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Meta Analysis Essays and Research Papers

Instructions for Meta Analysis College Essay Examples

Title: Types of Literature Reviews and Search Strategies

Total Pages: 2 Words: 610 References: 0 Citation Style: APA Document Type: Essay

Essay Instructions: Differentiating Literature Reviews

An important step in the research process is reviewing the current body of literature to better understand the subject or topic in which you are interested. By conducting a review of the literature, you are building foundational knowledge about the topic and from which you will build new insights. The literature provides one form of evidence. In addition, recall that some research studies review the body of literature for you and then report their findings. These types of studies are called a meta analysis, systematic review, or integrative review. Frequently, meta analysis and systematic review are used interchangeably; however, they do use different strategies when reviewing the body of literature on a topic. Also recall the differences between systematic and integrative literature reviews as identified in your readings by Houde (2009) and Krainovich-Miller et al. (2009).

The first step in locating literature on a topic is employing good search techniques. Review the strategies presented in the readings and the web resources presented in the Learning Resources.

To prepare for this Discussion, locate a full-text research article that is a meta analysis, a systematic review, or an integrative review in the Walden Library. Read through the article and then respond to the following:

With these thoughts in mind:



Post your comments, addressing these points:




Briefly summarize your article and the type of analysis conducted (i.e., meta analysis, systematic review, integrative review). Include the citation for your article.



Using the evaluation criteria presented in Chapter 6 of your Burns & Grove textbook, share a strength or weakness of your study.



Briefly describe the advantages of the type of analysis (i.e. meta analysis, systematic, or integrative review) used in the research study you reviewed.



What key words did you use when conducting your search?


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Excerpt From Essay:

Title: Offender re entry project programs

Total Pages: 8 Words: 2315 Works Cited: 8 Citation Style: MLA Document Type: Research Paper

Essay Instructions: Research Analysis and Critique Guidelines (15 Points)

Research Analysis and Critique Assignment (Due Week 11)

Purpose: This assignment is designed to support continued investigation of your selected topic through conducting a search of and critiquing the literature to detail your findings through via the components listed below. Your task is to answer the final question from your prior assignment (based on the Cournoyer text), or construct a new question in the format:

“What is the current best evidence regarding the effectiveness of services [identify the kind, nature, or aspect of service] to or for [identify the target client group]?”

Remember the definition of empirical as you search/select articles for review. You may need articles that state a position (commentary) on your topic without the authors ever having completed a research study. Or, you may find articles that make a judgment (valuation) of services to your population of interest, but these are NOT the articles you’ll include in your review (see Methods and Results,below).

Your paper should be 8??"10 pages of text (not including title, abstract, and reference pages). Literature reviewed must be from peer-reviewed, scholarly journals. Your paper will conform to APA Publication Manual (6th ed.) guidelines (double-spaced, 12-pt. font in Times New Roman or Arial, with 1” margins around), with one exception noted below (see subheading NOTE). Do not insert extra spaces between paragraphs??"double space throughout! Your paper will also include title page, abstract, and reference pages.

Added on 3/8/13: Please ensure you scroll to the bottom of the sample paper, where an actual student paper has been made available to you. This copy is also in an announcement entitled Research Analysis and Critique Paper Notice.

____________________

The following sections are required in your Research Analysis and Critique Assignment.

Abstract. See APA Manual for guidelines and word count limit. (NOTE: The Abstract is written following the completion of your paper.)

In paper headings below, please use the illustrated format (Roman Numeral. Title). Do not include the description after the subheading. Even though this is not APA Format, Bolded Terms are for the purpose of following the flow.

I. Introduction (1-2 pps. of Text, Topic Area, Significance)

Although many journals no longer label the Introduction, the beginning to a paper details the “what is” of your topic and explains to your reader why it is important. Here, you’ll define and describe your topic (the “what is”) and then, provide rationale and support why your topic is important. Be sure to use citations, especially if you make any reports of findings and/or assertions that are not your own. If the empirical research in your review was been based on theory (conceptual), or if theory has not been used to support research, share that in a brief reference here. If the literature and research on your topic have conflicting positions or schools of thought about “what is”, you’ll want your reader to be informed of that conflict, so again, here’s a good place to do that. Likewise, if research investigations and their findings differ, you’ll want to familiarize your reader with that here, too. In concluding this section, tell the reader how your paper will progress (what the reader can expect). Your introduction serves as your reader’s roadmap, frames your topic by telling him/her what your topic is and why it’s important, and (hopefully) convinces him/her to read the remainder of your work.

