Question # 1

Purposes and benefits of sections of Independent study

My independent study is related to quantitative research model. Purpose of the quantitative research is to do numerical summaries, generalizations across populations and comparisons between populations. It includes few variables (Delay time, work order, number of different products) and many cases (Five sets of data with each set consisting of 500 products). These quantitative research methods use experimental designs. The various experimental methodologies are:

• Quasi Experimental Designs

• RCT: Randomized Controlled Trials

• Baseline Data

• Posttest Only Design

• Longitudinal Design

Out of these experimental methodologies, my study falls under randomized controlled trails, where I generate a random data of five sets each set consisting of 500 different kinds of products.

• Introduction

Purpose: The purpose of my study introduction is to provide background information for the readers for the research reported in the study. It establishes a framework for the research, so that readers can understand how it is related to other research (Creswell, 2003 p.73). It also establishes the issue or concern leading to the research by conveying information about a research problem (Creswell, 2003 p.74). In this, the problem is best addressed by understanding the factors or variables which are the process time, product order that influence an outcome – delay time (Creswell, 2003 p.75). It provides the understanding of the problem that explains or relates to an outcome – delay time and helps the researcher best understand and explain the problem why the delay time is to be minimized (Creswell, 2003 p. 76).

• The research problem in the study

• Guiding research questions

• Reviewed studies addressing the problem

• Deficiencies in past literature and limitations

• Importance of a study for an audience

Benefits: By writing an effective introduction chapter, a reader can figure out the problem leading to the study i.e., how the delay time is optimized by arranging the production work order, reviewing the literature about the problem to find whether there are any related theories that is done by other investigators, identifying deficiencies in the literature about the problem, targeting audiences and notifying the significance of the problem for this audience (Creswell, 2003 p.73).

• Literature Review

Purpose: The purpose of the literature review is to share with the reader the results of other studies that are closely related to the study being reported (Creswell, 2003 p.29). It relates a study to the larger ongoing dialogue in the literature about a topic, filling in gaps and extending prior studies (Cooper, 1984; Marshall & Rossman, 1999). It provides a framework for establishing the importance of the study as well as a benchmark for comparing the results of a study with other findings. All or some of these reasons may be the foundation for writing the scholarly literature into a study (Miller, 1991).

Benefits: The literature review helps to substantiate the problem and also suggests possible questions or hypotheses that need to be addressed (Creswell, 2003 p.46).

• Methodology

Purpose: The purpose of methodology chapter is to bring focus on survey and experimental modes of inquiry. You will also explain the methodology you are using, why you chose that methodology and why you chose not to use other methods. The method that was used to collect data is explained in detail like how did I generated random data of five sets with each set consisting of 500 products using Microsoft Excel ad procedure I followed to find the real-time delay time. The reader will exactly know what was done with the collected data, to the point that he or she can replicate the study to get similar results.

Benefits: With the help of methodology chapter, audiences can recognize the variation that exists in the qualitative, quantitative and mixed method studies, why I chose a quantitative study for the research problem I defined then it advances general guideline for procedures of the study. These guidelines include a discussion about the general characteristics of the study if the audiences are not familiar with the approach to research.

(Source: Classroom material by Dr. Lynda Kenney)

• Results

Purpose: The purpose of results chapter is to make a well-organized and objective presentation of the results by examining the collected data and application of either the descriptive or inferential statistical methods. Then the tables, graphs and figures of the analyzed data are also presented for sufficient support description to permit the reader to interpret them quickly and accurately (Leedy & Ormrod, 2005).

Benefits: