Respond to the following prompts to describe how you will measure your variables and collect data.
Describe any participant demographics you will collect.
Describe what instrument you will use to obtain information to measure your variables. For example, will you create a survey or use one that already exists? If you are using a pre-existing survey, provide evidence that it is appropriate for your study (for example, its use in another similar study). If you are creating your own survey, write at list 5 survey questions (excluding demographic questions) that you would like to ask. If you are using an existing instrument, include 5 of the items from the instrument (excluding demographic questions).
Now, describe how you will distribute your survey or measurement instrument. In other words, how will you collect the data? For example, you could administer the survey or instrument personally, mail it, use email, or social media to distribute your survey or instrument.
Next, describe how you will analyze your data. You do not need to name specific tests, but you should describe how you will summarize the data to describe, compare, and/or relate the variables. You should use the terms you learned in this course on quantitative data analysis. See the end of this discussion for a brief list of data analysis terms.
Finally, describe the strengths and limitations of your study.
Full Answer Section
Instrument
I will use the Survey of Organizational Climate (SOC) to measure employee morale and communication effectiveness. The SOC is a widely used and validated instrument that has been shown to be reliable and effective in measuring these variables. The SOC consists of 46 items that are divided into six subscales:
- Morale: This subscale measures employees' overall satisfaction with their work and their organization.
- Communication: This subscale measures employees' perceptions of the effectiveness of communication within their organization.
- Leadership: This subscale measures employees' perceptions of the effectiveness of their leaders.
- Job satisfaction: This subscale measures employees' satisfaction with their specific jobs.
- Trust: This subscale measures employees' trust in their leaders and their organization.
- Teamwork: This subscale measures employees' perceptions of teamwork within their organization.
I will use a 5-point Likert scale to measure each item on the SOC, with 1 being "strongly disagree" and 5 being "strongly agree."
Data Collection Method
I will collect data using an online survey. The survey will be hosted on a secure website and will be accessible to participants via a unique link. Participants will be asked to complete the survey at their own convenience and within a specified timeframe.
Rationale for Choosing an Online Survey
I have chosen to use an online survey for the following reasons:
- Online surveys are more convenient for participants than traditional paper-and-pencil surveys. Participants can complete the survey at their own pace and from any location with internet access.
- Online surveys are more cost-effective than traditional paper-and-pencil surveys. There are no printing or mailing costs associated with online surveys.
- Online surveys allow for real-time data collection and analysis. This allows researchers to identify trends and patterns in the data as it is being collected.
Data Analysis
I will use descriptive statistics to analyze the data from the SOC. This will include calculating the mean, median, and mode for each item on the survey. I will also use inferential statistics to compare the scores on the subscales of the SOC. This will allow me to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference in employee morale and communication effectiveness between different groups of participants.
Limitations
The use of an online survey may limit the generalizability of the findings to certain populations, such as those who do not have access to the internet. Additionally, the use of a self-report measure may be subject to bias, as participants may not be entirely truthful in their responses.
Despite these limitations, I believe that the use of an online survey is the most appropriate method for collecting data for this study. Online surveys are a convenient, cost-effective, and efficient way to collect data from a large number of participants. Additionally, the use of a validated instrument, such as the SOC, will help to ensure the reliability and validity of the findings.