Intervention Design

Tell me what you can do with this.

METHODOLOGY

How you ask the question determines how the
question is answered. The methodology should be described in great detail and carefully
defended. The chapter should include a complete description of the intervention
design and an accurate narrative on how the design was implemented. In the
proposal stage, this is all in future tense, but will revert to past tense once
the study is complete.

12 pages in length in Turabian format. Please use sources that are not older than 2010 except Bible commentaries.I had issue with the footnotes please format them to Turabian. Give me 2 to 3 citations per page

Intervention Design

Implementation of the Intervention Design

ANSWER

Intervention Design

Introduction

Intervention designs are mainly beneficial in assessing believers’ attitudes and perceptions about available leadership structures and systems. It is important to develop these designs in a church-based setting to acquire appropriate feedback from the members. This paves the way for suitable changes as its leadership is likely to put in place mechanisms that meet their followers’ needs and interests. God calls religious leaders to act as guides for the followers, and they must live to the expectation. The best way of doing this is by understanding the followers’ concerns and adjusting available structures and systems accordingly. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups are potential interventional designs that religious leaders can utilize to study their followers. A survey entails collecting information from individuals and assessing their perception and attitude towards something or a set of issues of concern among group members. An interview-based study could also provide quality results about existing structures in a religious sector. Lastly, a focus group allows religious leaders to obtain feedback from the followers about various church settings, calling for suitable adjustments when and where necessary. Effective implementation of each interventional design accelerates success and positions the leaders in a better place to make quality changes. Focus groups, surveys, and interview schedules are potential interventional designs that the church will adopt to examine the followers’ perception of a wide range of religious perspectives and primarily those centered on their institution.

Methodology

Focus Group Discussions

Focus group study will enable leaders to learn more about their congregations. Notably, followers will also have an opportunity to understand each other’s ideas, views, and opinions across various church processes and functions. Due to the increased diversity in the church setting, it is crucial to establish this study procedure to acquire different perspectives. One of the benefits of focus groups is that every participant will have a chance to tell their story. Focus group discussions allow participants to tell their stories, express opinions and share their perspectives without the strict sequence of questions[1]. However, the researcher must ensure that the focus group interviews are carefully planned and conducted. In this case, the church environment is composed of individuals from distinct backgrounds. Failure to effectively plan and execute the focus group discussions could from collisions and conflicts that might halt the data collection process. The facilitator guides the participants in a discussion schedule that results in valuable information meant to generate effective and sustainable solutions. A close deliberation between the members informs the researcher about a collective strategy that offers growth opportunities.

In the contemporary religious sector, focus group discussions qualify as a potential research tool used to investigate religious institutions’ leadership status. Diversity in the religious sector is one of the conditions that attract focus group discussion as religious stakeholders seek for ways of uniting people. The numerous cases of “gospel dealers” always manipulating and exploiting believers call for the utilization of focus group discussions to aid in the attainment of religious research objectives[2]. It accelerates efforts to assess the strengths of the leadership systems put in place in various churches. Notably, focus groups help leaders to explore the gap between what people say and what they do. It is the duty and responsibility of church leaders to ensure that followers follow the right path. At times, their actions and behaviors contradict their words. A focus group discussion is useful in understanding these variations so that church leaders are better positioned to adopt and implement strategic ideas to boost believers’ faith and actions.

The church case study at hand will primarily revolve around focus group discussions. These discussions will pave the way for the interview and survey schedules. As Nnachi highlights, data collected through focus group discussions is utilized in developing interview schedules and questionnaires[3]. Combining the three approaches is vital as it helps undertake extensive and in-depth study across numerous religious topics. During this stage, the facilitator will liaise with the participants to discuss multiple issues connected to their church. The research outcomes are likely to positively change their lives, whether around the institution or community level. For instance, if the current leadership has failed to improve structures and systems for use in the church, the results will recommend that leaders should become more responsible in their respective positions.

