Summary
Sampling, validity and reliability are used by scientists to evaluate the quality of their studies. Sampling is the technique through which a size needed for an investigation is obtained. Reliability defines the consistency of research instruments and results. Validity determines the extent to which the outcomes meet the test measures (Abutabenjeh & Jaradat, 2018). All these factors differ in every research and are defined by various instruments. This paper will define the validity, reliability and sampling used in the research proposal.
Sampling
Cluster sampling will be applied in this research to achieve the sample size needed. It will include 500 children aged between six and eight years old. Through systematic random sampling, schools were assigned to intervention and control conditions. Some of the selection factors included the 6th-grade status in the fall of 2020 and the availability of weight, sex, and height information. These baseline statistics will be used to ensure that the sample size fits into the right criteria. Exclusion factors to be used include the inability of students to participate in physical activities or type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Systematic random sampling will be selected for the research since it reduces errors when selecting the individuals to be included in the research. Such a strategy gives all the schools equal chances of being chosen for the study.
The sampling targets primary school children in urban and rural settings. Both boys and girls were chosen for the study. The study sample age is considered appropriate in describing a school child in the research context. This stage is chosen as the students between seven and fourteen years old do not know much about eating habits and managing their diabetes. They would only stick to the medical or non-medical interventions that they would be exposed to. Younger ages will be excluded from the research as they are considered too not mature enough to respond to the questionnaires. Presentation of the population will be determined in the sample as the study will not include all the students from the research schools.
The population from which the study sample will be taken is not homogenous. In some of the schools, there are students from different class levels within the age groups required for the study. Hence, the sample will be stratified into classes to achieve groups with similar characteristics in terms of their grades and age. The students will be divided into homogeneous clusters to get a more accurate representation. After achieving the right sample, they will be randomly assigned to either intervention or control groups. During the sampling, minimum requirements for schools to be involved in the study will be defined to reduce the cases of group diversity.
Reliability
Quantitative exploration will be considered significant and reliable in achieving the study objective. This methodology will effectively identify different non-medical and medical interventions used in managing type 2 diabetes in school children. The first element in the research will be determining the health effects of childhood obesity. The criteria used in the methodology ensure close observation of children with the condition, and the aims of the study will be achieved through the chosen method. The research results will be reliable as they could effectively be used to formulate an intervention for children with the condition in different settings regardless of ethical or economic backgrounds. In addition, the research can be used in other future studies to determine the effectiveness of medical and non-medical interventions in managing type 2 diabetes.
Stability in the research is the element that shows reliability when the analysis could be used in other areas. When the study instruments are given to other participants, similar outcomes can be achieved. When statistical comparisons are made between the sample halves, the participants’ test scores for any of the time they have completed will be identical. Internal consistency will be conducted in the research. Equivalence is another element that shows the reliability of the study. Similarity for the process is an essential element in the research. All the aspects of the study ensure that the method used will have similar implications for the sample.
Validity
Content validity will be achieved in the study by aligning the process with the investigation. Validity in the research defines the extent to which the quantitative study’s methodology was accurately measured (Mohajan, 2018). The research will cover all the aims and objectives and derive the right methodology to engage all the research elements. The chosen study procedure included all the domains related to the construction of variables in the investigation. Constrict validity is another element considered in the study. The research enables the author to draw inferences about the test scores related to the effectiveness of medical and non-medical interventions in treating type 2 diabetes in school children. The scores obtained on the treatment measures in managing the condition indicate a true outcome of these management methods (Snyder, 2019). Criterion validity is also achieved in the research through the right consideration of the instruments. Other research instruments could be used to determine effectiveness in using different methods for controlling the condition in school children. The same variables could be measured through a qualitative study.
The research instruments chosen for the study are determined to be both reliable and valid. The sampling techniques will also ensure obtaining a sample that will achieve the aims and objectives of the study. It is believed that this choice will produce a sample that will enable the researcher to reach the research aim of determining effective medical and non-medical interventions that can be used in the management of diabetes in children.
References
Abutabenjeh, S., & Jaradat, R. (2018). Clarification of research design, research methods, and research methodology: A guide for public administration researchers and practitioners. Teaching Public Administration, 36(3), 237−258. Web.
Mohajan, H. K. (2018). Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related subjects. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People, 7(1), 23−48. Web.
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333−339. Web.