(2) Social Science Research & Evidence-Based Practice Flashcards
Why do researchers carry out social science research?
Social research answer questions about social life with confidence for clinical use.
What are the two ways of conducting social science researches? Briefly describe the differences (7).
Quantitative
- Numerical
- Point of views of researchers
- Researchers distant
- Theory testing
- Macro
- Structured
- Generalisation
Qualitative
- Artefacts & words
- Point of views of participants
- Researchers close
- Theory emergent
- Micro
- Less structured
- Contextual understanding
What are the weaknesses of qualitative research (3)?
- May generalise the results to be representable to the whole population
- Difficult to find consistent relationships
- Causality?
What are qualitative research good at (3)?
- Detailed information
- Understanding perspectives as if in the situation
- Explaining relationships between variables
What are quantitative research good at (4)?
- Comparisons
- Describing
- Measuring
- Finding relationships between things
What are the weaknesses of quantitative research (4)?
- May miss out important information
- Participants may be forced into inappropriate categories
- Participants may not express in the way they want
- Causality?
Suggest some common ways to carry out a quantitative research (3)?
- Primary experimental studies e.g. RCTs, Cohort Studies, Case Control Studies
- Secondary analysis e.g. Census, National Surveys
- Questionnaires
Suggest some common ways to carry out a qualitative research (4)?
- Interviews
- Focus Groups
- Media/Documentary analysis e.g. Patient’s diaries
- Ethnography and Observation
How is the strength of a quantitative research measured?
- Validity: measure what it is meant to measure
- Reliability: results are consistent, differences in results come from variables between participants, not from understanding/interpretations of their responses
Suggest ways to produce a better questionnaire (2). What type of research is it?
- Close questions
- Off questions, e.g. Other, write in details
- Quantitative research
What is ethnography? What type of research is it? and what is it good at (2)?
- Observing behaviours of individuals instead of relying on what they tell you
- Qualitative research
- Observe what participants unaware/biased of
- Record important events that weren’t designed to find orginally
What is Evidence-Based Practice?
Integration of clinicians’ expertise and best available external clinical evidence from systemic researches.
How did Evidence-based practice originate (5)?
Before it, there were:
- Ambiguous of effectiveness
- Rely on individuals’ personal decisions
- Influenced by social culture/organisation
- Clinical fashions
- Historical practice
What are the strengths of Systemic Research (4)?
- Save clinicians to locate and analysis studies themselves
- Old studies were often biased and subjective
- Address clinical uncertainties
- Reduce delay between discoveries and implementation
Suggest some Practical criticisms of Evidence-Based Practice (3).
- Impossible to maintain systemic reviews across all specialities
- RCTs are gold standards but sometimes not ethical
- Outcomes are very biomedical, limiting the trials conducted and therefore funding (NICE guidance)
