Reference no: EM132253975

For this Discussion, you will evaluate the use of literature and problem statements in assigned journal articles in your discipline to understand what it means for a research study to be justified, grounded, and original. You will use the Use of Literature Checklist, the Problem Statement Checklist, and the Litmus Test as guides for your post.

With these thoughts in mind, refer to the Journal Articles document for your assigned articles for this Discussion.

The Journal Article:
Flynn, C. B., Smither, J. W., & Walker, A. G. (2015). Exploring the relationship between leaders' core self-evaluations and subordinates' perceptions of servant leadership: A field study. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies.

NOTE: The journal article, the Use of Literature Checklist, the Problem Statement Checklist, and the Litmus Test guides are all attached.

POST a critique of the research study in which you:

(1) Evaluate the authors' use of literature using the Use of Literature Checklist as a guide

(2) Evaluate the research problem using the Problem Statement Checklist as a guide

(3) Explain what it means for a research study to be justified and grounded in the literature; then, explain what it means for a problem to be original using the Litmus Test as a guide.

Be sure to support your Main Issue Post and Response Post with reference to the week's Learning Resources and other scholarly evidence in APA Style.

References
Babbie, E. (2017). Basics of social research (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Chapter 15, "Reading and Writing Social Research"

Literature Checklist

Use the following criteria to evaluate an author's use of literature.

• Look for indications of the following ways the author used literature:
• Introduce a problem
• Introduce a theory
• Provide direction to the research questions and/or hypotheses
• Compare results with existing literature or predictions
• Did the author mention the problem addressed by the study?
• Is the purpose of the study stated?
• Are key variables in the study defined?
• Is information about the sample, population, or participants provided?
• Are the key results of the study summarized?
• Does the author provide a critique of the literature?
• Are sources cited to support points?
• Are the citations to recent literature (within the past 5 years with the exception of seminal works)?
• Does the literature justify the importance of the topic studied?

Problem Statement Checklist

Use the following criteria to evaluate an author's problem statement:

• Is a problem identified that leads to the need for this study?
• Is a rationale or justification for the problem clearly stated?
• Is the problem framed in a way that is consistent with the research approach?
• Does the statement convey how the study will address the problem?
• Are the citations to literature current (i.e., within the past 5 years with the exception of seminal works)?

Litmus Test for a Doctoral-Level Research Problem

Background on these "litmus test" questions
• The distinguishing characteristic of doctoral-level research (as opposed to masters level) is that it must make an original contribution to the field. However, students may struggle to identify what will authentically contribute to their field or discipline.
• The most critical step in making such a contribution is to first identify a research problem with the 4 doctoral hallmarks below. Identifying a doctoral-level research problem is "necessary, but not sufficient," to produce doctoral-level capstone.

In Walden's scholar-practitioner model, a research problem shows promise of contributing meaningfully to the field ONLY if the answer to ALL of the following questions is "yes."

1. JUSTIFIED? Is there evidence that this problem is significant to the professional field?

There must be relevant statistics (expressing an unjust inequality, financial impact, lost efficiency, etc.), documentable discrepancies (e.g., two models that are difficult to reconcile), and/or other scholarly facts that point to the significance and urgency of the problem. The problem must be an authentic "puzzle" that needs solving, not merely a topic that the researcher finds interesting.

2. GROUNDED IN THE LITERATURE?
Can the problem be framed in a way that will enable the researcher to either build upon or counter the previously published findings on the topic?

For most fields, this involves articulating the problem within the context of a theoretical or conceptual framework. Although there are multiple ways to ground a study in the scientific literature, the essential requirement is that the problem is framed in such a way that the new findings will have implications for the previous findings.

3. ORIGINAL? For research doctorates (Ph.D.):
Does the problem reflect a meaningful gap in the research literature?

For the professional doctorates (Ed.D. and D.B.A.):
Does the problem describe a meaningful gap in practice?

4. AMENABLE TO SCIENTIFIC STUDY? Can a scholarly, systematic method of inquirybe applied to address the problem?

The framing of the problem should not reveal bias or present a foregone conclusion. Even if the researcher has a strong opinion on the expected findings, scholarly objectivity must be maximized by framing the problem in the context of a systematic inquiry that permits multiple possible conclusions.