The success of any study is attributed to the choice of the design method. Failure to implement an effective approach may lead to inaccurate results and conclusions. Various tasks use different techniques and measures to study a particular topic. A method contributes to the pros or cons in a study which may influence its reliability positively or negatively. This essay uses three articles by Rosenberg, Eversman, and Mauer & Huling to compare and contrast their methods, evaluate each approach's strengths and weaknesses, and determine the reliability and validity of the data.
Comparing and Contrasting
The three articles possess numerous similarities and differences in their design methods. All the articles focus on one issue: Use of drugs in America. The studies were conducted to highlight the effect of drug use among African Americans. Even though the article of Mauer & Huling focuses on the criminal justice system, it stills highlights the impact of drugs on young black Americans. The method also concentrates on other races such as Whites and Hispanics for three articles. However, the first two articles of Rosenberg and Eversman used interviewing as a method of data collection. The two interviews were also conducted in the northeastern part of the US. Rosenberg's article uses New Haven, Connecticut, while Eversman's article uses Northeastern US urban hub data. On the contrary, Mauer & Huling's article did not conduct any interviews and used the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). The article's data is based on a national scale and not a particular region.
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The three articles are based on data collected across different years. Rosenberg's article uses data collected between 2010 and 2011, while Eversman's article uses data from 2012 and 2013. Mauer & Huling's article uses data collected in 1994. In terms of analysis, each article uses its methods. Rosenberg's article uses t-test distribution and chi-square to describe the differences among Whites and Blacks and multinomial logistic regression techniques. In Eversman's article, units were assigned codes to facilitate comparison. There is also a similarity between Eversman and Mauer & Huling's articles using tables for data presentation. Besides, the first two articles of Rosenberg and Eversman use a specific number in the study. Rosenberg's article uses 302 individuals, while Eversman's article uses 21 individuals to study the population. Mauer & Huling's article is not based on a specific number.
In addition, the participants were also paid compensation for the study. In Rosenberg's article, participants were paid $40, while in Eversman's article, participants were paid $10. No payment was made in Mauer & Huling article since no interviews were conducted. Gender was also taken into consideration when conducting the study. The three articles used both males and females during the study.
Strength and Weaknesses
Each article contains the pros and cons concerning the approach of the study. For the approach in Rosenberg's report, one of the strengths is the confidentiality of information. The method illustrates that confidentiality measures were put in place to protect the subjects as stipulated in consent (Rosenberg et al., 2017). Besides, the approach used to follow up interviews that were conducted after six months. During a follow-up interview, the interviewees can answer any forgotten question without fear. On the contrary, the approach posed weaknesses. The data used in the study were obtained from another study, that is, Structures, Health and Risk among Reentrant, Probationers, and Partners (SHARP) study which may contain its errors. Besides, the approach uses data from a survey conducted in a particular region which may not give the true picture of the entire country.
The approach in Eversman's article also contains various strengths and weaknesses. The greatest strength of this approach is that actual interviews were conducted. Individuals were recruited to participate in the study, where the real interviews lasted for one hour (Eversman, 2014). Besides, stakeholders participating in the study were highly educated, holding masters and bachelor's degrees. As a result, they created questions that best fit the nature of the study. On the contrary, it was a weakness to use a first-come, first-serve basis during recruitment. Some of the respondents may have been best suited for the study but unfortunately, they were left out. In addition, the interviews were carried out in a particular region, which may not give the true picture of the experience in the rest of the country.
Lastly, is the strengths and weaknesses of Mauer & Huling's article approach. One of the strengths is that the approach uses secondary data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which saves both cost and time in conducting the study. The major con of the approach is the use of old data. Information was obtained from 1994 records (Mauer & Huling, 1995). Such information may be irrelevant in estimating the total number of young black men within criminal justice supervision today. Besides, using secondary data may be inappropriate as it may not fulfill the intended purpose. The approach is also based on assumptions; for example, the entire number of persons within the supervision of the criminal justice department was estimated. Such weaknesses reduce the efficiency of the approach.
Validity and Reliability
Validity and reliability are seen in the methodology of each study. In Rosenberg's article, the chosen sample set is 302 non-violent drug offenders over 18 years of age. The participants must have been released from jail or on probation. The charges of the participants were also verified with the Court Support Services Division and Department of Corrections. The participants were informed about the procedures, benefits, purpose, and risks of the study. They have also assured confidentiality of their information. Besides, the study was approved by IRBs. Therefore, the study was valid. However, the results are not reliable on a national scale as they were based on a particular location.
For Eversman's article, the study analyzed data collected from communities of color. The interview questions were designed in a way that brings respondent's views under the topic of study. The author's Institutional Review Board permitted the study protocol before collecting the information to validate the analysis further. To guarantee reliability, all features of collecting and processing data were done by the author. Out of the 21 participants, ten were males, and eleven were females to observe gender equality. Reliability was further ensured when the participants were selected from 13 different organizations.
In Mauer & Huling's article, testing for reliability and validity is extremely challenging since the data used for the study was secondary data. However, the use of data from a credible source such as the Bureau of Justice Statistics guarantees reliability.
In conclusion, the method of a study determines its reliability in solving a problem being studied. The use of secondary data may not be reliable when studying particular topics. A pre-study should be done to identify potential weaknesses that may be encountered during the actual study. A similar survey done previously may be compared with a proposed one to identify the pros and eliminate the cons. Therefore, an appropriate design should be used to guarantee the reliability of the results.
References
Eversman, M. H. (2014). “Trying to Find the Middle Ground” Drug Policy and Harm Reduction in Black Communities. Race and Justice , 4 (1), 29-44.
Mauer, M., & Huling, T. (1995). Young black Americans and the criminal justice system: Five years later.
Rosenberg, A., Groves, A. K., & Blankenship, K. M. (2017). Comparing Black and White drug offenders: Implications for racial disparities in criminal justice and reentry policy and programming. Journal of drug issues , 47 (1), 132-142.