Surveys

Surveys are one of the quality interventional designs used to acquire information about a person or a group of people in a particular setting. The questions presented in a research process shapes the expected outcomes[4]. The study on a group of church participants will aim at utilizing surveys to achieve significant sets of data. This process will primarily integrate questionnaires delivered to participants to examine their attitude and perception towards a wide range of perspectives. In a church-based context, surveys are appropriate as they provide the researcher with the opportunity to ask a few targeted questions to individuals. The questions to be asked are a key guiding factor in selecting the survey research design[5]. The evaluation of the listed items at hand paves the way for the selection of this vital approach. In a church-based study, it is essential to develop precise questions to allow the participants to provide clear answers based on their understanding. In some cases, the subjects might fear to provide clear-cut information due to the fear of confidentiality. However, the survey will incorporate the confidentiality element to ensure that the participant can provide important data and information. Church-based issues are sensitive and might attract inappropriate feedback if the researcher fails to develop pertinent questions for the participants. Thus, there is a dire need to structure the items to the subjects’ best interest to deliver quality information. One of the opportunities linked with surveys is the ability to connect the acquired information with external sources.

The data and information acquired from surveys can be linked to external sources. As Vannette and Jon state, surveys provide a viable chance of tying the participants’ information to external sources[6]. The researcher might have been exposed to external sources and thus use it as a foundation for the study. For example, the questions drafted should connect with the baseline data established from these external sources. This will assist the researcher in obtaining excellent data that supports the research study at hand. For instance, if the researcher seeks to obtain data about leadership status in the church, one can structure the questions in line with the acquired external information. This helps in assessing the viability of the research hypothesis. Connecting internal and external data assists in gaining exposure to the ideal situation[7]. In this case, the survey qualifies as one of the intervention designs that the church-based study can rely on to acquire important feedback useful in recommending strategic decisions. One of its benefits is that there is a higher likelihood of obtaining viable information, especially if the participants are guaranteed confidentiality. Since each participant is expected to fill a questionnaire, there is zero threat of exposure of a person’s information to other people. The survey should target major gaps that the church leadership has noticed to acquire baseline data that helps in decision-making processes.

Interview Sessions

The church-based study will also rely on the interview methodology to obtain feedback that opens opportunities for excellent decisions. The church’s growth and sustainability depend on the leader’s move to develop potential solutions that can accelerate service delivery. The researcher will establish a conversation with each participant to collect in-depth information regarding their opinions, thoughts, feelings, and experiences. As Bolderston reveal, interviews are the best approach that aids in understanding people’s thoughts, ideas, and perceptions[8]. The interview session will enable the researcher to collect a broad range of information, depending on their behavior and utterances. One of the advantages of the interview strategy is that it allows a researcher to examine participants’ non-verbal cues and connect them with the information they provide. For example, body movement and eye contact will present an opportunity for the researcher to determine if the answers provided are appropriate depending on the feedback they deliver and their actual body status. Another rationale behind this methodology is that the subject has a chance of explaining themselves further. Most of the interview questions will be open-ended, paving the way for quality explanations. These questions have an open-ended follow-up. Participants have an opportunity to clarify their reasons for the response, clear ambiguities, and explore responses out of the expected range of answers[9]. The interpretation allows the researcher to have a deeper understanding of the answers provided. In this case, the church-based study will form interview sessions depending on the researchers’ preferences to collect data linked to a range of leadership approaches and other major elements that determine satisfaction among the church followers.

One of the considerations that will be needed in the interview methodology is facilitation by a church leader. Since the research will target to collect information linked to the church-based leadership, it is vital to have one of the leaders to undertake the process. However, the leader will be expected to remain impartial to enhance the success of this crucial process. It will also prove the leader’s decision to take up the role and mandate. The handling of the process will determine if they were led by desire and emotions. As Freed reveals, being a leader is a calling rather than a choice[10]. Thus, the leader’s ability to manage the process will portray if they are driven by desires and emotions or are guided by God’s Holy Spirit. As the Bible states in Proverbs 29:2, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” This statement portrays the dire need to have an effective leader undertake this essential research process for the welfare of the followers and the institution. The interviews will provide a deeper exposure to the issues at hand since the participants will offer information beyond the scope of the questions that the researcher has developed. They have a chance to seek and provide further clarifications on each research items[11]. The highly structured interviews will generate quality data that will support suitable changes in the church setting so that leaders can live up to God’s expectations in their duty to guide and direct followers. Besides the interview schedules, the church study will also integrate focus groups to understand the diverse opinions and ideas that members have regarding their leadership systems and structures.

