Comparison of Two Published Surveys

Critical Thinking Question

Purpose

Regarding the purpose of the research, the study by Burrow-Sanchez & Lopez (2009) had three primary objectives, which included: examining the training levels of high school counselors for working substance abuse problems; identifying the training areas that high school counselors perceive as most important when working with student substance abuse problems; and identifying the substances that high school counselors perceive as being the most common in their schools. On the other hand, the study by Gillespie & Noble (1992) had the objective of identifying the institutional and student characteristics that are linked to college freshman persistence.

Organization

Burrow-Sanchez & Lopez (2009) organized their study in a systematic manner that included a discussion of the background of the topic, prior research relating to the topic, after which they formulated the problem statement from the limitations of prior research and the purpose of their study. The authors also discussed the research methods, which included the participants, procedures, and the survey materials. The discussion section was drawn upon the research questions and included the limitations and implications for further research. On the other hand, Gillespie & Noble (1992) organized their study by beginning with a background of the topic followed by earlier research, which used to determine the variables. The authors also discussed the research methods and the results of their study, after which they proceeded to analyze their data in the discussion section.

Data Collection and Analysis

Since both studies were quantitative, Gillespie & Noble (1992) and Burrow-Sanchez & Lopez (2009) used statistical measures in their analysis. Burrow-Sanchez & Lopez (2009 used statistical quantities such as mean and standard deviation, and correlation coefficient. On the other hand, Gillespie & Noble (1992) used statistical measures such as the logic regression and correlation coefficients for data analysis.

Conclusions

Burrow-Sanchez & Lopez (2009) drew their conclusions basing on the research questions that they formulated earlier and the study met its objectives by providing answers to the research questions. The strongpoint of Burrow-Sanchez & Lopez’s (2009) conclusion is that it acknowledged the limitations for the study and provided recommendations that can be used to improve the outcome of further studies relating to the topic. The authors also outlined the implications of their current study on further research although they failed to discuss professional the implications of their study on educational practitioners. On the other hand, Gillespie & Noble (1992) conclusion provided the answers to research question; thus, the study met its objective, nevertheless, the conclusion failed to acknowledge any limitations of the study and failed to discuss the implications of the results on educational practice.

Difference between Correlational Research and other Types of Research

            Correlational research design has the primary objective of examining the co-variation existing between two or more variables. However, it is essential to note that correlational research is not an example of a causal research as in the case of experimental research, and the researcher is not allowed to manipulate the variables. In the light of this view, different conclusions can be drawn from correlational studies and other types of research design. In this case, data obtained from correlational studies can only be interpreted using causal terms derived from established theories; however, this data cannot be used to prove causality conclusively, which is the case for data obtained from experimental research designs.

Research Plan on Community’s Satisfaction with its Schools

            It is apparent that this study is explorative in nature, which implies that the appropriate research design for this case is the qualitative research design; this because qualitative research designs are the most suitable for describing phenomena in their naturalistic settings and enables the researcher to infer themes from the data collected. The participants in the study will be selected randomly from the community in order to ensure that generalizations can be made from the representative sample. Data collection methods will focus on primary data obtained using questionnaires that will be used to gather information regarding their levels of satisfaction with the schools in the communities.

References

Burrow-Sanchez, J., & Lopez, A. (2009). Identifying Substance Abuse Issues in High Schools: A National Survey of High School Counselors. Journal of Counseling & Development , 72-78.

Gillesple, M., & Noble, J. (1992). Factors Affecting Student Persistence: A Longitudinal Study. ACT Research Report Series , 1-30.