II. Methods (1 page: Define key terms, search terms, dates, inclusion/exclusion criteria, databases)

Here, you will list criteria used to conduct your review of the literature, to include keywords used, databases searched, years spanned, how many studies you located either met or did not meet your review criteria (if any studies were excluded, explain why/how you made that determination). Define/clarify any terms necessary to aid your reader to comprehend what you’re presenting.

If your topic is prevalent in professions other than social work, and you had to go to databases serving those professions, you’ll want to address that here. Or, if your topic is relatively new, with only a beginning body of literature developed, you may comment on that here. If your topic has a history, with qualitative and quantitative studies available, or even a meta analysis or two, you may also wish to comment on that in this section.

III. Results (3-4 pps.; 3 TABLES (max): 1 overview with study author names/date, study focus, design, sample participants, data collection methods/measures; findings, conclusion; then, 1 inclusion, and 1 exclusion, if applicable.)

Present findings in table format, synthesizing and condensing information. Table(s) content should contain what was reviewed and what was excluded and why (see Mock-Up at end of this document).

Reflections on the Literature Review Process

In this section, record your observations and thoughts about your search efforts. I should be able to understand what your process was like. Differentiate between what was and was not useful or helpful findings in your search. Could/Did you find what you sought? Did you require professional (librarian) assistance to complete your research? If so, with what did they assist you? What did you learn from your efforts that you can use in subsequent literature searches? Does your assessment inform you about your topic? Were you satisfied (or not) with the information available? What limited your findings? What do you think needs to be addressed in future research in your area of interest? (You’ll return to this topic at the end of your paper; mention only briefly here.)

IV. Discussion (2-3 pps.; Summary, limitations, overall theme/major points, implication for SW practice.)

Summarize your findings here, beginning with the big picture (scope of the landscape). Use citations in your summary that refer back to your table summaries. Tell your reader what is considered both notably worthy and problematic in your findings, and what may form the basis of treatment recommendations or direct future research.

This is the area of the paper in which you critique two major areas: methodology and substance. Methodology (the research process, or how well the study was designed and executed) includes your critique of the research designs, samples, data collection methods (to include instrument reliability and validity), and data analysis. If any research study was poorly designed or executed, or if it was flawed in one of the four basic areas, did the researcher(s) adjust in other areas to strengthen their study? (Usually, this will be mentioned.) Assess study components to assess study validity (internal and external)??"did it do what it set out to do and if so, how well? How much should we trust the study results and why or why not? Research limitations, defined by researchers or teams, will be mentioned/addressed here.

The latter is particularly relevant if experimental research (Randomized Controlled Trials, RCTs) exist in your topic. Those findings (prescriptive/explanatory) should point us to “best practice” standards for treatment. Summarize these findings so that your reader understands the basis for recommending/endorsing treatment(s). However, if your topic is relatively new, you may not find this level of research. So, you might share results of any exploratory literature by noting variables identified in qualitative studies that provide future research direction for quantitative studies. You may wish to point to design or sampling issues that have been/are problematic, issues that researchers would need to address in future studies.

The substantive critique is where we apply the “so what?” test??"are study results meaningful? Did findings have merit? Are they useful? Do they inform practice? Can we take something away from the study that will support our knowledge about what works or what exists to be useful in serving clients or informing policy?

Implications for Social Work Practice

Logically following the methodological and substantive assessments in the prior section, synthesize applicable findings or recommendations applicable to social work practice and service delivery. What is useable or applicable now (your “take-aways” from the research)? If there are few/no recommendations, why not?