Implementation of the Intervention Design

Implementation of the focus group discussions approach

The selection of the study participants will be approached using a purposive or convenient form of sampling. Since these discussions do not provide information that represents a significant population, a rigorous process is not needed. The research process will mostly concentrate on the qualitative form of data. The central rationale behind it is that the processes attract the identification of rich information aligned to the topic of interest[12]. Church-based researches require simple research procedures and the use of the purposive sampling method guarantees the attainment of the expected milestones and objectives. In this case, the facilitator will select members of the congregation that are likely to deliver potential information useful in the research. For instance, if the topic at hand is the impact of leadership on the lives of the less-privileged community members, the researcher will target followers from marginalized areas in the community. This will enable the facilitator to obtain data that closely relates to the discussion issue at hand. Besides the purposive sampling schedule, the investigator will also ensure that the participants have similar backgrounds and characteristics. There is a higher likelihood that the diverse population will contain individuals with distinct characteristics. Such a population relays rich information that advances the research outcomes[13]. To accelerate the achievement of the expected goals and objectives, the facilitator will ensure the participants will have a common perspective.

The focus group discussion will be an open process where each of the participants will be expected to provide views, opinions, and ideas linked to the subject at hand. Every response will be valid and there is improved comfort. Before the processes commence, the investigator will assure them that there are no right or wrong answers to create a conducive environment for the discussion. Notably, respect towards the opinions of other persons in the group setting will be highly upheld. Everyone will be expected to remain on the topic so that the process is more beneficial for all. Another element that the investigator will need to put across is that if any of the members is not comfortable with a particular agenda, they can decide to restrain themselves from making any form of contribution. The facilitator is central to the role where one is expected to establish a favorable and relaxing environment, especially for the unfamiliar participants[14]. They are more likely to provide quality information if the process takes place in a conducive setting. A limited number of participants will make the process more successful than when dealing with a large number[15].

Precise and straightforward discussions will oversee the focus group discussion so that all the participants will familiarize themselves with the plan, schedule, and expectations. The facilitator will rely on a simple language and raise issues that connect with the participants. For example, when dealing with an issue such as identity in Christ, the investigator will structure the discussion to follow that path. Sideling from the issue at hand might create confusion and tension among the participants and lead to an ineffective process. Thus, a positive environment increases the chances of building an excellent research process and acquiring the expected results.

Implementation of Surveys

The first stage in the implementation of the church-based survey process is to define the objectives. Surveys are often complicated and call for extensive planning[16]. The researcher must put effort and time into planning to achieve quality information that derives an excellent conclusion. This research method will concentrate on the use of questionnaires, where the researcher will develop a set of questions for the participants to provide feedback regarding the highlighted issues. Depending on the issue at hand, the researcher will develop a set of objectives that will create a foundation for the research process. For instance, if one of the elements of an assessment is the role of leader’s in shaping followers’ faith and spiritual powers, some of the objectives might include; to examine the impact of the church leadership on the growth of spiritual powers and evaluating if the believers find it hard to grow their faith under the leaders’ wings. The interview questions that will be provided to each of the participants will correlate with these objectives. This reduces the complications and difficulties experienced with the use of surveys[17]. After putting in place the set of questions, the researcher will move ahead to set an appropriate location where all the members will assemble to fill the questionnaires.

The church environment is a conducive environment for carrying out the survey. All the invited participants will arrive on time and will position themselves in the strategically arranged sitting positions in the seminar hall.  A small number will be recommended for this research. The church is a small institution, and this attracts a limited number of subjects for the study. As opposed to the assumption that large groups deliver the desired results, a small study group can also offer the opportunity to collect imperative sets of data and information[18]. In this case, the researcher will work with a limited number that will still ensure a successful information gathering process. The researcher will then provide each one with a questionnaire that they will fill depending on their understanding and comfort. A key aspect to note here is the assurance of confidentiality to reduce the fear that the majority of them will develop in providing information that might disadvantage them in the church. The leader will inform them that the process is confidential and that their privacy is not at risk. The forms will be filed, after which the researcher will collect them for later analysis. The questions asked will inform the feedback acquired.

