The Top Types of Research Designs You Should Know

Critique of the Abstract 

An abstract serves to get one interested in reading the article and keep them engaged throughout the reading process. A good research abstract should aim at demonstrating the whole picture of the research in terms of study objectives, review methodology, results and conclusion. On an inquiry to investigate how prospective employers view skilled job applicants associate with older adults, the study reveals that more past age stereotypes for hire and that an older stereotype takes preference for subordinate positions. It also includes the discussion of implications for age-positive selection procedures and ways to reduce the impact of implicit age biases. The abstract lacks the research methodology, whose purpose describes what happened during the data collection and execution process. However, the abstract has other essential features, including introductory statements, research significance, results, and conclusion. 

Elements of a Good Qualitative Purpose Statement 

A qualitative purpose statement is crucial because it contains a blueprint about the central phenomenon under investigation. Apart from providing the direction of the study, it establishes a synopsis and the overall survey. According to McCaslin & Scott (2003) , because of the inductive mode of the research process in qualitative design, it is proactive to deploy words that correspond to the emerging model. The chosen words should be able to aid in providing a vivid description, deep understanding, and formulation of interpretable analysis of the principal phenomenon under study ( McCaslin & Scott, 2003) . It is logical to include the research methodology for the entire collection, interpretation, and analysis of data. Precisely, the purpose statement's primary intent is to set forth the research objective and not explore the problem or the new issue that prompted the urgency of the study. An excellent qualitative purpose statement should also generate the questions which the data analysis process should attempt to respond to as it strives to achieve the intent of the proposal. 

Elements of an Excellent Quantitative Purpose Statement 

The basic design features of the purpose statement involve a blend of various methodologies and procedural strategies of inquiry that shape the skeletal aim of the research ( Creswell & Poth, 2016) . A research study may choose to begin with a quantitative method that is primarily concerned with the evaluation of speculated theories and concepts. Consequent procedures will then involve a detailed investigation of a large sample so that the researcher can generalize the results to justify the intent of the exploratory process. Other methodologies include concurrent procedures to analyze various questions under different levels or units. The researcher explores different forms of data at the same time during the study and then contemplates the information while interpreting the final results study ( McCaslin & Scott, 2003) . The researcher might also choose to delve into stipulating an overarching approach within a prospective design that contains a framework for the topic of interest to investigate the anticipated changes of the study. 

The Rationale of a Mixed Approach 

In the case of a mixed approach, the researcher's study focuses entirely on pragmatic grounds. The intent of the survey can be either pluralistic, problem-centered of consequence-oriented ( Creswell & Poth, 2016) . The strategic methodology employed in the data collection process relies on inquiry techniques. To best comprehend the research problem, the data collection process either simultaneously or sequentially. The nature of information collected varies from numeric to textual. Digital information is retrieved from instruments, while textual information is obtained from interviews so that the ultimate database depicts both quantitative and qualitative data. The mixed-method approach uses pragmatic knowledge claims and collects quantitative and qualitative information step by step study ( McCaslin & Scott, 2003) . The objective of blending both quantitative and qualitative research components provides a broader view when studying complex issues. Thus, mixed-methods offer a different level of understanding of the phenomena under study. 

Relationship Between the Research Question and Purpose Statement 

Research questions provide an inductive framework that helps the researcher plan the coherence and relevant course the study should take ( Patten & Newhart, 2017 ). They delimit the study process by revealing the confinements of the proposal. The research question also provides an overview of what prospective studies will focus on. Generally, the research questions reflect the retrospective objective the researcher wants to study. Precisely, research questions are formulated in correspondence with previous theoretical and pragmatic researches to make data-dependent decisions. 

Reference(s) 

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016).  Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches . Sage publications. 

McCaslin, M. L., & Scott, K. W. (2003). The five-question method for framing a qualitative research study.  The qualitative report ,  8 (3), 447-461. 

Patten, M. L., & Newhart, M. (2017).  Understanding research methods: An overview of the essentials . Taylor & Francis.