RESEARCH DESIGN COMPARISON ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS OVERVIEW This assignment provides you an opportunity to apply what you've learned in this course about research design by comparing two real pieces of peer-reviewed research. You can think of this assignment as a test of your knowledge in research design. In order to complete this assignment, you must first identify two prominent, peer-reviewed research articles conducted on the same or a very similar research question/dependent variable. You will then make a comparative analysis of these two research pieces, an analysis which focuses on how well the studies were designed and executed. This means the substance and content of your paper should be comparative in nature. That is, you should constantly be describing the first piece of research in terms of how well it performs on different research design markers relative to the second piece of research. You should not analyze one piece in the first half of the paper, and then analyze the second piece in the second half of the paper. The focus of the comparative analysis should be on assessing the "fit" between research design choices the researcher(s) made with the research question objective(s).

INSTRUCTIONS You are required to identify and then make a comparative analysis & critique of two prominent, peer-reviewed research articles, each of which focuses on the same general research question/dependent variable. Please use the following research question/dependent variable for this paper (The global war on terror and its impact on homeland security).The paper must be at least seven pages in length.

Begin by concisely introducing the research question/dependent variable (The global war on terror and its impact on homeland security) under examination in both pieces. The bulk of the paper should focus on examining major research design choices and explaining whether or not you believe the scholar(s) make the correct research design decision(s)... and why. Spend time and space explaining the "why". Ground your arguments in course readings and content. The format of your paper should be as follows: Identify and briefly describe the scope of the two research projects. This is expected on page one. Identify the research question. This is expected on page one. In one sentence, descibe the dependent variable. This is expected on page one. Evaluate how well the scholar(s) define and operationalize their dependent variable(s) and how well they operationalize other major concepts in their study. Is conceptualization carried out appropriately? Why or why not? Does author(s) appropriately identify the observable implications used to 'connect' their concepts to their data? Offer suggestions for improvement. Discuss the study's research overall design structure. Decide and explain whether or not the research design is appropriate for the task/objectives at hand. o For example, did the authors use a case study? If so, did they select their cases appropriately? Using Mill's Methods and the George and Bennett guidelines for case selection, explain whether or not case selection was carried out appropriately. Briefly describe the research findings. Then, describe if the authors appropriately qualify their findings. Or do they over-generalize? Does the author make causal inferences? Why or why not? Did the author make these decisions appropriately? Explain why or why not. What do the authors do well or not do well to maximize analytical leverage? Describe strengths and weaknesses of the overall research design. Offer concrete suggestions for improvement to the research design, based on what we've covered in the readings for this course. Make sure suggestions for improvement are relevant and feasible. Conclude with brief, comparative analysis on overall quality and appropriateness of each research design. The focus should be on assessing the "fit" between research design choices and the research question objective(s).

Provide references in Turabian format.