The article by Mendenhall & Doherty (2007) is one whose methodology is clearly guided by the purpose statement and introduction following the abstract. The introduction does well to provide the reader with information related to the subject matter, without disclosing the findings or the details of the body content. The wording of the introduction and purpose statement cultivates a clear view of where the research is headed, and how it will provide better exploration into existing practice in the healthcare industry, particularly toward new diabetic patient management, and how the new partnerships being formed compare to traditional methods of delivering the same care.
This is done in such a way that the reader understands the work will present past methods for delivering the same care, and where the failures or obstacles were found. The reader knows that following this, the main research used in the work is designed to provide an in depth analysis of the new relationships forming, new partnerships within the medical community and how those have proven better, or more efficient compared to traditional measures (Mendenhall & Doherty, 2007). The message of the work and the scientific category are displayed at once. The language used in the introduction clearly indicates to the reader that there is a scientific topic functioning as the major theme to the work and in addition to this, the “why” and “what” questions which the first in the mind of the reader are often are answered immediately. Anticipating the questions of the reader sets the mind off on the right foot, with all information necessary to understand the research going forward.
This work represents the third of the nine purposes. This purpose is having a personal, social, organizational, or institutional change. This article falls under this purpose most strongly due to the fact that the work is intended to influence and promote change while at the same time it is intended to improve practice. From the work produced in the article, changes the existing structures and setting policy are additional sub-purposes that fall under the third purpose category. The article reviews the new partnerships that are forming between patients and healthcare providers, specifically conducive to patient and family oriented care. That being said, the article reviews the traditional hierarchal methods for healthcare delivery and the new territory into which healthcare practitioners are venturing today, tapping into previously untapped resources and pushing past limited time and resources of old.
That being said, this article is researching current policy and practice in order to rebuild them in a strategic fashion that falls in line with the new health care requirements of diabetic patients and the involvement of their families. This critical research truly seeks to study the influence and change to traditional healthcare practice by analyzing the current methods of healthcare delivery and the potential within the new partnerships being formed. This begets questions regarding the practice of the healthcare institutions, which clearly falls under the third purpose of the nine purposes (Leech & Onwuegbuzie, 2007; Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2003; Collins, Onwuegbuzie & Jiao, 2007).
Having been taught that the introduction and statement of purpose are traditionally, and often best left to the end of the writing process, so that all of the body work can be properly conveyed to the reader, this work and the examination and analysis into this work begs the question: why are we taught to save the introductions and purpose statements until the end if they most clearly guide the direction that the body of the work will take? Why are students not taught early on that the introduction and purpose statement are actually the segway into the methods, the body, and the actual research of the work?
- Collins, K., Onwuegbuzie, A., & Jiao, Q. (2007). A Mixed Methods Investigation of Mixed Methods Sampling Designs in Social and Health Science Research. Journal Of Mixed Methods Research,1(3), 267-294. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1558689807299526
- Leech, N., & Onwuegbuzie, A. (2007). A typology of mixed methods research designs. Quality & Quantity, 43(2), 265-275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11135-007-9105-3
- Mendenhall, T., & Doherty, W. (2007). Partners in Diabetes: Action research in a primary care setting.Action Research, 5(4), 378-406. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1476750307083722
- Tashakkori, A., & Teddlie, C. (2003). Handbook of mixed methods in social & behavioral sciences. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Publications.
