Business Research Methods Part 3 - Term Paper Example

Discuss potential challenges to validity and reliability of your research question, data and analysis. Outline steps needed to minimize these challenges. There are potential challenges which may pose to the validity and reliability of the research question, data and analysis. Nowadays a lot of importance is given to qualitative methods to collect data like focus groups, in – depth interviews and observational methods. However, these may be biased as considerable research needs to be done prior to selecting a sample group.

Also the researcher may be biased in trying to determine the participant observation. Another potential challenge lies in data collection and analysis. Sometimes the data might be outdated or the researcher may not be able to collect comprehensive data to carry out research. Another challenge is to prioritize and filter information from the data – both qualitative and quantitative. The researcher needs to abandon redundant information and include only those which are relevant to his or her research (Sittig et al, 2008).

There may be several methods which a researcher may employ in order to reduce the challenges and increase the authenticity of data used in research. Here the researcher has conducted both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the healthcare dilemma in American households. One of them is to involve iterative methods and the refinement and development of analogies, typologies and other methods to analyze data (Fitzpatrick & Boulton 1996). This is extremely important especially when qualitative methods of data collection are employed.

The researcher may be biased or the participants may be biased in providing their observations and answers. Hence, conducting iteration is one way to reduce such bias in data analysis. Another way to authenticate and validate the data collected in research is to properly prioritize and sort out the data. The researcher must take into account only information which is relevant to the research. The researcher must keep in mind that the reliability and validity of the research depends on the data collection and analysis.

Hence, it is very necessary to try and procure accurate data in order to conduct research. References: Sittig, D.F., Wright, A., Osheroff, J. A., Middleton, B., Teich, J.M., Ash, J.S., Campbell, E., Bates, D.W. (2008). Grand challenges in clinical decision support. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 41, 387 – 392. Fitzpatrick, Ray & Boulton, Mary. (1996). Qualitative research in healthcare: The scope and validity of methods. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 2, 123 – 130.