The article by Shehzad (2011) provides important takeaways for a researcher. First is the important of the introduction of a research, which informs the reader what the entire process is all about. The reader can identify the topic, background, research questions or hypothesis, and the purpose of the study. The second takeaway is about the beginning and most important function in a research project, which the identification of a topic or area of interest. A researcher should decide on the scope of the research to remain within it and focus the rest of activities, such as colleting and analyzing data. The third takeaway is the significance of listing research questions or hypothesis to guide the study and provide a direction to follow through data collection. The fourth takeaway is need t0 include the purpose and rationale of the study, such as to fill a gap in a previous study, to explore a topic in deeper detail, to solve an identified problem, or to expand a current study. The final takeaway is the importance of the methodology, which shows how the study is conducted, such as the methods used to collect and analyze data to answer the research question, test the hypothesis, and achieve the intended purpose.
Proposed Topic
The purpose of the study is to identify the impact of the social distancing policies, such as stay at home order to contain the spread of Covid-19. Since many children are away from school and isolated from their friends and peers, it would be remarkable to find out the new norm is affecting their socialization now that their only means to connect is through technology, such as zoom. Therefore, the topic of the study is: “The impact of social distancing policies on children’s socialization in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Part 2: A Worldview, Designs, and Methods
Worldviews, design, and method guide the data collection process to answer the research question(s) or test the hypothesis, as well as to achieve the purpose of the study. The current study will use a constructionist worldview, which is relevant to qualitative studies. Also known as social Constructivism, the worldview suggests that people strive to understand their world by developing subjective meanings of experiences (Creswell, 2014). The meanings are subjective and differ from one person or group to another because the meanings are constructed differently.
Since the researcher will use a social constructionist approach, the design for the study will be qualitative. The most suitable for the identified study is a phenomenological research, which is a research design in which the person conducting the study describes the social experiences of the participants (Creswell, 2014). The design takes the perspective of the participants when describing the experience in relation to the phenomenon. The description of the experience could apply to several people who have experienced the same phenomenon, such as the effect of social distancing on children during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The research method defines the specific method that the researcher will use to collect data from participants. The method suggests the mode of data collection, analysis, and interpretation that the researcher will use to answer the research question or test the hypothesis (Creswell, 2014). For the proposed study, the researcher will use observation and face-to-face interviews with a selected sample of children who are out of school and expected to remain indoors because of the social distancing orders. Data from the sample will be applicable to similar settings where children are social distancing to control the spread of the virus.
Part 3: Topic, Purpose, Design
Topic Statement
Topic: “The impact of social distancing policies on children’s socialization in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.” I would like to study the topic to understand the ongoing impact of social distancing policies, created to control the spread of Covid-19, on children who are at home during the time they should be at school interacting and playing with their peers.
Worldview
My worldview in the study is social constructionism since I seek to understand the lived experience of the affected children. I would like to understand how they are navigating the new reality and how it is affecting their normal daily activities, such as play. Children have a unique way of interpreting the new norm especially considering that it has distracted their daily experiences.
Design
The study will use a qualitative design, specifically phenomenology to study the impact of the Covid-19 phenomenon on children and their daily experiences. The design will provide a deeper understanding of the phenomenon and its effect on children through their personal perspectives. The design will also provide a deep and detailed analysis of the phenomenon.
Method
The specific method for the study is observation, complimented with face-to-face interviews with the sample of children affected by the social distancing policies, such as those out of school solely because of the pandemic.
Purpose Statement
The purpose of a study is an important aspect because it shows the intent of the researcher. The purpose indicates the intended reason for conducting the study (Creswell, 2014). The purpose of the current study is to explore the effect of social distancing policies, created to curtail the spreading of Covid-19, on children’s socialization process.
References
Creswell, J.W (2014). The Purpose Statement. In Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, Sage
Creswell, J.W (2014).The selection of a research approach. In Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, Sage
Shehzad, W. (2011). Outlining purposes, stating the nature of the present research, and listing research questions or hypotheses in academic papers. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 41(2), 139-160.