Avoiding Bias in Research

In qualitative research, topic choices are sometimes based on personal investment and a desire to solve a known problem rather than a desire to add to the
scholarly knowledge of the issue at hand. Our humanness can have positive and negative impacts on the effectiveness of our research designs. Now that
you have watched a discussion about addressing bias in research topic development, reflect on the potential for bias in your own topic development and
describe how you might counteract it.
Consult pages 61–65 in Chapter 3 of your Creswell and Creswell text on the use of theory in qualitative research as well as Chapter 9, "Qualitative Methods,"
pages 179–210 to design a qualitative study about your chosen area of organizational interest. Provide your organizational issue and purpose, including as
many specifics about your sources of data and collection methods as you can. Include questions you would ask in a focus group or individual interviews to
gather information to answer your research questions and identify the roles of the interviewees. Suggest possible literature review topics or theories for your
study and identify any ethical considerations. (Review "Ethical Issues to Anticipate," pages 87–95 in Chapter 4, "Writing Strategies and Ethical
Considerations.")
Then, answer the following questions:
What are your views on this topic, problem, sample, and research site?
How might your views create a bias in planning, conducting, and reporting research?
What strategies might you take to avoid imposing your bias on the proposed study and findings?
Support your strategies with the literature.