PAS - Research (Qualitative & Quantitative) Flashcards
what is research?
systematic process of collecting, analysing, and interpreting data to increase our understanding of an event
why do people carry out research?
discover new knowledge
validate or refine existing knowledge
solve problems
quantitative research - meaning, methods/ obtaining data, analysis and theory development?
collecting and analysing numerical data
methods: structured surveys, numerical/ statistical data
analysis: statistical techniques to test hypothesis, examine relationships between variables - various statistical analyses
theories: deductive approach, theories developed from statistically significance, produces generalizable findings that can be applied to larger populations
how is quantitative research performed?
question is asked, background research conducted to construct a hypothesis
test with experiment - obtain numerical data, analyse collected data via various statistical tests
determine if hypothesis is true of false, use deductive reasoning to construct further theories
qualitative research - meaning, methods/ obtaining data, analysis and theory development?
collecting and analysing non-numerical data to understand concepts, opinions, or experiences
methods: interviews, observations, textual/ visual data, case studies
analysis: involves identifying patterns, themes and categories through various types of interpretive analysis
theories: grounded theories and predictions developed based on observed data - theories are closely linked to the data
how is qualitative data conducted?
begin with an open-ended question to explore a specific phenomenon
purposive or theoretical sampling to select participants who have experience or knowledge about the phenomenon
non-numerical data collection of textual and visual data, interviews, open-ended surveys - obtain a deep, contextual understanding
identify themes and patterns in non-numerical data, apply grounded theory, re-check data if needed for validity
- apply coding to assign units of meaning, categorisation and break up long research = good for post-analysis and management
- themes will appear from the data with grounded theory
present theories in a narrative form which can be applied to wider/ generalised populations
what is coding?
coding is used to assign units of meaning, categorisation and break up long research
can be direct, thematic, using direct patient words…
with grounded theory for qualitative research, themes will appear from the data
with framework analysis - test will be matched to pre-assigned codes
codes can be done in combination
benefits of qualitative research in healthcare
in-depth understanding of patient experiences and social contexts
provides patient-centered insights to help tailor healthcare services to their needs - introduces flexibility
useful for exploring new/ under-researched areas where quantitative measures might not yet exist
communication enhances understanding between healthcare providers and patients
generates new ideas with open-ended conversations for treatment options
limitations of qualitative research
subjectivity - interpretations of data can vary between researchers
labour intensive 7 time consuming
harder to generalise with small sample sizes and skewed/ biased accounts
real-word replication makes it hard to replicate data, with certain uncontrollable factors
