Study design

I have chosen to use a mixed-methods study design for my research. This means that I will be using both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. This approach is appropriate for my research because it will allow me to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon I am studying.

Specifically, I will be using the following qualitative data collection methods:

• Interviews: I will conduct interviews with a sample of participants to learn about their experiences and perspectives on the phenomenon I am studying.
• Focus groups: I will conduct focus groups with a sample of participants to generate discussion and debate about the phenomenon I am studying.
• Document analysis: I will analyze documents such as policy papers, news articles, and social media posts to gain insights into the phenomenon I am studying.

I will also be using the following quantitative data collection methods:

• Surveys: I will distribute surveys to a sample of participants to collect data on their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to the phenomenon I am studying.
• Experimental data: I will collect experimental data to test specific hypotheses about the phenomenon I am studying.

I have chosen to use a mixed-methods design because it will allow me to gain a more holistic understanding of the phenomenon I am studying. The qualitative data will provide me with in-depth insights into the experiences and perspectives of participants. The quantitative data will allow me to generalize my findings to a larger population.

Relevance of conducting a literature review

It is important to conduct a literature review for any research study, but it is especially important for mixed-methods studies. The literature review will help me to:

• Identify the existing body of knowledge on the phenomenon I am studying. This will help me to develop my research questions and to design my study in a way that builds on the existing research.
• Identify any gaps in the existing research. This will help me to identify areas where my research can make a contribution to the field.
• Develop a theoretical framework for my study. This will help me to understand the phenomenon I am studying in a more nuanced way.
• Identify appropriate research methods and data analysis techniques.

Replicating a study

I am not replicating a specific study for my research. However, I am drawing on the findings of previous research to inform my study design and to develop my research questions. For example, I have reviewed studies on the use of social media to promote social change. These studies have helped me to understand the factors that contribute to the success of social media campaigns. I am using this knowledge to design my own social media campaign to promote awareness of the issue I am studying.

Others have researched in this area

Yes, other researchers have researched in the area that I am studying. There is a growing body of research on the use of social media to promote social change. However, there is still much that we do not know about how to use social media effectively for social change. My research will contribute to this growing body of knowledge by exploring the use of social media to promote awareness of a specific issue.

How the information is coming together for me

The information from my literature review and my data collection methods is coming together to form a more complete understanding of the phenomenon I am studying. For example, the literature review has helped me to understand the different ways that social media can be used to promote social change. My data collection methods are helping me to understand how people are actually using social media to promote awareness of the issue I am studying.

Overall, I am confident that my study design will allow me to make a significant contribution to the field of social change research. My mixed-methods approach will allow me to gain a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon I am studying, and my research questions are relevant to the current state of knowledge in the field.