ssgs300 week 6 forum responses

All follow-up responses (minimum of 2) should require 250-300 words.

#1

For this weeks forum post, we are listing, and describing different data collection instrument tools we plan to use for our research proposal. Having the working title of “Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Ancient Civilizations and Modern Scientific Discoveries” places the need, for an endless supply of data collection instrument tools, used to gather evidence, in support of the theory proposed. The first step of this model, is to prove that life “can” exist outside of earth.

One of the primary methods that will be used to support this research proposal, will be collections, in the form of empirical data, derived from scientists, examining Martian Meteorites, to include AHL 84001. In December of 1984, the meteorite (AHL 84001) was discovered by Roberta Score of the U.S. Antarctic Discovery Team. For the next 10 years, it lay in storage, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, before it was examined in detail. The examination of AHL 84001 led to the discovery of what resembled internal fossilized bacteria, within the carbonate deposits (Trendadue, p. 31,32). Further research into AHL 84001, with the use of IMMI technology, could prove the discovery of similar fossil-like structures and tubes, of the interior of the specimen, which would bolster the argument that these tubes and structures were formed on Mars. 

The second method of data collection I will utilize, will be Ethnography. Ethnography is the scientific description of the customs of individual peoples and cultures (dictionary.com). This second method, of analyzing cultural customs through ancient texts and manuscripts, may shed light of the possibility, that extraterrestrials once visited our planet, in the distant past. In each and every culture around the world, there remains religion and mythology. Many, if not all, of the laws, regulations, and customs of modern states and governments stem from these mythologies and religions. Many religions, are also steeped in multiple mythologies from around the ancient world. In the U.S., our culture is based off of Christian ideals, and Greek/Roman mythology. Catholicism has their roots in pagan traditions. The Islamic states all base their laws and customs off of the Islamic faith. Governments, laws, customs, texts, manuscripts, religion, and mythology are what remain, of the once great empires of the world. 

Many of the original religions and mythologies, from around the world, came into being around the same time frame, or at least the written down history. My plan for approach, is to study and analyze each of the respective ancient texts, from around the world, of roughly the same time frame, to determine the similarities and structure of different cultures religious mythologies. Because many of these cultures had no communication with the outside world, it is impossible for all religions and mythologies to be based on the same characteristics. Because it has been proven, without a shadow of a doubt, that nearly all religions have the same basic characteristics, arise a new set of questions. “Did science get it wrong? Were ancient civilizations more advanced than previously thought, and communicated/trade with eachother?”. Or “Did extraterrestrial intelligent beings call earth home for a period of time, resulting in religious mythology?”. 

Walter Trentadue. “Martian Meteorites and The Search for Evidence of Extraterrestrial Life”. International Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics Research. Vol. 2, p.31-34. June, 2014. [Date Accessed] 09 January, 2019. https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy2.apus.edu/docview/1548831849/fulltextPDF/1050F43EC704A09PQ/1?accountid=8289

#2

I’d like to talk about the data collection instrument (tool) I propose to use to gather data for my research proposal. In relation to research proposals, “instrument” is the general term that researchers use for a measurement device, such as survey, questionnaire, test, interview, observation, etc. I will discuss the instruments I intend to use in my research proposal and how I intend to address the instrument’s validity and reliability.

For my research proposal, I originally thought I would be needing more quantitative data than qualitative data, but now after having thought it through more thoroughly and looked at my research options, I feel that it would be better suited to be almost a straight split between quantitative and qualitative data. My research proposal seeks to find out whether or not having well trained, armed security in common places such as schools and churches will be as effective, if not more effective than police in combatting active shooters. This could turn out to be an important study that should not be taken lightly, as it could save many lives if the theory is correct, and well trained, armed security really is a lot more helpful than people think.

A survey would start out the research proposal, in the form of a series of questions being asked to experts in the fields of security and law enforcement. The questions would center on their opinion of the best possible way to protect the employees of a standard business, whether that be through no security, unarmed security, uniformed armed security, uniformed unarmed security, or plain clothed armed security, or plain clothed unarmed security. There would be several questions asking about the specifics of tactics and procedures involved, and what the best options would be, etc… After these surveys were collected and the information turned into statistical data, the results would be outlined, and a focus group (of subject matter experts) would be started and they would consider and discuss the results.

One of the best ways to go about learning of the effectiveness of armed security in these scenarios, would be the employment of focus groups. These would have to be very specialized focus groups, however. Bickman and Rog define a focus group as a group that “involves a group discussion of a topic that is the “focus” of the conversation. The contemporary focus group interview generally involves 8 to 12 individuals who discuss a particular topic under the direction of a professional moderator, who promotes interaction and assures that the discussion remains on the topic of interest (Bickman & Rog, 2009)”. Discussion would only be a part of the process though, as tests would have to be conducted. Entire role playing scenarios involving the use of simunition training rounds and firearms (the same tools used by law enforcement and military for training) would have to be set up to test each of the security options. For the sake of validity and reliability, the scenarios would have to be done multiple times with different individuals in each group. After all scenarios were run the same way, multiple times, the results would then be calculated, and the focus group would begin to analyze those results as well.

References:

Bickman, L., & Rog, D. J. (2009). The SAGE handbook of applied social research methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. doi: 10.4135/9781483348858