Resources that would be needed
The most immediate external factors that affect the research process are: opportunity, peers and mentors, institutional requirements, experience of the researcher, literature and emerging research questions. One may want to think of these as the micro-forces that affect the research process. The macro-forces-ethics, human resources, values, and the environment-also influence the research process and shape the context (Anderson, 1998). The quality of the research is highly contingent on the skills of the individual researcher and his or her ability to understand record, gain insight and interpret the dearth of data collected. The researcher is the data collection instrument, and the quality of the product is directly related to the researcher’s skill. This form of inquiry is both expensive and time-consuming; a shortage of either vital resource could render a study of lower quality or of limited value, through no fault of the researcher. The type, availability and amount of human and fiscal resources have a tremendous impact on the research process. Royal commissions will spend millions of taxpayers’ dollars to investigate particular phenomena over several years, only to have the government disregard the recommendations (Anderson, 1998).
There are numerous factors that will influence the decision to end the data collection phase of a research. The two most obvious factors are usually time and money. If on the other hand one has sufficient resources at their disposal, there still comes a time to stop. In conducting case studies, one typically uses seven sources of evidence: documentation, file data, interviews, site visits, direct observation, participant observation and physical artifacts. For most case study topics documentation, in the form of articles, letters, memoranda, agendas, previous studies and newspaper articles, is generally available. Relevant file data or archives may also exist in the form of service or performance records, staff rosters, computer data bases or internal reports and studies. The interview is a prime source of case study data (Scarbrough & Tanenbaum, 1998). Typically a case study researcher will interview a wide range of respondents which serves two purposes. The first purpose is to add greater depth of understanding to issues that relate to the case at hand. The second purpose is to use the interview to identify key informants who are part of the case. Direct observation data can be very helpful for understanding the context, why things are the way they are, based on an accumulation of information garnered from several sources (Scarbrough & Tanenbaum, 1998). Resource for the research includes the list of volunteers, inmates and psychologists from the institution Mental Health America. Mental Health America would be the institution that the study would focus on, the list of volunteers, inmates and psychologists would help in determining the probable respondents for the study. Another resource would be the budget. The budget would be used to fund for all the activities of the study. A resource would be recording devices. The recording devices would help in keeping records of the data gathering process. Recording devices could be in the form of video cameras or tape recorders. Moreover a resource would be papers, computers and other materials that would be needed in gathering the needed data for the study.
Anticipated Problems and risks
One constraint for the study is the barriers to the scope or reach of the project. The scope determines the boundaries of the study. In this case the boundaries would be the mood swings of the inmates and the availability of the volunteers or psychologies. Once the barriers prevent the researchers from reaching the objectives the study would be a total waste. To solve such constraint the researchers need to be in constant communication with Mental Health America so that they can know the schedule of the volunteers and psychologist. The researchers need to be informed of the mindset of the inmates. Another constraint for the study is the lack of time that will be used to finish the research endeavor. Time is important because it will determine which aspect of the study needs more focus. To solve such constraint the researchers need to follow all activities as scheduled and make adjustments once potential time problems are seen. Lastly a constraint for the study is the lack of budget. The budget is the one used to finance all that will be needed to finish the research. The budget is important because without it the study cannot move on to its other aspects. One of the major risks for the study is getting negative feedbacks from the participants. Some of the people might accept the purpose of the study but some might be offended by it. Some people might also question the importance of the study to their organization. Another risk for the study is to introduce suggestions that not all people would be willing to accept. Lastly a risk for the study is it not able to find the information it needs at the allowed time. Finding the information may take some more time.
Anticipated needs
The area that the researchers would need help includes the part where they need to deal with the inmates. The researchers may have a hard time in dealing with the inmates because of their varying characteristics and history. The inmates can also have mood swings that will hamper the conduct of the study. An area that the researchers would need help is their communication skills. The researchers should also increase their knowledge of communicating with the respondents and individuals who might help in gathering the needed data. Increasing the communication knowledge tends to help increase the researcher’s chance to achieve their goals. The researcher’s relationship with the inmates, volunteers and psychologist is important because it can help the researchers gather the needed ideas to determine the relation between animal cruelty and bullying. A good relationship with the inmates, volunteers and psychologist can make the study successful. The researchers need to make use of effective verbal and non verbal methodologies that will introduce important actions pertaining to the goal of improving the relations with the respondents. The researchers then will have to make use of two way communication schemes to create a good relationship between them and their respondents. For obtaining help, the researchers have patience and diligence in looking for individuals that might give them assistance in the conduct of the study. The researchers will make sure that they will have enough patience to look for anyone who can provide assistance so that their goals will be reached. The researchers would be diligent to determine the places or forums that will give them assistance in the conquest of the study.
References
Anderson, G. (1998). Fundamentals of educational research.
London: Falmer.
Scarbrough, E. & Tanenbaum, E. (Eds.). (1998). Research
strategies in the social sciences: A guide to new
approaches. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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