V. Conclusion (1/2 to 1 page)

To end your paper, bring your reader full circle, beginning with a brief reference to what you’ve just presented in the Results/Findings. In one or two closing paragraphs, remind your reader of the significance of the research, its need/applicability to a problem experienced in your target population, and what remains to be done by researchers to address existing or unmet needs in research and in meeting existing client needs.

(See Mock Up Example below.)

Mock-Up Paper Highlights

(Note, this example is single-spaced, but your papers will be double-spaced and include title page, abstract, and reference page(s) in accordance with APA style.)

I. Introduction

The topic to be explored is effective workplace accommodations for people with disabilities. The significance of this topic lies in national statistics revealing that …

…The purpose of this review is to identify and critically analyze the empirical studies that compare various workplace accommodations, as well as to examine key conceptual studies that present useful guidelines or models for assessing the quality of such accommodations… the key questions driving this paper begin with this one: “What are the perceptions of workers with disabilities about what constitutes an effective workplace accommodation?”

II. Methods

There are several terms of critical importance, ‘key terms’ in understanding the context of current research in this area. Primary among these is the term accommodation which means…another key term is ‘assistive technology’ which refers to the devices or tools that… In order to cull the articles that represent the best available knowledge in this field a variety of search terms were used, mostly in the form of phrases, the first of which was ‘workplace accommodation effectiveness’…Because the knowledge base in the workplace accommodations domain is rapidly changing to reflect the development of new assistive technologies it was decided to set the date parameters from 2005-2012…In order to ensure that the most recent, relevant and rigorous studies or conceptual articles were used for this paper, the following criteria were used for inclusion…, meanwhile, studies or conceptual articles that had a focus or content inappropriate for this paper were omitted, specifically with reference to the following exclusion criteria… Given the focus of this paper the following data bases were consulted to identify suitable articles: Psych Info, Social Science Citation Index and … Please see Tables I and II (below??"per directions above, only include 3rd Table for excluded studies) for a list of the included and excluded articles and their key features or characteristics…

III. Results

Tabular Results ??" Articles Included and Excluded

Table 1. Overview Table of Literature Cited





Citation*


Study Focus


Design


Participants


Findings


Main Conclusion




Joe, Jim & Jack, 2005


Physical mobility accommodations


Mixed-methods, semi-structured interviews and measures of workplace environment


40 individuals with a physical mobility using wheelchairs employed full- or part-time


Creating ‘clear path’ aisles through workplaces increase worker satisfaction and productivity


Investments in the physical design of the workplace pay dividends for employers of individuals with physical disabilities who use mobility devices




Guobin, 2010


Computer-mediated accommodations




Survey instrument


100 employers who indicate that they have hired workers with disabilities in the past year


Most surveyed (85%) indicated that they would invest in low-cost modifications to computer screens and/or text reading software ‘patches’ to accommodate employees with visual impairments


Employers who have experience hiring and retaining workers with disabilities are willing to adopt low-cost fixes to existing technology to accommodate workers with sensory disabilities


* Full citation can be found in the Reference section

Table 2 ??" INSERT DRAFT TABLE (REMOVE ‘DRAFT’ FROM TITLE) HERE

Reflections on the Literature Collection Process

Reflecting on the ‘adventure’ that was the literature collection process, I am struck by the iterative nature of the search, which was something I had not expected. I anticipated a straightforward process of setting out search parameters and ‘bringing home’ the relevant articles but I discovered that the only way to address the questions driving my review I had to go back and forth…I observed that the literature in this field of study is complex and picking through the possible studies a time-consuming but ultimately satisfying process…as I think back on my process I would have been better served if from the beginning I had…

IV. Discussion

Summary of Findings

The first dimension of workplace accommodations to be explored focused on the physical layout of the workplace, particularly as it impacts people with physical disabilities who employ mobility devices such as wheelchairs. A mixed-methods study of 40 wheelchair users by Joe, et al. (2005) showed that…

Limitations of Reviewed Articles

There were several key limitations shared by all the articles; convenience samples were used, limiting the generalizability of the results…these limitations are a reflection of the reality of workplace research involving people with disabilities which seldom allows randomization at the individual or workgroup level due to the absence of ‘master lists’ of employees with disabilities from which to select a sample…

