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ESA 4 - HaDSoc > Introduction to Social Science Research Methods > Flashcards

Introduction to Social Science Research Methods Flashcards

1
Q

Why do we need social research?

A

So that we can be more confident in answering questions about social life

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2
Q

Why do doctors need to know about social science research methods?

A
  • Policies and practices are based on social science research
  • Have a responsibility as a doctor to be able to assess, appraise, and use this research
  • Need to integrate and critically evaluate multiple resources
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3
Q

What are the two main groups of social science research methods?

A
  • Quantitative
  • Qualitative
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4
Q

What is quantiative research?

A

Collections of numeral data

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5
Q

What does quantitative data collection begin with?

A

Idea/hypothesis

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6
Q

What does quantitative data allow by deductions?

A

Conclusions to be drawn about relationships between variables, and sometimes about casual relationships

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7
Q

What are the strengths of quantitative data collection?

A
  • Reliability
  • Repeatability
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8
Q

What research designs are used in quantiative data collection?

A
  • Experimental study designs - RCTs
  • Cohort studies
  • Case-control studies
  • Cross-sectional surveys
  • Secondary analysis of data from other sources
  • Questionnaires
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9
Q

What do qualitative research designs aim to do?

A

Isolate key factors of interest from other contributory factors

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10
Q

What sources can be used for secondary analysis of data?

A
  • Official statistics
  • Other national surveys
  • Local and regional surveys
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11
Q

What sources of official statistics are there?

A
  • Census
  • Economic Social Data Service
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12
Q

What other national surveys can be used in secondary analysis of data?

A
  • Conducted by charities
  • Universities
  • Think tanks
  • Polling companies
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13
Q

Who may conduct local and regional surveys?

A
  • Universities
  • NHS organisations
  • Local councils
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14
Q

What are the applications of questionnaires?

A
  • Measure exposure to risk factors, effect of lifestyle, and dietary factors
  • Knowledge and attitudes
  • Satisfaction with health services
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15
Q

What should questionnaires be?

A
  • Valid
  • Reliable
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16
Q

What is meant by valid?

A

Measure what its supposed to measure

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17
Q

What is meant by reliable?

A

Differences in results come from differences between participants, not from inconsistencies in how items are understood, or in how responses are interpreted

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18
Q

When may a questionnaire be tested for reliability and validity?

A

When it has been published

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19
Q

What is the problem with unpublished questionnaires?

A

They are developed in a specific context, and so validity and reliability have to be established

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20
Q

What type of questions are asked in a quantitative questionnaire?

A

Mainly closed questions, e.g. yes/no, strongly agree/agree/neither agree nor disagree…, numerical scales, :) :/ :(

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21
Q

What option should questionnaires offer?

A

Other - please specify

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22
Q

How can a questionnaire offer open ended questions?

A

Offer free text box at the end of the questionnaire

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23
Q

What are the disadvantages of opening open questions on questionnaires?

A
  • May need to give instructions
  • Will take longer to complete
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24
Q

What should be planned in advance with questionnaires?

A

How to analyse

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25
Q

How can questionnaires be analysed?

A
  • Coding of free-text responses into new or exisiting categories
  • More qualitative analysis
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26
Q

How can questionnaires be given?

A
  • Self-completed on paper
  • Telephone
  • Interviewer
  • Internet
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27
Q

What are the advantages of questionnaires?

A
  • Describing
  • Measuring
  • Finding relationships between things
  • Allowing comparisons
28
Q

What are the disadvantages of questionnaires?

A
  • May force being into inappropriate categories
  • Don’t allow people to express things in the way they want
  • May not access all important information
  • May not be effective in establishing causality
29
Q

What are the aims of qualitative analysis?

A

To make sense of phenomena in terms of the meaning people bring to them

30
Q

When needs to be done in qualitative analysis?

A

Listen to what people have to say, and understand their perspective

31
Q

What is the emphasis on in qualitative analysis?

A
  • Meaning
  • Experience
  • Views of respondants
32
Q

What odes the analysis of qualitative research emphasise?

A

The researchers interpretation, not measurement

33
Q

What can qualitative research provide insights into?

A

Peoples behaviour

34
Q

What research methods are used in qualitative research?

