Group Project: Data collection/research design critique

Provide practical, action-based suggestions about how to improve the quality of data and/or the research design by which it was collected. Focus on ways in which changes to data collection (instruments, methods, or research design) might improve the ability to answer key research questions.

The format, content, and length of this section may vary. However, you should address each of the following topics:

• The overall research design and its capacity to answer the substantive questions at hand
• The means by which data were collected (i.e. sampling procedures) and any potential biases in the data. Were there enough responses? How could response rate be improved? Was sampling random?
• The structure and content of the research instrument and operationalization of key concepts. Do the operational definitions match the concepts being measured? Were the levels of measurement appropriate for key variables? Were any important variables (dependent, independent, or control variables) missing?

Be sure to identify both strengths and weaknesses, and provide specific and actionable suggestions for improvement of future data collection efforts. the writing should be professional and concise.

Note: These suggestions will likely evolve over time as you continue to interact with the data. This application assignment will focus more on elements that are easily identified at this point in the semester. When these suggestions appear in the final project, however, they should reflect a more full and complete range of suggestions for improvement of data.