Overall Themes/Major Points

The overriding theme in the studies involving employers (i.e., Guobin, 2010;…) is the importance of cost in employer decision making concerning the introduction of new or improved accommodations. Employers appear to engage in a cost-benefit analysis decision making process… A major point of importance in this vein is that most accommodations actually cost very little in terms of money, or in terms of staff time for installation…

V. Conclusion

Considered in the aggregate, the studies cited in this paper point to the importance of matching workplace accommodations with the respective needs of employees with disabilities who require assistive devices to enhance their work performance, and those of employers who are guided by resource and budgetary constraints to make decisions that they deem cost-effective…

A_Research_Critique_Paper_Student Sample.docx





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Title: predatory lending

Total Pages: 20 Words: 5515 Bibliography: 0 Citation Style: APA Document Type: Essay

Essay Instructions: The focus is predatory lending within the subprime mortgage lending market in th US. Detail should include:

1. Lit review (or meta analysis) of predatory studies using HMDA data. (if possible a table of studies and key findings)

2. The economic impact of predatory

3. Response from community group, local goverment and federal goverment.
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Title: Methodology experienced professional writer

Total Pages: 8 Words: 2331 Sources: 0 Citation Style: MLA Document Type: Research Paper

Essay Instructions: To: Methodology experienced professional writer

Requesting 8 page methodology research paper.
See below ? I have merely re-written the handout instructions given to us by the professor.

All instructions and guidance are to be taken seriously and followed completely.

Yet, Please understand ? I am requesting your professional talent.
I am going to consider you ? as the writer ? a professional person with experience in writing Methodology papers. Therefore, as a professional ? have the freedom to write in your ?style?. Yet, please follow professors? instructions.

IMPORTATION NOTE: please print this page out and PRIOR to writing this writing request ?
DO READ ITS CONTENT IN ENTIRETY ----

PAPER: Methodology
Professor: D

a. the tools of scientific investigation (properly methods)
b. Method implies a detailed, logically ordered plan.
c. A body of practices, procedures, and rules used by those who work in a discipline or engage in an inquiry.
d. The study or theoretical analysis of such working methods.

My job is to provide guidance.

As a student in my class it is expected that you take responsibility and have the insight to absorb all the guidance and instructions within today?s handout.

My single best advice: Do not diverge.

Research Question: What do we do about abused children?

The attention: The more stress on the Foster Care system ? the worse the children in it do.

Variables are: Abused children?s psycho-social functioning and out-of-home placement overload.

1): I have provided one research question which you can investigate through examination of original empirical research. ( relevant published research)

Vitally important that you understand:

You MAY NOT USE case studies. MAY NOT USE meta analysis.

MUST have three quantitative studies. Will accept more than three.

MUST NOT INCLUDE MORE THAN two qualitative studies. No more, will accept less.
Total of Five studies.

2): ONE of your attention should be given to limitations of the studies that might qualify conclusions.

3): ALSO important: What is EXPECTED within your writing: What do you think of the various methods used?

4): DO NOT TALK in great length about the actual ?topic? ? (you need to understand this major point) What do you think of various methods used is much more likely to be pleasing to my eyes.

5): One of Your attention is to be directed at the various methods used and you are to tell me about them. Using correct terminology we have studied in our Research Methodology course. I expect to see those terms within your paper.

I will provide some of those terms ? yet, only a few will be listed. We have studied methodology in our research course ? It is your responsibly to use any additional terms appropriately.

6): Basically, students are to keep in mind & should concern yourself with the methodological issues which may have a bearing on how you assess the findings of your five studies.


7): Begin paper with your Research Question (center the question on your paper)

8) Locate a total of five research studies. You must select original empirical research studies that address the above research question.
Five only!

9): The total # of pages expected ; should not exceed eight pages.
The ninth page will be your separate reference page.


10): I will not accept any more than 8 Pgs. Should I receive more ? it will result in a Failure. Less than 8 pgs. Failure as well. I will not even read any more than 8 or anything less than 8.

