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Define the term research question in your own words, and expand upon the significance of carefully crafting it at the outset of the research undertaking. Explain the importance of ethical considerations in public and nonprofit administration research. Be sure to mention informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, anonymity, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) in your response. Go to The College Scorecard by clicking the link below. U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). College scorecard. Retrieved from First select Custom Search, then select your state of residence (Texas) in the Location box. In the Field of Study box, select Public Administration. In the Degree/Certificate Box select all options. Select Find Schools. If your search returns zero results, select another state of your choice. You should see the names of a number of schools as well as each school’s statistics for total undergraduates, average annual cost, graduation rate, and salary after attending. With the information provided, construct two research questions. The topic of the questions can be anything of your choice, but you should be sure to include the relevant variables as well as hypotheses that you would associate with each question. Your scholarly activity must be at least two pages and no more than four pages in length, not counting title and reference pages. Please use at least the textbook in the development of your comprehensive assignment. APA formatting applies. The Textbook being used is Practical Research Methods for Nonprofit and Public Administrators. O’Sullivan; Rassel; Taliaferro (2016) Part II Survey Questions In this unit, prepare an eight-question survey related to the research question that you developed in Part I. While developing your survey, consider the following information: You must indicate whether your approach is more qualitative or quantitative in nature or if it is more of a hybrid approach and why the selected approach is most appropriate for your study. For each question included, provide rationale for why the question has been included, what types of information the researcher expects to garner from the question, and why the question is worded the way that it is. Explanatory portions should be included directly after each question as opposed to including all questions first and then all explanatory content. You are not required to include an introduction or conclusion for this assignment. You can number the questions and include the explanatory portions directly after each question. Please use at least the textbook in the development of your assignment. You will not need to cite your questions since this should be your original work, but be sure to include appropriate citations (and APA formatting) appropriately within your explanatory portions.

Paper For Above instruction

Research is a systematic process of inquiry aimed at generating knowledge and understanding about a particular topic or phenomenon. Central to this process is the formulation of a research question, which functions as the guiding compass for the entire study. A research question is a clear, focused, and researchable query that defines the scope and objectives of the investigation. It articulates what the researcher seeks to understand, explain, or explore, thereby setting the foundation for selecting appropriate methods, variables, and hypotheses. Crafting an effective research question at the outset of a study is critically important because it directs the researcher’s efforts, influences the research design, and ensures that the inquiry remains aligned with the intended goals. Poorly constructed questions may lead to ambiguous results, irrelevant data collection, or even ethical dilemmas. An explicit and well-defined research question establishes clarity, enhances the validity and reliability of findings, and facilitates ethical engagement with participants (O’Sullivan, Rassel, & Taliaferro, 2016).

The importance of ethical considerations in public and nonprofit administration research cannot be overstated. These considerations safeguard the rights and well-being of research participants and uphold the integrity of scholarly inquiry. One of the primary ethical principles concerns informed consent, which involves informing participants about the purpose of the research, potential risks, and their rights, and obtaining their voluntary agreement to participate. Ensuring privacy and confidentiality is equally essential, as it protects sensitive information from unauthorized access and preserves participants’ trust. Anonymity, where individual identities are concealed, further enhances privacy and encourages honesty in responses. Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) serve as oversight bodies that review research proposals to ensure ethical compliance, monitor risk levels, and approve procedures that protect participants’ rights. Adhering to these principles minimizes harm, promotes trustworthiness, and aligns research practices with ethical standards established by organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA) (American Psychological Association, 2017).

To illustrate the practical application of research questions, consider a scenario involving higher education institutions in Texas interested in understanding factors influencing graduation rates. Based on the College Scorecard data, two potential research questions could be formulated:

1. Does the average annual cost of attendance significantly impact the graduation rate among public universities in Texas?

2. Is there a relationship between the student-to-faculty ratio and the post-graduation salary for students attending public universities in Texas?

The first question investigates the potential influence of financial burden (cost of attendance) on student success, hypothesizing that higher costs might negatively affect graduation rates. Variables include "average annual cost" and "graduation rate," with the expectation of an inverse relationship. The second question examines whether smaller class sizes, as measured by the student-to-faculty ratio, correlate positively with higher salaries after graduation, hypothesizing that better student-faculty engagement may enhance employability and income levels (Bettinger et al., 2017). Thus, both questions are rooted in observable variables derived from available data, and they aim to fill gaps in understanding factors that influence educational and economic outcomes.

Building on the research questions, a survey instrument can be developed to gather nuanced data pertinent to the inquiry. The approach to this study will be primarily quantitative, as it involves measuring variables numerically and performing statistical analyses to test hypotheses. A quantitative approach allows for the examination of relationships between variables such as costs, graduation rates, and salaries, providing measurable and generalizable insights.

The survey will include eight questions designed to collect data relevant to the research questions. For example:

1. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the affordability of your college education? (Rationale: To gauge perceived financial burden, which might influence graduation motivation or decisions. This subjective measure complements actual cost data.)

2. What was your total annual tuition and fee cost during your studies? (Rationale: To quantify actual financial investment and analyze its relationship with graduation outcomes.)

3. How satisfied are you with the support services provided at your institution? (Rationale: To explore social and institutional factors affecting graduation success.)

4. What is your current annual salary? (Rationale: To assess post-graduation economic outcomes relevant to research question 2.)

5. Did financial concerns influence your decision to continue or discontinue your studies? (Rationale: To identify personal factors related to financial stress and persistence.)

6. How often did you access academic advising or mentoring services? (Rationale: To examine the impact of student support on graduation rates.)

7. How would you describe the quality of your educational experience? (Rationale: To contextualize academic satisfaction and its influence.)

8. Would you recommend your institution to prospective students? Why or why not? (Rationale: To gather perceptions about institutional effectiveness, indirectly related to student outcomes.)

Each question is carefully worded to elicit specific, quantifiable responses that can be statistically analyzed. The intent is to capture variables that influence student success and economic outcomes, providing comprehensive data aligned with the research hypotheses. This structured approach lends itself well to statistical analysis, facilitating the validation or refutation of the proposed relationships.

In conclusion, the formulation of research questions is fundamental to guiding scholarly inquiry and ensuring focused, ethical, and impactful research. Ethical considerations like informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, anonymity, and oversight by IRBs are essential components of responsible research practices, safeguarding participants and enhancing the credibility of findings. By thoughtfully designing research questions and data collection instruments, public and nonprofit administrators can generate insights that inform policies and improve organizational outcomes, ultimately benefitting the communities they serve (O’Sullivan et al., 2016).

References

• American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. https://www.apa.org/ethics/code
• Bettinger, E. P., Fox, L., Loeb, S., & Taylor, E. S. (2017). Virtual Reality and Student Success in Higher Education. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(2), 206–232.
• O’Sullivan, T., Rassel, G. R., & Taliaferro, D. (2016). Practical Research Methods for Nonprofit and Public Administrators (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
• U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). College Scorecard. https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/