Agency Description and Research Instrument’s Application
Type of Human Service Agency
Social service agencies refer to institutions or organizations that work towards meeting specific human needs by applying an advanced knowledge base that would focus on the prevention and remediation of the problems. The main objective of social service agencies is to improve the quality of life for communities and societies, considered as the service population. In this case, the type of social service agency that this research instrument is designed to study is a health facility. The health facility operates a human service agency attributed to the services that it offers to a significant number of patients.
Application of Research Instrument
The research instrument selected in a bid to studying this human service agency surveys. A survey is defined as a research instrument or method that allows for the collection of data from a pre-determined population or sample to help gain insight on a specific topic of interest (Jann & Hinz, 2016). The application of the survey, as a research industry, will help in trying to get a clear understanding of the satisfaction levels among patients visiting this health facility. Specifically, the survey will focus on specific aspects associated with defining the levels of satisfaction among patients coming into the facility.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Appropriateness of the Research Instrument
The use of the survey is best suited for this study when compared to other research instruments, as is relatively easy to administer, especially when dealing with a significant population or sample. Nardi (2018) indicates that surveys are considered as being somewhat useful, as they are easy to administer as a way of collecting reliable and valid data associated with a specific study. In this study, the focus will be on the collection of data relating to client satisfaction; thus, highlighting the importance of having to ensure that the data collected is accurate.
Another key reason for the appropriateness of using survey is because it helps in the collection of a broad range of data. Studies can be used when collecting a full range of data, which include attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour in a manner that can be quantified as being useful in seeking to meet the generalized objectives of a study (Wildemuth, 2016). For this study, what is most notable is that it aims to collect data on the attitude and perception that patients may have concerning the care services being offered. Consequently, this means that it ought to be considered as an appropriate research instrument to allow for a useful collection of relevant data that would measure this outcome.
Define Parameters and Methods of Measurement
Entire or Sample Population
When collecting data, one of the critical aspects to consider in seeking to determine the effectiveness of the data collected in the population (Sutton & Austin, 2015). For this study, the focus will be on a community that is comprised of patients that have visited the health facility in seeking to determine their perception concerning the quality of care that was offered while at the facility. From this perspective, it can be noted that the study will be focusing on a significant number of patients to help in the collection of relevant data. That means that the research will focus on a sample of the entire population in seeking to ensure that the survey can meet its expected outcomes.
Number of People Involved in the Study
Khalilzadeh & Tasci (2017) indicate that the selection of small sample size when engaging in data collection may have a serious implication on the Reliability, validity, and generalizability of the data collected. In this case, what is clear is that the sample size selected must be appropriate taking into account the significant number of patients that the data will represent. The study will seek to use a sample of approximately 150 people, which is considered as being appropriate considering that the conclusions that can be achieved based on the data gathered can be generalized on the entire population of patients that may have visited the health facility. The sample will be selected through randomized selection, as this would serve as a guarantee to ensure that indeed, the quality of data collected as part of the study matches overall expectations.
Period
In seeking to ensure that the data collected is reliable, one of the critical factors of consideration will be the period allowed for data collection. In most cases, the period is determined by the number of people that are to be involved as part of the study. In this case, the study will take a maximum period of 4 weeks for the data collection, which is an adequate amount of time to allow for the selection of participants and administration of the study through the research instrument.
Population Parameter
The only population parameter that would be considered as part of this study is whether the person selected for the survey has visited the health facility, as this is the only aspect that would be common among all the participants involved in the study. Otherwise, the study will select participants from different age categories, gender, and socioeconomic levels in a bid to a getting a clear understanding of whether they are satisfied with the services offered within the health facility.
Defence of the Research Instrument's Validity and Reliability
Methods used to Establish Reliability
The first method that will be considered as part of determining the Reliability of the instrument used as part of this study is the test-retest method. In the test-retest practice, the central area of focus is on the measurement of consistency in the data collected with the aim being towards determining whether the Reliability is showing a significant fluctuation in the data. If the data remains consistent, that would mean that the instrument used is reliable concerning its ability to collect relevant data. The second method used to establish Reliability will be the internal consistency method. When using the internal consistency method, the central aspect of focus is seeking to determine whether the instrument used is measuring what is expected of it to define the Reliability of the data it presents.
Determination of Validity of Results
To determine the validity of the results, the results will be compared to results from multiple studies that have sought to examine the topic of patient satisfaction in health care facilities in the same region. The idea of engaging in the comparison is that this will help towards highlighting consistency in the results gathered, as this would seek to determine the external and internal validity of the results.
Peer-Reviewed or Expert Consultation
After the data collection and analysis of data, the results will then be peer-reviewed as one of the ways through which to ensure that they can be validated. Peer-reviewing would create a new position through which researchers would engage in the process of having to review the results as a way of determining the extent to which they can be considered as being both reliable and valid.
References
Jann, B., & Hinz, T. (2016). Research question and design for survey research. The SAGE handbook of survey methodology , 105-121.
Khalilzadeh, J., & Tasci, A. D. (2017). Large sample size, significance level, and the effect size: Solutions to perils of using big data for academic research. Tourism Management , 62 , 89-96.
Nardi, P. M. (2018). Doing survey research: A guide to quantitative methods . Routledge.
Sutton, J., & Austin, Z. (2015). Qualitative research: Data collection, analysis, and management. The Canadian journal of hospital pharmacy , 68 (3), 226.
Wildermuth, B. M. (Ed.). (2016). Applications of social research methods to questions in information and library science . ABC-CLIO.
