Greetings! My name is Dr. Matt
Jones and I am a quantitative methodology advisor in the Center for Research
Quality. Dr. Stadtlander has graciously invited me to write about some
resources that I think all graduate students at Walden University should be
aware of. I communicate with students on
a daily basis and I almost always recommend at least one of these resources. So
you can consider these my top three “go to” resources that I think the Walden
community is really lucky to have.
The first is the
Sage Research Methods Online database available through Walden University
Library. This database provides access to over 700 methods related books
published by Sage (one of the premier social science methodology publishers).
This includes access to my favorite “little green book series” that provide
short 80 page monographs on different quantitative methods approaches. Please
keep in mind the literature in this database is not confined to quantitative
techniques as it also includes great qualitative and mixed methods resources.
One of the most common issues I see in the
methodology section is a lack of review and subsequent development of the
approach. While Creswell’s text does provide you with some great foundational
material, please note that it is introductory and somewhat cursory. Good
doctoral capstones involve literature reviews of not only content and theory,
but also methods. So you can’t rely on just one or two resources to get you
through the research process. This is where the Sage Research Methods Database is
going to be of tremendous help to you. Why not take advantage of access to such
a wide array of methods material? Your tuition helps pay for it!
A second resource
you should be aware of is the Center for Research Quality methodology office
hours. At the Center for Research Quality we provide open, drop in quantitative
and qualitative office hours (http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/orqm/researchresources). These are offered on a weekly
basis and our website homepage has a calendar with dates and times these are
offered. We use an on line platform that allows you to see me on video and for
us to have a synchronous conversation via voice and/or the chat function. We
are here to support you and your committee, so we love when people drop by and
ask questions. It has become such a great learning environment that many people
show up just to hear all the questions. So don’t be shy about logging in to one
of the sessions just to see what takes place. There is no formal agenda, so
questions are taken on a first come first serve basis. Don’t be shy if you
think your questions are overly basic, I guarantee that if you have that
question so does someone else.
Lastly, I would
like to make everyone aware of the Academic Skills Center and some of the
doctoral capstone specific resources they offer (http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/academicskillscenterhome). First, they offer a number of
skill building resources on quantitative techniques. You can register for the
sessions most appropriate for you (i.e. descriptive statistics, linear
regression, etc.). Second, the Academic Skills Center provides one hour
one-on-one statistical tutoring sessions for those working on their dissertation/doctoral
project. Lastly, you may want to sign up
one for their proposal revision workshops.
I can tell you in
all honestly that I wish some of these resources were available to me during my
dissertation (or at least one!). Be sure
to check each of them out as I think it will really assist in providing you
with additional skills and strengthening your methodology section.
Next time I will discuss theory and research design. Do you
have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post?
Send me an email with your ideas. leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu
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