Week 4 - Research Design Flashcards
(19 cards)
What is the purpose of hypitheses in formulating research aims
Hypothesis = a proposed cause (independet variable)
and effect (dependent variable)
What are the types of research goals
Observational research: Describes or measures phenomena (e.g. empathy levels in students).
Causal research: Identifies causes of illnesses or conditions.
Intervention research: Tests whether treatments lead to beneficial changes.
Diagnostic research: Tests the accuracy of diagnostic tools.
what is the difference between independent and dependent variable
Independent variable: The cause being tested (e.g. Alcodol tablets).
Dependent variable: The outcome measured (e.g. hangover symptoms).
What is a RCT
Randomised controlled trials = testing effectiveness of interventions
Can theoretically test causes of disease, but often unethical in practice.
Example: It would be unethical to assign people to smoke to test if smoking causes lung cancer.
What is the placebo effect
placebo effect is used for the control group to eliminate expectancy effects
occurs due to a persons expectation that a treatment will help, which can lead to neurological changes in the brain to reduce symptons
Researchers must account for the placebo effect, as symptom changes may not be caused by the treatment itself.
What are prospective cohort studies
Best for studying causes (aetiology) and prognosis of diseases.
Involve following a group (cohort) over time to track exposures and outcomes.
Example: Following smokers and non-smokers to observe lung cancer rates.
What is diagnostic test research
Tests the accuracy of new diagnostic tools.
Compares new tests to established (gold standard) ones in the same sample.
Example: Comparing new breathalysers (voice-activated) with traditional breathalysers.
What are considerations when choosing a study design
- type of research question = is it about intervention or cause
- need to mazimise internal validity = ensuring results are trustworthy and conclusions are accurate
- feasibility and ethics
- practical constraints
- impact of design choice
what are common research designs?
- quasi-experimental design
- examines the causal effect of an intervention or treatment
- it does not involve random assignment of participants to treatment and control groups - case-controlled studies
- observational study that compares two groups of people: those with a specific disease or condition (cases) and those without it (controls) - Before-and-after study
- Measure group before and after a treatment.Measure group before and after a treatment. - cross-sectional study
- an observational research method that analyses data from a population at a specific point in time. - single-case design
studies a single participant or group over time, using repeated measures and intervention replication to establish causal relationships
Identify strengths and limitations of various quantitative designs
RCT strengths:
- High internal validity, strong evidence for causality.
- Controls for confounding factors through randomisation.
RCT limitations:
- Expensive and time-consuming.
- Ethical/practical constraints.
- May lack generalizability (external validity).
Quasi-experimental strengths:
- Practical and ethical flexibility.
- Can study interventions in real-world settings.
Quasi-experimental limitations:
- Higher risk of bias and confounders.
Cross-sectional strengths:
- Quick and inexpensive.
- Useful for descriptive data and hypothesis generation.
Cross-sectional limitations:
- Cannot infer cause-effect relationships.
What is a method and what does it include
tools or techniques used in a study
includes
- interviews
- experiments
- online data collection
- focus groups
- observational studies
- surveys
what is a methodology
theoretical framework used to support the use of tools and interpret findings
2 types
- qualitative
- quantitative
What is prospective and retrospective research
prospective = looking forward on research
retrospective = looking back on research
What is the basic structure of a quantitative research study
title
abstract
keywords
introduction
methods
results
discussion
conclusion
what are the core principles of qualitative research
Focuses on lived experiences and social context.
Rejects strict objectivity – acknowledges researcher bias and values.
what are 4 common qualitative approaches
- Narrative Enquiry
- Focuses on individuals’ stories about events.
- Examines meanings, plots, metaphors, and interpretations within stories.
- Aims to understand how people make sense of their experiences. - Phenomenological Study
- Describes the meaning of lived experiences about a phenomenon for a group.
- Focuses on the essence and structure of these experiences.
- Uses in-depth exploration, e.g., survivors describing their experiences to reveal the core shared meaning. - Ethnographic Research
- Involves prolonged immersion and observation of a group’s culture and rituals.
- Uses participant observation, interviews, documents, and increasingly visual materials.
- Example: Patients taking photos in a hospital to express their recovery experience. - Grounded Theory
- Focuses on generating new theories grounded in collected data.
- Developed to provide a systematic way to collect, code, and analyze data.
- Useful when little is known about a topic, aiming to move beyond description to theory creation.
what are the 3 main qualitative data collection methods
individual in-depth interviews
- Flexible conversation focused on participant’s perspective
- Can be unstructured, semi-structures or standardised
focus groups
- group discussions
- aims to explore collective views and group interactions
clinical data mining
- analysis of existing clinical/ medical records
- identifies patterns, outcomes and psychological issues
How to assess methodological quality
Check for clear descriptions of research site, sample, number of participants, data analysis
Look for presentation of actual data (quotes, case examples)
Consider researcher positionality
Evaluate data reliability, credibility, and trustworthiness
What is the qualitative research journle structure
title
abstract
keywords
introduction
methods
findings
discussion
conclusion