Implementation of Interviews

The interview session will be in the form of one-on-one interaction where the researcher will have the first-hand experience interviewing potential participants of the church-based study. The researcher will develop open-ended questions that will allow the participants to offer essential information because they can further state their views and opinions instead of giving yes and no answers. It will offer flexibility and freedom for both sides. According to Alshengeeti, open-ended interviews ensure that the researcher and the subjects will enjoy the flexibility and have the freedom to answer the question as they understand them[19]. For example, if the participants fail to understand a question, they have an opportunity to ask for clarifications. The same applies to the investigator who might not understand the answer provided by the subject. This paves the way for an elaborative discussion and engagement. The interview will be approximately twenty minutes, whereby the researcher will strive to ensure the time frame is achieved so that the other members have an opportunity to participate in the process satisfactorily. Another fundamental approach is the selection of a conducive environment free from any form of interaction. The investigator will need to identify a segment that the least or zero distractions to enhance success. For example, the church seminar room is a setting that can offer the required environment whereby each of the participants offers their insights differently. A small number is likely to fasten the process and is largely beneficial in the religious industry[20]. Besides these elements, the selection of words and phrases asked in the interview will be a primary aspect of consideration.

During the actual interview session, the investigator will introduce themselves to each participant and highlight the process’s rationale. This creates familiarity between the two sides, an aspect that opens opportunities for improved success. Preparation of quality interview questions is a significant consideration in sessions that target obtaining data and information meant to support the research hypothesis. Research shows that investigators must write viable interview questions that positively capture the participants’ feelings and emotions Bolderston[21]. The voice and detailed description offered by each of the sides is dependent on the nature of the interview questions generated by the researcher. The tone must be friendly so that the subjects are motivated to provide the right information. Interview questions that do not capture the subjects’ attention fail to generate the potential results that can be utilized in making viable conclusions. Notably, the sequence of the questions and the topic should be based on a thematic approach. The researcher will ensure that the research items are arranged sequentially so that the subjects can follow closely and avoid confusion. Effective implementation of each of the three research methodologies will allow the research team to obtain a wide range of research data that supports their hypothesis.

Conclusion

Research studies are standard and common processes undertaken across numerous sectors. Religious institutions have a role and duty of leading God’s people into the right path through their leadership tactics and techniques. Research studies focusing on churches and other religious institutions help evaluate gaps that affect the followers’ service delivery. People assume that the majority of churches adhere to the rules and regulations that they have set. However, media reports have indicated that some church leaders offer misleading statements to their flock. They preach one thing, while their behaviors and actions are contradictory. Research studies focusing on these establishments open opportunities for crucial changes. Church attendees must take part in these researches to demand suitable leadership from individuals in charge of these organizations. Focus group discussions, surveys, and interviews are some of the potential methodological designs that researchers focusing on religious students can undertake to obtain significant data sets that answer the questions at hand. Each of these methodologies should correlate with the rules and standards expected in the research field. The acquisition of quality data relies on the efforts generated by the two sides. The researcher should create a favorable environment so that the participants can feel comfortable to relay pertinent information. On their part, participants should depict readiness and willingness to provide current and reliable information as it is likely to benefit them in one way or the other.

Bibliography

Adler, Kristin, Sanna Salanterä, and Maya Zumstein-Shaha. “Focus group interviews in the child, youth, and parent research: An integrative literature review.” International Journal of Qualitative Methods 18 (2019): 1609406919887274.

Alshenqeeti, Hamza. “Interviewing as a data collection method: A critical review.” English linguistics research 3, no. 1 (2014): 39-45.

Bolderston, Amanda. “Conducting a research interview.” Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences 43, no. 1 (2012): 66-76.

Freed, Shirley. “Leadership Issues for the Church [Interview with George Barna].” Journal of Applied Christian Leadership 8, no. 1 (2014): 18-35.

Jones, T. L., M. A. J. Baxter, and Vikas Khanduja. “A quick guide to survey research.” The Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 95, no. 1 (2013): 5-7.

Nnachi, Amos Imo. “Religious Research: Recommending Focus Group Discussion (FGD) as a Primary Instrument of Data Collection.”

32. Nyumba, Tobias, Kerrie Wilson, Christina J. Derrick, and Nibedita Mukherjee. “The use of focus group discussion methodology: Insights from two decades of application in conservation.” Methods in Ecology and Evolution 9, no. 1 (2018): 20-32.

Palinkas, Lawrence A., Sarah M. Horwitz, Carla A. Green, Jennifer P. Wisdom, Naihua Duan, and Kimberly Hoagwood. “Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research.” Administration and policy in mental health and mental health services research 42, no. 5 (2015): 533-544.

Ponto, Julie. “Understanding and evaluating survey research.” Journal of the advanced practitioner in oncology 6, no. 2 (2015): 168.

Senam, Nsikan, Nkereuwem Udoakah, and Godspower Udoh. “Aesthetic attitude and newspaper selection among Nigerian academics.” International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention ISSN (2015): 2349-2031.

