriptions or graphical representations. On the contrary, in qualitative research they appear in statistical tables, graphs, or charts. The researcher is more likely to use qualitative research in the earlier phases of the research project when one is looking for ideas to be later explored in depth within a quantitative framework. The processing of data in quantitative research is more likely to include a subjective component than in the other type. As a result, the results of quantitative research can often mix the context of the study but provide enough material to evaluate a certain hypothesis. A literature review should be compiled in order to answer a specific question or gather data to evaluate a hypothesis. The researcher should define the type of literature one wants to use as well as the scope of information to be used in the research. The sources used should be appropriate for the topic. Depending on the type of research, the sources should be predominantly or only peer-reviewed academic publications relevant to the explored question or field of study. The publications used in literature review should be critically evaluated by the reviewer. It is also important to organize the literature review in a coherent manner so that it is divided into understandable units. An explanation of how this or that topic fits into the research framework should be provided. The synthesis of material should provide adequate background for the topic under research. Conceptualization and operationalization form two pillars of science as these two methods allow researchers to use concepts that are the foundation of human exploration of the universe. By grouping objects into categories called concepts and developing practical ways of measuring these concepts through operationalization, researchers can explore a variety of objects, phenomena and situations. Theories need to be formulated with the help of specific concepts. Here conceptualization plays a crucial role, permitting scholars to define classes that will be described by this or that concept.   Conceptualization creates a concept that can be defined in all complexity of relationships and serve as common ground for exploration of an object or phenomenon by different researchers. Operationalization allows practical application of concepts, permitting their measurement through concrete observations. Each science seeks to define its conceptual apparatus through specific observations. As a result of this quest, â€Å"to operationally define basic concepts has now become central to all sciences† (Wikipedia, 2006). The article â€Å"Money, money, money: an exploratory study on the financial literacy of Black college students† by Angela J. Murphy that appeared in the September 2005 issue of College Student Journal investigates â€Å"the influence of race, gender, age, major and parental educational level on the financial knowledge of undergraduate students attending a predominantly Black institution†. The researcher has identified a strikingly low level of financial literacy among such students. Age and major were found to have less influence, while parental education and major had more impact. One research question can be formulated as â€Å"Does age have an influence on financial literacy of Black college students?†. Another one is â€Å"Does major have an influence on financial literacy of Black college students?†. Independent variables included race, gender, parental education, and age. The dependent variable was the financial literacy in certain areas including â€Å"the topics of income taxes, credit consigning, short term savings, investing for retirement, social security, future college costs and home ownership† (Murphy, 2005). The research used surveys. The method is justified because it permitted researchers to have structured, generalizable results that could be analysed with statistical methods. The survey also allowed people to ask a broad range of students attending various institutions. Mail survey and personal interview are similar in the first place because they test personal attitudes of people toward a subject or phenomenon. Both involve respondents with their individual differences, cultural background, demographic situation that influence the research. The difference lies first of all in the procedure: personal interview involves face-to-face contact whereas a mail survey envisages written communication. Consequently, an interview is more personal, while a mail survey presupposes less personal interaction between the researcher and the respondent. In organizational behavior investigation, a personal interview is more subjective because the participant will be influenced by personal perception of the researcher, possible positive or negative associations, etc. A mail survey, on the contrary, will be free from these limitations. The downside, however, is the frequently low rate of response that is often accountable for bias in answers. A more personal interaction can create more opportunities for the researcher to probe the topic with open-ended questions and find out the opinion of the interviewee with more detail. In addition, if the interviewee finds certain questions ambiguous, he or she can clarify details with the scientist, while this opportunity is absent in the case of a mail survey. To investigate the question of trust, a personal interview is preferable. First, it is considered â€Å"the most reliable method of data collection, especially when attitudinal behavior is of concern† (Pennsylvania Department of Health, 2001). Especially when executives are targeted, the time consumed in filling out a mail survey may become a factor that will discourage most of the targeted public from answering. The choice can be constrained by the budget, as personal interviews are traditionally considered the most expensive research method. In an experiment, the researcher is trying to answer a question performing certain actions that will test the validity of a hypothesis. In a focus group, the researcher is typically trying to explore a broad range of issues. As such, a focus group is called upon to conduct a discussion using prepared question rather than answer a specific question. Besides, the results from a focus group will be less rigidly defined and will require more scholarly interpretation whereas the experiment should deliver a more specific answer to the question. The advantage of focus groups is the open-ended nature of the research that opens possibilities for participants to air their views on many important subjects and share opinions. Besides, it is more personal and allows for greater consideration of individual differences, as â€Å"interaction also enables participants to ask questions of each other, as well as to re-evaluate and reconsider their own understandings of their specific experiences† (Gibbs, 1997). However, a focus group can be practically difficult to organize, involves participants coming from different cultures that can contribute to bias. Besides, these groups offer less predictable results as â€Å"researcher, or moderator, for example, has less control over the data produced† than in other methods (Gibbs, 1997). An experiment, on the other hand, provides for a greater degree of control, especially in controlled experiments, which makes the data more adapted to generalization. However, there is a possibility that participants will behave in controlled environments differently than they would under typically circumstances. An example of research question that can be tested through a focus group is â€Å"What qualities of â€Å"Dove† soap brand make it appealing to consumers?† A focus group would allow participants to share views on the subject with a relatively large degree of freedom so that new, unexpected answers can come up. A question to be tested with an experiment can be â€Å"Do people buy Mercedes cars for quality or prestige?† This question can be answered in an experiment since here one can identify dependent and independent variables and develop a statistical apparatus to answer the question. References Gibbs, A. (1997, Winter). Focus Groups. Social Research Update. Retrieved July 2, 2006, from http://www.soc.surrey.ac.uk/sru/SRU19.html Murphy. A.J. (2005, September). Money, money, money: an exploratory study on the financial literacy of Black college students. College Student Journal. Retrieved July 2, 2006, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCR/is_3_39/ai_n15384395 Pennsylvania Department of Health. (2001). Health Statistics Technical Assistance Tools of the Trade. Retrieved July 2, 2006, from http://www.health.state.pa.us/hpa/stats/techassist/surveytypes.htm Wikipedia. (2006). Operationalization. Retrieved July 2, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operationalization

