Study Evaluation
This is the fourth assignment in your Action Research Project. Begin by reviewing the project description and the Unit 9 instructions for the final project assignment, focusing on the Discussion of Implications section, in which you will present a revised version of your work in this assignment. Also, be sure to examine the Study Evaluation Scoring Guide before you begin, in order to familiarize yourself with the requirements of this assignment. In addition, review the Riverbend City: Action Research Topic Implications and Plan Evaluation multimedia presentation from Unit 6 to prepare for completing this assignment.
Remember that in each course project assignment, you will update and include the content of your previous assignments, then add new content as assigned. So far, you have already created the Introduction, Background for the Study, Description of the Research Context for the Study, and Results of Data Collection and Analysis sections for your final project assignment. During this unit, you will also create the Action Plan section of the report, in the Project Action Plan discussion. In this assignment, you will add the Discussion of Implications section. When you complete this assignment, you will have only the Conclusions section of the report to write in the next and final project assignment, in Unit 9.
Assignment Instructions
For this assignment, copy the content from your Unit 2, Unit 3, and Unit 5 assignments into a new document. Make any updates to this content that may be called for, based on instructor feedback or other project developments. Then, create a new section, titled Discussion of Implications. Address each of the points that follow in this assignment, basing your statements on research from the field.
Discussion of ImplicationsEvaluate the implications of your findings and the potential significance for your organization and for society from your chosen research study.
Evaluate possible implications of your findings for the organization.
Analyze possible improvements to service at your chosen human services organization.
Analyze possible improvements to service for your chosen human services issue in society.
Analyze who might care about this study, and why.
Critique the potential limitations of the research, such as questions that may be left unanswered.
Explain whether the research addresses what the organization wanted to know or whether you may have uncovered a new issue.
Distinguish who benefits from this research on your human services issue.
Analyze what was learned from your chosen study.
Explain what is important to you and to others concerning this research.Describe whose interests are served by this research.
Define who benefits from this research.
Propose future research steps regarding your human services issue, using systems thinking.
Explain what new questions emerged in your analysis of your chosen study.
Explain how you will continue this inquiry.
Consider how the groups and/or individuals that you have identified as beneficiaries of this research might be called upon to contribute to furthering the research.
Briefly outline the action plan you developed in this unit’s discussion.
Formulate a timeline plan that includes when to reassess this issue.Submission Requirements
Your assignment must meet the following requirements:Written communication: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and respectful of the diversity, dignity, and integrity of others, consistent with the expectations for members of the human services field. Write comprehensibly to support fundamental ideas, in APA format, using correct grammar and mechanics.
APA guidelines: Follow current APA guidelines for style and formatting, using a title page and references page, and citing your sources properly in the body of your paper with corresponding references on the references page.
Length: Write a minimum of 4 new pages for this assignment, for a running total of 16 pages (including the content from your previous assignments). This page total is not including the title page and references page. The content should be typed and double-spaced.
References: At least 12 references in total, including the 9 references from your previous assignments. Include peer-reviewed journals or other scholarly resources, assigned unit readings, and the like. In the total number of references, be sure to include your references for the 2 similar organizational reports you cited in the Unit 5 assignment.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12-point.
Study Evaluation Scoring GuideDue Date: End of Unit 7Percentage of Course Grade: 25%.CRITERIAEvaluate the implications of findings and the potential significance for an organization and for society from a chosen research study.25%Distinguish who benefited from research on a human services issue.25%Propose future research steps regarding a chosen human services issue.25%Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and respectful of the diversity, dignity, and integrity of others, consistent with the expectations for members of the human services field.25%Riverbend Community Action Consortium: Brenda Campbell’s OfficeCheck in with Brenda.Brenda CampbellRCAC Supervisor
Hello!So, I know you’re deep into the action research project now. And I’m really excited to hear what you come up with! I know this place is full of programs that could use some improvement…your thoughts on how to make those improvements could be really, really helpful.I have a few things that I wanted to remind you to keep in mind as you work on the research and your subsequent report and recommendations. You need to have an eye on the larger strategic picture, of course. But that has to translate into focused, program-specific courses of research and action. Kind of the research version of the old “think globally, act locally” maxim. And remember, as you move forward, whatever courses of action you recommend need to be sustainable for the organization. I know we’ve gotten into a lot of trouble over the years by starting initiatives that we weren’t in a position to carry forward over the long term.Think of the fundamentals. Who is this report for, in the end? Who’s your audience? At bottom, what are you trying to say in this report? What’s the best rhetorical strategy to make your case? What best practices within the field are applicable? What are the bigger-picture implications of what you’re finding? How do those numbers translate into the real world? If you imagine a typical person who receives the service you’re studying, what do your findings mean specifically for that person? What improvements can you suggest, looking at both the macro and micro scale?Oh, and remember that you always need to mention whether any specific groups or individuals helped fund your research.It’s important to look at your suggestions from all sides. Obviously, you wouldn’t be making these suggestions if you didn’t think they had an upside. But take a second and play Devil’s Advocate against yourself. What are the downsides, whether immediate or potential? How could things go wrong? What are the potential stumbling blocks or reasons the program might not be successful. You might come up with some good ideas for modifications at this stage. And even if you don’t, you should at least have some answers to offer up when other people raise these objections.Think about the way forward. Aside from new possible courses of action, the act of asking questions always leads to more questions. What new questions and lines of research are you uncovering? How could you carry the inquiry forward? What would make sense as a timeline on which to take another look at the issue? What are the metrics you’d use for success or failure?I don’t want to weigh you down with too many suggestions. Trust yourself, trust your process, and trust your work. Just think about the situation from as many angles and at as many scales as you can while you work, and you’ll be fine.Best of luck!