Research Process And Ethics

Question 1

Step 1. Problem identification

Answer 1

Why?
What is it I'm trying to understand? 
Purpose must be clear 
Formulate the question-/ topic 
Research q underpins the selection of the study design, the data collection methods, the sample size needed, the measures and the choice of statistical analysis

Question 2

Step 2. Critical evaluation of literature

Answer 2

Review current, relevant literature 
What do we know and what do we not know? 
Patients 
Intervention 
Comparison intervention 
Outcome

Question 3

Step 3. Ethical considerations

Answer 3

• the researched
  Inequality, confidentially, informed consent, publication of neg finding (eg embarrassing), bribery

-the professional community
Intellectual property and co researcher contributions, acknowledgement of previous work, professional code of conduct- members accountable, penalties for non compliance

• the wider community
  How are your actions contributing to the best interests of humanity
• the natural environment
• the uni and its staff
  How does uni protect the rights of your research subjects, the staff From unethical student research and the students?

Question 4

Step 4. Research questions/ aims/ hypothesis

Answer 4

Investigate known and unknown
State research problem, review literature, formulate q
Research q must inform a realistic data collection procedure within budgetary framework
Quantitative- usually structured to test a hypothesis
Qualitative focused on exploring meanings and interpretation of issues

Question 5

Step 5. Research design

Answer 5

Experimental design (RCT) 
Cohort
Case control 
Case study 
Qualitative research 
Confounding variables are problematic for nutrition- eat a whole diet not one nutrient

Question 6

Step 6. Participant selection and data collection strategies

Answer 6

Participant- numbers, characteristics, availability, method of selection, generalisability, exclusion criteria

Method- define variables to be measured, characteristics, how will they be defined, scale of measurement, kinds of coding, kind of analysis, type of measurement
Nominal (m/f), ordinal (good, better, beSt)
Interval (temp in cels)

Survey methods
Self completion, telephone, fact to face

Question 7

Step 7. Data analysis / interpretation

Answer 7

WuantitTive- differences between 2 groups using independent samples t test

Qualitative - thematic analysis or content analysis

Question 8

Dissemination of findings

Answer 8

Critical part of the research process
Research not published is research not fine
Formal publication in journals or books can include in refereeed publications, web pages, other media and digital repositories
Are there agreements with funding providers, coinvestigators etc?
About if, when and how the research findings can be disemminated