2005 State of the Union Address Essay -- essays research papers

After watching the 2005 State of the Union address. I think that the President, Mr. George W. Bush, has made it clear to the Speaker of the House, Vice President, Membe4rs of Congress, and the citizens of the United States that he has a clear plan to improve the welfare of the United States in present days and days to come. The President put forth that he has now a plan for a budget that holds discretionary spending below inflation, makes tax relief permanent, and to cut the deficit in half by the year 2009. The principle to his budget is, â€Å" Taxpayer money must be spent wisely, or not at all.† It was also stated that education is a very important part of this nation and that the standards of the schools need to be raised, â€Å"†¦so every high school diploma is a ticket to success.† Later on he speaks of keeping young children and adolescents out of gangs and dangerous violence and encourages that more people be involved in a child’s life by increasing the number of programs to improve literacy and sports. He told of the nation wide effort to do this that would be lead by the First Lady, Laura Bush. Also so the healthcare and costs of health care for lower income families was brought to attention. The President stated that the costs of healthcare should be made affordable to all families that need it. Stating that it should be available to people of every financial status and that there be a community health care center for every needy community. And that information technology should be improved so that fewer errors are made as well as needless costs. He believes that there should be association health care plans for small business owners and their employees and many measures to decrease healthcare costs. The President talked to the Social Security system and how if it is unreformed that it will only lead to its own bankruptcy. He assured those that are now receiving or will be receiving Social Security in the near future that their Social Security would not be affected in any way. The President would like to prevent the deterioration of the Social Security system. According to the facts provided by the President, as of now there are a diminishing number of workers paying an increasing amount of benefits to an increasing number of retirees. If it continues to be like this in the year 2018 the system would be paying out more than it takes in and in the year 2027... ...S. needs to be kept safe and they recognized the men and women who serve in the unformed services of the United States. The Democrats are shocked though that the President did not and has not thus far put forth a clear plan to end our presence in Iraq. They believe that one the responsibility of Iraqi security should be put in the hands of the Iraqis, two that Iraq’s economy needs to be increasingly developed and lastly that regional diplomacy needs to be intensified. They also announced that although the President acknowledges that there is a threat to national security that he has taken no action to correct it. Also they tell of how the President has failed to present a plan to protect America from terrorism. In summary the Democrats believe that the President has backed up his words with action and that they promise to correct this problem as best they can. In conclusion I agree with the President on many views because it seems to me that he has plans to improve the U.S. for the best. But I believe that even though there are conflicts in the views of the President and the Democrats that there will be a compromise that will result in the improved wellbeing of the United States.

