Describe Your Research Design And Explain Why It Matters
Describe Your Research Design And Explain Why It Would Be Appropriate
Describe your research design and explain why it would be appropriate to use. Describe your population of interest. Describe your sampling procedure. State how many participants you would aim to recruit. Describe the expected demographic and other characteristics of your sample. Describe any inclusion or exclusion criteria that you would apply when recruiting participants. Describe any screening procedures you would use when recruiting participants.
Paper For Above instruction
To effectively investigate the research question, a cross-sectional descriptive research design will be employed. This design is suitable as it allows for the examination of the current state of the phenomenon of interest, capturing data at a single point in time without manipulating variables (Creswell, 2014). The purpose of this research is to understand the prevalence and characteristics of specific behaviors or attitudes within a defined population, making a cross-sectional approach especially appropriate for capturing a snapshot of the current landscape.
The population of interest for this study consists of young adults aged 18-25 who are enrolled in higher education institutions. This demographic is selected because they represent a critical developmental stage characterized by significant cognitive, emotional, and social changes, which are relevant to the research focus on behavior patterns and attitudes. The population is accessible, as recruitment will primarily be conducted within university campuses, ensuring ease of access to a concentrated segment of the target demographic.
Sampling procedure will involve stratified random sampling to ensure that key subgroups, such as gender, year of study, and academic discipline, are proportionately represented. Stratification enhances the representativeness of the sample, reducing sampling bias (Bornstein, Jager, & Putnick, 2013). Within each stratum, participants will be randomly selected to participate in the survey, facilitating generalizability of findings to the broader student population.
Aiming for a sample size of approximately 300 participants is appropriate, based on power analysis for statistical significance and the expected variability within the population (Cohen, 1988). This sample size balances the need for sufficient statistical power with practical considerations of recruitment feasibility. Anticipated demographic characteristics include diverse representation across gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and academic disciplines to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the phenomena across different subgroups.
Inclusion criteria will involve current enrollment as a student in a higher education institution, within the target age range of 18-25 years, and ability to provide informed consent. Exclusion criteria will include individuals unable to comprehend the survey language or those with cognitive impairments that could impair their ability to respond accurately. Screening procedures will involve an initial eligibility questionnaire to verify demographic and academic status, followed by informed consent processes to ensure voluntary participation.
These methodological choices—specifically, the cross-sectional design, stratified random sampling, targeted inclusion/exclusion criteria, and screening procedures—are appropriate because they collectively enhance the representativeness, accuracy, and ethical integrity of the research. This approach facilitates valid inferences about the population's characteristics and behaviors, which are essential for informing future interventions or policy decisions related to the studied phenomena.
References
Bornstein, M. H., Jager, J., & Putnick, D. L. (2013). Sampling in developmental research: Adapting the principles of randomization. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 54(12), 1299–1310. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12084
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.