Sample for question 2
Research Proposal Planning Document: Methods Section Outline
Step 1: Topic (what are you writing about?). Please identify your variables of interest:
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Your research question (it is unknown if):
Step 2: Identify your research design choice: What design type do you plan to use (observational, correlational, survey, content analyses, experimental)? Most importantly- why have you made this choice? What do you hope to accomplish with this study-or what is the significance of answering your research question?
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Step 3: Participants: Who will make-up your study’s sample? How will you recruit them? What sampling technique will you use and why? (It is ok for this section to be hypothetical, provided we have a logical response).
*Note-if you are conducting a content analysis or an archival study the “who” here can be replaced with a “what.” (I.e. what databases, or content, will you use)…*
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Step 4: Procedures: What will take place during your study? What instructions will participants need? How would your proposed study be carried out?
(For example-if you have designed a survey study, what information will you share with survey respondents prior to completing your survey. How would you discuss your research goals and the purpose of your study to your participants? How will you obtain informed consent? Will you need to use deception in your study? Etc.)
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Step 5: Measurement:
What are your variables of interest?
How will you operationally define your variables?
What data will you collect to answer your research question? How will you collect it?
How will you know if your data is reliable?
How will you know if it is valid?* (*How should we know our data is valid?)
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Step 6: Predicted Results: If your hypothesis is supported-what would your data look like? *To be discussed further in week #6…
Eyes on the Prize! Remember-your proposed research design will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Proposed design is appropriate for the research question.
Correctly identifies the conclusions made from proposed study.
Writer correctly identifies all of the potential limitations of the design used.
All relevant components of the methods section are included. (Participants, procedures, data, and instrumentation).
Sample of what needed….
Topic- Recruitment guidelines and their impact on law enforcement retention.
Your sampling technique and participants
Non-probability samplings are the kind of techniques that will be used for this study
Participants would include: Active law enforcement, Retired Law Enforcement, Students, Recruits, and the public.
The procedures of your proposed study
Survey design is a research method used for collecting data from a predefined group of respondents to gain information and insights into various topics of interest. The process involves asking people for information through a questionnaire, which will be online. The interview questions will be separated into sections, one section is for active law enforcement officers and second section is for retired and potential retirees. The third section would be for recruits/the public. Questions will focus on officers’ confidence in the profession, liabilities, anti-sentiment, staffing, police reform, political climate, professional loyalty, public and official perception. The interview intends to capture the personal view of how officers and others perceive the current climate of the profession that is influencing retention and recruitment.
How you will measure your variables and your predicted results
In researching the impact of Officers’ confidence in the profession, liabilities, anti-sentiment, staffing, police reform, political climate, professional loyalty, public and official perception, pay, benefits, etc. has on recruitment of new qualified officers and retention of current officers. I might predict that my independent variables are officers’ confidence in the profession, liabilities, anti-sentiment, staffing, police reform, political climate, professional loyalty, public and official perception, pay, and benefits. The dependent variable is the recruitment/retention rates
Finding common themes within the responses will measure variables and help predict results
The results from this research study will be documented and shared. In doing so, an unadulterated outlook that will provide insight into how agencies can address the ongoing issue. Results can be used to create an open forum of why recruiting numbers are down and police are deciding to leave the profession and provide concepts for resolution to a town council or board of commissioners.
Predicted results as presented may help minimize the recruiting crisis and simultaneously effect the attrition rates within Police Departments. By addressing the issues found and correcting them, a reversal of the trend may be realized.