It is hard to define the words true American Essay

It is hard to define the words true American. There are many different qualities in an American that don’t always make them a good person. Good people are loving and caring. There not always concerned about if they are going to be rich and famous. Good people care about others and accept people for who they are not based upon race gender or class. A true American possesses none of these qualities. Although not all of the qualities in a true American are bad many of the qualities are not favorable for a person looking to be a good all around person. True Americans are greedy, class conscious people, and have a vary large amount of self confidence. Confidence is a large part of American culture and many true Americans pride them selves on the ability to block out fear. Having little or no fear can only improve the lifestyle of a true American. A true American is a hero. An American hero is someone that saves lives and makes the world a safer place. There are types of jobs that can make one a hero, such as a lawman and a soldier. To become a hero, one must face his or her problems head on. It is not easy for anyone to face there fears head on. Not very many people can face them. Then again, it’s not easy to become or be a true American. True Americans are hard to come by and have rare heroic qualities like putting others in front of themselves. Although being a true American takes no fear, most real Americans have a taste for money. True Americans are entrepreneurs. True Americans are entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are go-getters in American society. They are looked upon as great people with great ideas. Entrepreneurs are people who want to be famous and or make a lot of money. Entrepreneurs take full advantage of being an American. They never take no for an answer, and always try to get what they desire. Entrepreneurs grasp and fully embrace the concept of what it means to be an American. Entrepreneurs are key to being an American, but being an entrepreneur also means you must be one thing, greedy. Greed is something people face every day. Everyday people can choose to either embrace greed, or people can fight it. In American culture it is widely accepted to fully embarrass greed as a part of your life. It is also normal for a person to choose work over play, and let money be more important than family. Money is more than just a type of currency in America. Currency is a symbol, a symbol of what a person is. If someone has a fast car, a big house, a boat, and still wants more he or she is a true American. If they have the drive to keep working to get what they want they are a true American. Although greed is a main part of American culture its importance is trumped by the way society works. The use of classes in peoples everyday life. Most Americans are very aware of class. Class is a very important part of the U. S. society. It is hard to escape society’s rules, so most people just let society run their lives. Suburban women have never been able to get away from society running their lives. TV, books, magazines, and movies show that women are supposed to marry a rich guy and have a nice kitchen. If a woman does not have a nice kitchen or look like a woman on TV, she is not living the American dream. Although being class conscious can help define you as a true American. Having some sort of relationship with God and being religious is key to being a true American. Many people who call themselves true American’s say they have a good up-standing relationship with God. God plays a very large part in American’s lives. God runs peoples lives, affecting a person’s decision on a day to day basis. God makes Americans seem more proud about there country. People have bumper sticks and flags saying god bless America. Every president in the history of the United States has openly stated that he believes in God. Important Americans always seem to connect with God somehow, or at least say they do. God has always played a large role in American history. People always seem to gravitate towards people that have religion be a large part of there life. God always offers people with a set of mostly good morals and values but that doesn’t necessarily make you a true American. In conclusion, it is very difficult to really define a true American with just one trait. People may never be able to define the words true American. A true American is a collaboration of many different things. Being a true American doesn’t exactly make anyone a good person, but being a patriot in any country will always have its positive and negatives. It is good to be proud of a country but some people seem to take it over board. If anyone wants to be called and viewed as a true American they have to take it overboard. To be a good person you don’t need to have money. In America the whole goal of existence is to become rich, not further your growth as a person. Americans are also very aware of what other people think of them and often wonder how they are viewed. There are problems with the way social structure is set up in the United States. People are more concerned with moving up in social status than helping out people that need help. Being a true American isn’t all bad at all. There is a great deal of American heroes that have done wonderful feats not just for the country but for the whole world. The idea of spreading democracy around the world was wonderful idea. I don’t agree with the way it was spread, but it needed to be done. Americans have many bad qualities but they also have many good qualities. It is hard to become a true American and figure out if those traits are something you posses. If people don’t people have to dig deep down and over come many things in life. People have to become a hero, people have to matter to there country if they want be a true patriot. A lot of people have had wonderful lives being true Americans, some not so much. True American are in many places in the United States and will continue to turn up because this is America.

Annotated Bibliography My Project Title - 2112 Words

Annotated Bibliography My project title is an in-vitro investigation into the claims on the mechanism of action of non-prescription â€Å"diet pills/remedies†. The research I completed mostly entailed of articles that I found online through EBSCO host database, other databases were used such as Embase and Ovid etc. Nevertheless, I found EBSCO to be the most relevant to my subject. Once I was searching for the articles, research had to be done beforehand on the ingredients used in diet pills as articles were hard to discover strictly on a specific branded diet pill. So, the ingredients I mainly found and used for my search were green tea, black tea, caffeine in general and ephedra. Searching for the articles I had used one of the ingredients for example â€Å"caffeine† then â€Å"metabolic rate† and â€Å"weight loss† searching like this narrowed the criteria down to relevant articles. The technique I used to evaluate articles and how to carry out study designs was through Critic al appraisal skills programme (CASP) furthermore, this is used as research evidence in their professional practice, professional and personal decision making, and policy guidelines development. Besides the different checklists are used such as systematic review, cohort study and qualitative checklist etc. The reason for CASP is it asks three broad questions such as â€Å"Is the study valid?†, â€Å"What are the results?† And â€Å"Will the results help locally?†. 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