Singer, Eleanor, and Mick P. Couper. “Some methodological uses of responses to open questions and other verbatim comments in quantitative surveys.” Methods, data, and analyses: A journal for quantitative methods and survey methodology (mda) 11, no. 2 (2017): 115-134.

Vannette, David L., and Jon A. Krosnick, eds. The Palgrave handbook of survey research. Springer, 2017.

[1] Adler, Kristin, Sanna Salanterä, and Maya Zumstein-Shaha. “Focus group interviews in the child, youth, and parent research: An integrative literature review.” International Journal of Qualitative Methods 18 (2019): 1609406919887274.

[2] Nnachi, Amos Imo. “Religious Research: Recommending Focus Group Discussion (FGD) as a Primary Instrument of Data Collection.”

[3] Nnachi, Amos Imo. “Religious Research: Recommending Focus Group Discussion (FGD) as a Primary Instrument of Data Collection.”

[4]   Ponto, Julie. “Understanding and evaluating survey research.” Journal of the advanced practitioner in oncology 6, no. 2 (2015): 168.

[5] Ponto, Julie. “Understanding and evaluating survey research.” Journal of the advanced practitioner in oncology 6, no. 2 (2015): 168.

[6] Vannette, David L., and Jon A. Krosnick, eds. The Palgrave handbook of survey research. Springer, 2017.

[7] Vannette, David L., and Jon A. Krosnick, eds. The Palgrave handbook of survey research. Springer, 2017.

[8] Bolderston, Amanda. “Conducting a research interview.” Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences 43, no. 1 (2012): 66-76.

[9] Singer, Eleanor, and Mick P. Couper. “Some methodological uses of responses to open questions and other verbatim comments in quantitative surveys.” Methods, data, and analyses: A journal for quantitative methods and survey methodology (mda) 11, no. 2 (2017): 115-134.

[10] Freed, Shirley. “Leadership Issues for the Church [Interview with George Barna].” Journal of Applied Christian Leadership 8, no. 1 (2014): 18-35.

[11]   Singer, Eleanor, and Mick P. Couper. “Some methodological uses of responses to open questions and other verbatim comments in quantitative surveys.” Methods, data, and analyses: A journal for quantitative methods and survey methodology (mda) 11, no. 2 (2017): 115-134.

[12] Palinkas, Lawrence A., Sarah M. Horwitz, Carla A. Green, Jennifer P. Wisdom, Naihua Duan, and Kimberly Hoagwood. “Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research.” Administration and policy in mental health and mental health services research 42, no. 5 (2015): 533-544.

[13]   Palinkas, Lawrence A., Sarah M. Horwitz, Carla A. Green, Jennifer P. Wisdom, Naihua Duan, and Kimberly Hoagwood. “Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research.” Administration and policy in mental health and mental health services research 42, no. 5 (2015): 533-544.

[14] O. Nyumba, Tobias, Kerrie Wilson, Christina J. Derrick, and Nibedita Mukherjee. “The use of focus group discussion methodology: Insights from two decades of application in conservation.” Methods in Ecology and evolution 9, no. 1 (2018): 20-32.

[15]     Senam, Nsikan, Nkereuwem Udoakah, and Godspower Udoh. “Aesthetic attitude and newspaper selection among Nigerian academics.” International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention ISSN (2015): 2349-2031.

[16] Jones, T. L., M. A. J. Baxter, and Vikas Khanduja. “A quick guide to survey research.” The Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 95, no. 1 (2013): 5-7.

[17] Jones, T. L., M. A. J. Baxter, and Vikas Khanduja. “A quick guide to survey research.” The Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 95, no. 1 (2013): 5-7.

[18] Senam, Nsikan, Nkereuwem Udoakah, and Godspower Udoh. “Aesthetic attitude and newspaper selection among Nigerian academics.” International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention ISSN (2015): 2349-2031.

[19] Alshenqeeti, Hamza. “Interviewing as a data collection method: A critical review.” English linguistics research 3, no. 1 (2014): 39-45.

[20]   Senam, Nsikan, Nkereuwem Udoakah, and Godspower Udoh. “Aesthetic attitude and newspaper selection among Nigerian academics.” International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention ISSN (2015): 2349-2031.

[21] Bolderston, Amanda. “Conducting a research interview.” Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences 43, no. 1 (2012): 66-76.