HSC 410 MIDTERM

Quantitative research Purpose

Classify, measure, test associations, 'prove', summarize Can miss context Form abstractions, concepts and hypothesis in advance and check if you can find them back in the data (Deductive)

Challenges to the informed consent process

Literacy level -Solution: Use 8th grade English level, explain thoroughly •Impaired understanding -Solution: employ family member to explain research, use examples and simple language •Vulnerable populations such as children •Fear or sense of obligation toward researcher •Lack of time to read the form •Risk posed by signed consent

History of research ethics violation- key studies/events-

Nuremberg trials (code 1947 -Trials against Nazi party members for unethical medical procedures) , Tuskegee study-(•syphilis study 1932-1972- Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male.") Belmont report- (1979 ) explains the ethical principles which underlie US federal regulations for human subject protection)

deductive reasoning

We start with theory and develop a hypothesis and collect data from individuals.

Meaning of epistemology

the study of knowledge. The theory of knowledge questions what knowledge is valid. Ancient philosophers generated knowledge mainly by contemplation while later scholars collected actual data and generated knowledge from that.

What do the terms adequacy mean in qualitative research?

the extent to which the information that the individual study authors have provided is detailed enough to allow the review author to interpret the meaning and context of what is being researched

inductive reasoning

theory is deduced from data collected from individuals.

Identifying quantitative research questions

•Philosophy: Positivism, post positivism etc •Key terms- hypothesis, measurement, testing, relation, correlation, cause, effect, association, predict •Methods: survey, large scale datasets, individual measurements •Sample size: The bigger the better; at least 30 so that 'social laws' can be discovered.

vulnerable populations how it helps

•Qualitative research can give voice to vulnerable populations •However, extra care has to be taken when doing research with vulnerable populations •May require extra IRB oversight •Broader definition of vulnerable populations includes anyone at risk due to circumstances such as the homeless, persons abusing substances, immigrants, refugees

vulnerable populations

-Children -Individuals whose capacity to give consent is questionable -Prisoners -Fetuses and pregnant women -Terminally ill persons -Students and employees -Comatose patients

Ways to minimize risk

-Using sound scientific processes -Providing subjects the option to opt out at any time during the study -Providing access to medical care if relevant; information on or access to counseling in case of behavioral research -Maintaining data in a confidential manner

Ten steps in the research process

1. Identify philosophical foundation 2. Frame a research problem 3. Determine evidence base 4. Identify a theory base 5. Develop a specific question 6. Select a design strategy 7. Set study boundaries/ design materials 8. Collect data 9. Analyze data 10. Disseminate data

Key principles enshrined in the Belmont Report (1979)

1.Respect for persons-(The autonomy of the individual must be acknowledged and respected) 2.Beneficence- (Researchers' obligation to "do no harm," minimize any risks and maximize benefits of the research) 3.Justice- (Selection of individuals is fair and equitable.)

How is sample size estimated in qualitative research?

A sample size should be large enough to sufficiently describe the phenomenon of interest, and address the research question at hand. But at the same time, a large sample size risks having repetitive data. The goal of qualitative research should thus be the attainment of saturation

methodology

A system of practices, techniques, procedures, and rules used by those who work in a discipline.

Definition of human subject

Any human being taking part in your study Research participant, study participant/respondent Nature of research may be behavioral or biomedical

non-probability sampling

Convenience sample, Purposive sampling, Snowball sampling

Ethnography

Describes and interprets a culture and cultural behavior

Purpose of Qualitative Research

Detailed description, interpretation using 'thick data' Cannot prove anything Make abstractions, concepts and hypotheses from details (Inductive)

Phenomenology,

Focuses on the description and interpretation of people's lived experience in-depth conversations with a small number of participants who have experienced the phenomenon

interpretivism/humanism/constructivism:

Individuals create reality and knower and knowledge are interrelated Focus on qualitative data and exploring perspectives