******I do understand you may need to look at literature review articles to identify research studies. You may use it to help you understand more about the research topic. I will accept literature review articles as an addition and only as an aid for your understanding*******************

We will approach this assignment in a highly structured manner.

Here I am giving you the Format which I expect you to follow.


Include the following topics in your eight page paper:

1): Begin by stating your research question. (centered)

The entire paper will have headings which have been placed in consecutive order. Do not change the order of headings. Highlight and UNDERSCORE YOUR HEADINGS: For example:

2): Conclusions-- (underscore the word conclusions)
What conclusions do you draw about the research question based on the studies that you reviewed?

3): Discrepancies (underscore)
What accounts for any discrepancies in findings among the studies? Consider the findings, the methodological differences, and the strengths and weaknesses of each study. Discrepancies: talk about Why their findings are different. Let me explain what I am looking for here. You will have five studies that looked at the same thing and they had different findings, Why was that? Why are there discrepancies among their opinions? For example, it might be they found out different things because one studied immigrant workers from Texas and one studied immigrant workers from California. Tell me how that makes a difference.

4): Methodological issues
Are there methodological problems that pervade the entire set of studies? If so, identify them and make recommendations for future studies on this topic to overcome them.

Methodological is: What do You think about How they did their research?
For example, all the studies were done retrospective measurements. You believe that was not a good way to go. Tell me what might have been a better choice. All the studies were longitudinal and perhaps that was a problem. It might have been better to do longitudinal, yet; perhaps it was not feasibility to do research by this method. Talk about what you think and back it up.

Do not be concerned should # 3 and # 4 overlapped. Yet, Demonstrate to me that YOU UNDERSTAND THE differences between discrepancies and methodological issues

5): Cultural and Ethical issues
What cultural diversity and ethical issues are pertinent to this set of studies? How well, in your opinion, do these studies address these concerns?

6): Opinion
In your opinion, what are the most pressing future research needs on the topic you have chosen?

{Review what I have suggested to all student at the start of this handout.
(have the insight to absorb all the guidance and instructions within today?s handout. ) }

Further guidance: list of methodological issues to look for and to incorporate into your paper.

1): how clearly do they state the RQ?
2): what do you think about the design they chose to examine the phenomenon?
3): Sampling issues? Maybe each used different size samples; maybe they had different findings because the sizes of the samples were very different. Maybe one study did not look at enough people to really know if it made a difference. Take a look at the five studies and come up with your own opinion but be able to back it up!
4): Type of data collection methods/tools used
5): how does the study deal with extraneous explanations? It is important that each student understand exactly how important this particular question is. The name of this course is: research methods course. Students are expected to think.


Read each of your five selections individually. Understand how the designs were done in terms of time (Retrospective, prospective?) What do you think the impact of retrospective or prospective had? Was it cross sectional or longitudinal? What do you think the impact of that is? Let?s say the researcher decided on longitudinal study; you should tell me whether you think that was a good way to go or not, be able to back it up. I think that is very helpful in understanding why some things are stronger than others in terms of design.

Tell me about the control over phenomena: Control is eliminating other causes than independent variable. Talk about Internal Validity.
Talk about whether the investigators rule out extraneous factors? If not, explain. Tell me about the Treats to internal validity. I expect to see those terms within your paper. Tell me whether the researcher accounted for the treats to internal validity? Were the treats either maturation, history threats, or statistical regression. If not accounted, explain?
Did you see any weakness here? Tell me about the size and composition of sample, using correct terminology. E.g. single system design, homogeneous group, multiple or heterogeneous group, Classical experimental group design or Partial Crossover design. I expect these terms to be incorporated within paper. Talk about whether classical experimental group design was used and let?s say you believe that was a weak design, and then explain yourself. Why was it weak? How would you have improved the research? Meaning whether you would have decided on partial crossover design, then explain why? Talk about External Validity: whether you think the research you have read can be generalize out. External validity is a term we all understand. Do have your own assumptions of internal validity when you do the second paper.

All Methodology terms are to be included within your paper.
This is a research methods course.

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