Research Design

Question 1

Research

Answer 1

• Investigation through scientific method to establish facts
• Based on a hypothesis & intends to be generalised
• Controlled internally, relies on validity

Question 2

Evaluation

Answer 2

• Use of a framework to determine value of a program/process
• Intent to improve and make recommendations
• Controlled externally, relies on feasability to determine value

Question 3

Scientific method

Answer 3

Systematic approach in research to identify problems, collect and analuse data, and develop theory

Question 4

Evidence based practice

Answer 4

Integration of best available evidence into practice to improve patient care, build credibility and accountability

Question 5

Research paradigm

Answer 5

• Philosophical model/framework to guide research questions, methods, data collection and analysis

Question 6

Components of research paradigms

Answer 6

• Ontology: study of existance, provides world view to guide study
• Epistemiology: study of knowledge, provides focus
• Methodology: framework for conducting study

Question 7

3 Philosophical paradigms

Answer 7

Positivism
Interpretivism/constructivist
Critical approach

Question 8

Positivism

Answer 8

• Explain truth through scientific method to assess for causal relationships (quantitative)
• Deductive: theory –> conclusion
• Reductionism/determinism: does not occur due to chance
• Examples: descriptive (cross sectional etc), RCT
• Clear, quick analysis, generalisable, high rigour
• High cost, researcher bias, limited probing

Question 9

Interpretivism/constructivist

Answer 9

• Descriptive, explores meaning
• Inductive: observation –> concepts/meaning
• Subjective: researcher interpretation, value in dialogue and social constructs
• Examples: phenomenology, descriptive, ethnography, grounded theory
• Low cost, complex phenomena, member checking
• Researcher bias, lack of generalisability, biased subjects, lack of research clarity

Question 9

Critical approach

Answer 9

• Focus on society to critique and challenge power dynamics
• Goal is to encourage equality, change social structures
• Examples: emancipatory research ( benefit to disadvantaged), action research, feminist research

Question 10

Quantitative design

Answer 10

• Positivist
• Control: use of comparison group to eliminate extraneous variables and threats to IV such as history, maturation and selection
• Randomisation: create similar groups to ensure changes are due to intervention
• Manipulation & blinding

= QT has atleast 1, best to have 3

Question 11

Types of quantitative designs

Answer 11

Experimental and non-experimental

Question 12

Experimental

Answer 12

• Manipulation of the IV to observe the effect on the DV
• Limits confounding factors, establishes causality BUT required extensive review & prep, cost

Question 13

Types of experimental designs

Answer 13

• RCT: causality through control, randomisation & manipulation (high IV)
• Quasi-experimental: manipulation but lacks either/both control & randomisation (weak causality)

Question 14

Non-experimental/observational

Answer 14

• No IV manipulation, not establishing causality only exploring relationships between variables
• Low evidence/IV, high bias

Question 15

Types of non-experimental designs

Answer 15

• Observational: explores relationships between variables when little is known
• Descriptive: measures variables of interest
• Cross sectional: frequency and characteristics of x in a population at a point in time
• Cohort studies: disease free population studies over time, with exposed and unexposed groups compared (prospective - defines sample & measures beforehand - or retrospective)
• Case-control: retrospective look back for explanatory factors to link exposure to outcome (compare cases & controls)

Question 16

Types of qualitative designs

Answer 16

Descriptive
Phenomenology
Ethnography
Grounded theory
Action research
systematic reviews

Question 17

Descriptive (QL)

Answer 17

• Summary of events/experience with no theory/methodology
• Small data set, thematic analysis

Question 18

Phenomenology

Answer 18

• explores thoughts, feelings & behaviours to understand meaning
• No causal inferences

Question 19

Ethnography

Answer 19

• Study of culture from perspective of subject (emic), occurs in the field (etic)
• Tradition: single unfamiliar setting over time
• Focused: pre-identified topic with subcultural groups
• Auto: study of own culture

Question 20

Grounded theory

Answer 20

• inductively derived grounded theory about a phenomena based on collected data

Question 21

Action research

Answer 21

• Research at the same time as action (change and improvement)

Question 22

Systematic reviews

Answer 22

• Critical assessment and evaluation of research studies about a particular topic

Question 23

Independent vs dependant variable

Answer 23

• I: factor influencing the outcome
• D: result or outcome being studied

Question 24

Internal validity

Answer 24

Accuracy: whether the outcome is attributed to the cause (strength of causal relationship)

Question 25

External validity

Answer 25

Extent to which the findings can be generalised beyond the sample

Question 26

Construct validity

Answer 26

* Association between data and prediction of theoretical trait (construct)

Question 27

Face validity

Answer 27

* whether it appears to measure what its supposed to (subjective measure)

Question 28

Content validity

Answer 28

* Whether the measured content covers the full domain (subjective but relies on experts)

Question 29

Sources of error in internal validity

Answer 29

* **History: **events during the study that affect the DV * **Maturation**: changes within a person that affect the DV * **Selection:** poor selection that results in a non-representative sample * **Instrumentation:** measurement or observation inconsistencies * **Testing effect ** * **Mortality:** people dropping out * **Participant reaction bias** * **Experimenter bias** * **Confounding variables **

Question 30

Reliability

Answer 30

* How accurate or trustworthy the results are (are they consistent and reproducible)

Question 31

Measures of reliability

Answer 31

* Test-retest method: assess the correlation between use of the same instrument on the same sample * Internal consistency: use of correlation coefficients to assess correlation between different items to measure the same thing * Alternative forms: 2 similar forms of a test to same population to eliminate practice effects

Question 32

Sources of reliability error

Answer 32

* true experimental variability: real differences * Random fluctuations: mood, noise, fatigue * Systematic error: confounding variables (subjective influence) * Inter-observer error

Question 33

Factors influencing reliability

Answer 33

* Length of test * Objectivity of the assessment * Method of estimating reliability

Question 34

Rigour 4 components

Answer 34

* reliability, validity and trustworthiness of research * Credibility/IV * Transferability/EV * Dependability/reliability * Confirmability/objectivity

Question 35

How to ensure credibility/IV

Answer 35

* Selection * Triangulation * Extensive data collection * Member checking, reflection

Question 36

How to ensure transferability/EV

Answer 36

* Appropriate sampling & description of sample and settings * Strong IV

Question 37

How to ensure dependability/reliability

Answer 37

* Audit trail * External audit * Instrument consistency assessment

Question 38

How to ensure confirmability/objectivity

Answer 38

Strategies to limit bias * Audit/peer review * Triangulation * Member checking & relfection

Question 39

NHMRC levels of evidence

Answer 39

* Level 1: SR of RCT * Level 2: RCT * Level 3: cohort study, case-control * Level 4: cross sectional, pre-post test