A
  • Observation and ethnography
  • Interviews
  • Focus groups
  • Documentary and media analysis
35
Q

What is ethnography?

A

Studying peoples behaviour in its natural context

36
Q

What is the point of ethnography?

A

You observe what people actually do, rather than relying on what they tell you

37
Q

What does ethnography access?

A

Behaviour of which individuals themselves may produced biased accounts, or be unaware of

38
Q

What doe ethnography and observation allow?

A

The researcher to record the ‘mundane and unremarkable’ features of life that interviewees might not feel were worth commenting on, and the context in which they occur

39
Q

What are the forms of ethnography and observation?

A
  • Participant observation
  • Non-participant observation
40
Q

What is the problem with observation?

A

It is labour intensive

41
Q

What is the advantage of observation?

A
  • It can provide a valuble insight into what actually happens
  • Can explore aspects of health and health care that other methods cannot
42
Q

What is observation commonly combined with in qualitative studies?

A

More formal interviews and other sources of data in ethnographic studies

43
Q

What are semi-structured interviews structured by?

A

Prompt guide, with clear agenda of topics

44
Q

Is the order of the agenda of topics in semi-structure interviews followed ridigly?

A

No

45
Q

What is the emphasis on in semi-structured interviews?

A

Participatants giving their perspectives (interviewers should facilitate this)

46
Q

What is obtained from semi-structured interviews?

A

Detailed, focused accounts relating to an issue of interest - gives someones professed views of, or explanation of, the issue, not an unproblematic description of the issue itself

47
Q

Where did focus groups originate?

A

Market research

48
Q

What is the advantage of focus groups being a flexible method?

A
  • Can be a quick method for establishing parameters
  • Good for accessing group-based, collective understanding of the issue
49
Q

What may focus groups encourage?

A

People to participate

50
Q

What are the disadvantages of focus groups?

A
  • Not so useful for individual experience
  • Some topics may be too ‘sensitive’ for focus groups
  • Deviant views may be inhibited
  • Can be difficult to arrange
  • Have to consider the membership of the group
  • Need a fairly homogenous group
  • Good facilitator is needed
51
Q

Why is a good facilitator needed with focus groups?

A

Managing group dynamics is challenging

52
Q

What does documentary and media analysis use?

A

Independant evidence, e.g medical records, patient diaries

53
Q

What may documentary and media analysis provide?

A

Historical context

54
Q

What are documentary and media analyses useful for?

A

Some subjects that are difficult to investigat e

55
Q

What sources can be analysed in media analysis?

A
  • Television
  • Newspaper
  • Media stories
56
Q

What is the problem with the analysis of qualitative data?

A

Ongoing interative process, which is labour intensive

57
Q

What approach is often taken with analysis of qualitative data?

A

Inductive approach

58
Q

What is done in an inductive approach to analysis of qualitative data?

A
  • Close inspection of data
  • Try to identify themes
  • Produce specification for themes
  • Assign data to themes
  • Constantly compare data analysis against themes
59
Q

What is qualitative research good for?

A
  • Understanding the perspective of those in the situation
  • Accessing information not revealed by quantitive approaches
  • Explaning relationships between variables
60
Q

What is a qualitative approach not good for?

A
  • Finding consistent relationships between variables
  • Generalisability
61
Q

Why is qualitative data not good for generalisability?

A

May be good at identifying range of values on an issue, but it would be dangerous to infer prosperity of those views from a small sample that may not be statistically representative

62
Q

What is the problem with carrying out qualitative research robustly?

A

Some debate over the most appropriate criteria for assessing quality of the qualitative reseach

63
Q

What does CASP offer?

A

A tool which measures rigour, credibility, and relevance

64
Q

What is key when carrying out qualitative research robustly?

A

Transparency around sampling, methods, and analysis

65
Q

What will good qualitative research leave?

A

An audit trail

66
Q

What does choosing an approach and study design depend on?

A
  • Topic under investigation
  • Research team’s preferences/expertise
  • Time and money available
  • Funders and/or audience
67
Q

Can different methods be used in the same study?

A

Yes, especially if complementary

ESA 4 - HaDSoc (13 decks)

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