Role and composition of IRB

Institutional Review Board oversees ethical aspects of research Minimum 5 members; at least 1 male, 1 female, 1 non-scientist, 1 community member Cannot vote on own projects

holistic account

Qualitative researchers try to develop a complex picture of the problem or issue under study.

positivism

Reality is separate from individuals and can be objectively measured/ known Focus on quantitative data and measurement

Meaning of research ethics

Refers to several standards and principles that govern ethical aspects of how research should be conducted

philosophy

Research helps in producing knowledge that helps us answer meaningful questions in a systematic manner that is accessible to others (logical, confirmable, understandable, useful)

secondary research

Researchers are reporting on data analyzed by someone else Essays, meta analysis, reviews, commentaries, letters to the editor

primary (original)

Researchers are reporting on data they analyzed themselves Data may or may not have been collected by them

What do we mean by "information-rich" sources?

Selection of sample members guided by desire Containing, providing, or possessing a great deal of information

Probability sampling

Selection of sample members guided by desire for information-rich sources "Representativeness" not a key issue Random selection not considered productive

Developing a research question- boundaries and link with ten essential steps of research

Setting limits on what you will study, A research question must mention the object/phenomenon one is studying (what), where one would study it (place/geographical boundaries) and in what population (research participants/people).

Case Study

The study of an issue through one or more cases In-depth data collection involving multiple sources of information (e.g., observations, interviews, audiovisual material, and documents and reports)

Narrative Inquiry

a spoken or written text giving an account of an event/action or series of events/actions, chronologically connected" Purpose: To understand stories of individuals Data collection methods: Interviewing, Audio/video recording, Photographs Life History" is a form of narrative

What are some characteristics of qualitative research?-

analyze data as you go, extensive data collection from multiple sources, openness to multiple perspectives, a more balanced research relationship than in qualitative research

non-peer reviewed research

aren't written by experts on their topics. A book or book chapter, a newspaper or magazine article, a website or blog post, a documentary film, or a document published by a government agency

What are some skills and some things qualitative researchers should be mindful of?

being sensitive to the researcher being an instrument of data collection, comfort with not having firm guidelines, maintaining professional boundaries, maintaining rapport with participants, being mindful of power imbalances

Different types of plagiarism-

copy-paste without direct quotes and citation, copy-paste without citation, self-plagiarism, reuse someone else's work Turning in a paper written by/for someone else

Human subject protection

ethical research rules that refer to Protection of human subjects foremost duty Full disclosure Confidentiality Voluntary participation

methods of data collection Qualitative Research

in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation, photo-voice, document analysis, Convenience (volunteer) sampling, Snowball sampling, Purposive sampling

methods of data collection quantitative

individual measurements, detached , impersonal inquiry, e.g large scale surveys

Four characteristics of research

logical, understandable, confirmable, useful

What do the terms saturation mean in qualitative research?

no additional data are being found .keep hearing similar responses to their questions

What sampling design is typically used in qualitative research?

non-probability sampling. such as; Convenience sample, Purposive sampling, Snowball sampling

purposive sampling

not randomly selected, but selection has a logic behind it

interpretive inquiry

qualitative research that examines participant's perspectives and interpretations of life events and experiences

peer-reviewed research

research that has been reviewed by other scientists

snowball sampling

respondents refer other respondents to researcher

convenience sampling

selected without attention to probability of selection

History of qualitative research- when did it start getting used more, disciplines it draws from,

•1900s to World War II: Qualitative research was mostly ethnographic and focused on people in other countries, indigenous people etc. •After World War II, methodologies developed further but quantitative research dominated •1970s onwards, interest in qualitative research resumed •Started being used in disability studies, feminist studies, education, social work, communication studies, management, health sciences

Identifying qualitative research questions

•constructivism etc. •Key terms- experience, perspectives, humanistic understanding, thick description •Methods: in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation, photovoice, document analysis •Sample size: Typically small 10-30, so that in-depth study can be made