Introduction
A research design represents a set of techniques that can be utilized to shape the research process. The practical constraints of the given location, resources, and availability of staff ultimately define it. By choosing an appropriate research design, investigators can acquire better financial and timeline outcomes for their efforts (Fain, 2020). Moreover, the importance of research designs is based on how reliable some of the data collection and analysis methods are. This presentation aims to evaluate the importance and contextual applicability of varying research designs. It will review the quantitative and qualitative strategies, the types of evidence needed, the effect on research quality, and, lastly, discuss different sampling methods.
Quantitative Research
Value and Types of Evidence
Many healthcare researchers resort to quantitative design when it is essential to measure and quantify attitudes, behaviors, or any other variable that could transpire from a large data collection. This type of evidence this research produces can be described as statistically significant insights based on numerical data (Fain, 2020). All the additional evidence must be collected to respond to the given research question. Such studies are characteristically well-structured, which is vital for deciphering various data patterns in surveys, systematic observations, and interviews.
Study Quality
The quality of the study founded on a quantitative research design can be assessed depending on the presence of objective measurements and the volume of data that had been collected. With surveys and interviews bringing the researchers enough statistical data, the investigators could adhere to fundamental computational techniques to process the available data and uncover essential trends in the area of research (Fain, 2020). The focus on particular phenomena helps researchers generalize the data across different groups of study participants. The high quality of quantitative research studies can be supported through the interface of systemic data collection and a positivist approach to the analysis of obtained evidence. This is why the causal relationship between variables is so important in quantitative research projects.
Assessment
Cathrine et al. (2021) conducted quantitative research on the quality of life among teachers and the effectiveness of nursing strategies intended to help teachers cope with the increasing levels of stress. The researchers included control and experimental groups to test their hypotheses and find out if the amount of stress experienced by teachers truly was exceptional. With consecutive sampling, 28 participants were picked by the researchers to be divided into two equal groups of individuals. The nursing strategy program was carried out weekly for a total of six weeks in a row. Overall, the researchers found that teaching is a stressful profession that can be effectively managed with the aid of nursing strategy interventions revolving around skill development (cognitive, affective, behavioral).
Qualitative Research
Value and Types of Evidence
Qualitative research designs are essential because they allow the investigators to gain insight into experiences and opinions without paying too much attention to numerical data. In this case, evidence is based on non-numeric data collected through conversations or interviews with patients. Thus, the type of evidence that is collected entails specific health variables, predictors, or attitudes (Hall & Roussel, 2020). Patient experiences can be collected to improve the functioning of certain healthcare units or the whole nursing facility. Therefore, nursing services can be improved through the interface of insight into patient’s beliefs and behaviors.
Study Quality
The quality of research projects based on qualitative designs depends on a series of variables that have to be described in richer detail. For instance, the inclusion of certain participants could increase the credibility of obtained data and make the overall research results much more trustworthy and plausible (Polit & Beck, 2020). A correctly carried out qualitative study can establish a link between data collection, the research question, and the study’s theoretical background. Another crucial hint at the quality of the study with a qualitative design is the data confirmability. Also, qualitative research designs often contribute to future quantitative studies by collecting vast amounts of non-numeric data for further hypothesis testing.
Assessment
Barisone et al. (2019) took on the subject of web-based learning and conducted a descriptive qualitative study among nursing students to see if online lessons could become an effective alternative to face-to-face learning within the undergraduate setting. A total of 26 students from Northern Italy were picked for the study, with four main nursing techniques being conveyed to them: catheter insertion, peripheral intravenous line insertion, nasogastric tube insertion, and the process of taking a blood sample (Barisone et al., 2019). Each of the three nursing schools participating in the study became a focus group. It was found that web-based clinical learning was an efficient add-on to the conventional learning process that could be utilized to close the gap between theory and practice among undergraduate nurses.
Sampling Types and Their Impact on Study Results
The major difference between the probability and the non-probability sampling hinges upon the concept of random selection. In probability sampling, researchers select their data points randomly, which enables them to produce statistically reliable study results (Polit & Beck, 2020). This approach is used in quantitative rather than qualitative research designs. In contrast, non-probability sampling entails that the researchers engage in purposeful selection of their data points (Polit & Beck, 2020). Non-probability sampling may be based on voluntary responses, quotas, particular purpose, or convenience (Hall & Roussel, 2020). The selection of the appropriate sampling type enables the researchers to target a research question more accurately and obtain reliable answers.
Factors Affecting the Choice of a Sampling Method
The three particular factors that can be seen affecting the choice of a sampling method are as follows:
Population Size
Despite its relative nature, population size has to be considered when it comes to design since the statistical power of evidence relies on sample size.
Costs involved
The impact of all the expenditures linked to obtaining required elements from the population has to be viewed through the prism of resources available to the researcher. For example, if one cannot afford to survey 10,000 individuals, the only way to conduct the study would be to reduce the overall costs.
Convenience and Accessibility
Various research elements have to be considered when looking at the available data in order to see if the given population (and the potential sample) possesses the required characteristics and can be handled with ease.
Conclusion
Quantitative research designs are crucial because they help investigators gain insight into particular trends and numerical data measurements. The quality of findings within a quantitative study can be deemed high only in the case where all requirements have been met. Qualitative research designs bring value when it is required to develop a knowledge base on a certain question by collecting attitudes and surveying study participants to capture their experiences. Feasible findings can be attained using qualitative research designs when survey questions are on point, and study participants take their time to provide objective answers. A correct sampling method should be picked at all times in order to give researchers a competitive advantage in the form of access to relevant insights, either numerical or non-numerical.
References
Barisone, M., Bagnasco, A., Aleo, G., Catania, G., Bona, M., Scaglia, S. G.,… & Sasso, L. (2019). The effectiveness of web-based learning in supporting the development of nursing students’ practical skills during clinical placements: A qualitative study. Nurse Education in Practice, 37, 56-61. Web.
Cathrine, R. T., Aruna, S., & Vijayaragahavan, R. (2021). Impact of quality of life among teachers after nursing strategy intervention – A quantitative study. Journal of Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences University, 16(1), 127-132.
Fain, J. A. (2020). Reading, understanding, and applying nursing research. FA Davis.
Hall, H. R., & Roussel, L. A. (2020). Evidence-based practice: An integrative approach to research, administration, and practice. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Polit, D., & Beck, C. (2020). Essentials of nursing research: Appraising evidence for nursing practice. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.