Section 1 Flashcards
What is research?
A search for knowledge - this includes analysis and interpretation of data
What features make up good research?
- Systematic
- Rigorous
- Set of processes
- Creation of knowledge
Research can:
A) help discover new knowledge
B) validate old knowledge
C) expand knowledge base
D) capture experiences & perspectives
E) all of the above
E) all of the above
It is important that evidence-based practice centres on what?
Patient care
What is a paradigm?
A framework guided by a set of beliefs and assumptions about the world and how it should be understood and studied
Benefits of multiple paradigms:
- allow for more than one way to make sense of reality
- different points of view usually yield different explanations
- open up new understandings, suggest different kinds of theories, and inspire different kinds of research
Define ethnography
The exploration of people and culture by observing society from the point of view of the subject of the study.
Define epistemology.
The branch of philosophy that investigates the nature of knowledge and the process by which knowledge is acquired and validated.
“The science of knowing”
What does PICOTS stand for?
Population
Intervention or exposure
Comparison group
Outcome
Time
Setting
What does ontology refer to?
Beliefs about the nature of reality; dictates the relationship between the research and the researcher.
Define epistemology.
How we come to know what we know and what is the relationship between the researcher and the researched
What is methodology?
The way we go about discovering knowledge in a systematic way - SPECIFIC
The realism paradigm can be classified as:
Positivism
Realism operates on the assumption that:
There is only one truth about reality.
The relativism paradigm can be classified as:
Interpretivism
What research paradigm(s) take an objective stance?
Realism/positivism
Why does a subjective approach work when researching from a relativism/Interpretivism perspective?
This acknowledges the context in which the subjects exist and interact, and that reality is co-constructed between the researcher and the research. Interpretivism takes into account the experiences of the subjects rather than just hard data.
What research methodology would be employed when seeking information from a positivism perspective?
Quantitative data is desired - one would use the scientific method.
Would a researcher using an Interpretivism perspective want quantitative or qualitative data?
Qualitative - the researcher is interested in more descriptive information, and would construct the data from interviews and other interactions with the subjects.
Outline the ontology, epistemology, and methodology for research carried out under the positivism paradigm.
Ontology - realism - one reality exists.
Epistemology - objective - no interpretation; one reality exists
Methodology - quantitative - experimental or non-experimental (scientific method) - hypotheses are tested and quantitative methods are used
Outline the ontology, epistemology, and methodology for research carried out under the Interpretivism/constructivism paradigm.
Ontology - relativism - reality cannot exist without context - realities are co-constructed
Epistemology - subjective - Interactive and subjective with co-created findings
Methodology - qualitative- and logical with a well-described context
What is an etic perspective?
How non-members of a group interpret behaviours of a given culture
What is an emic perspective?
How members of a given culture perceive the world
Characteristics of a theory:
- aims at explaining what we see
- provides a systemic understanding of an observation
- from theories, we can build hypotheses
- often tested and proven or well-established
What is a concept?
- used in theories to explain observations and assumptions
- “basic building blocks” of theories
- need to be defined so we have the same understanding and measurement of the concepts we observe
What is a model?
- a model shows a proposed relationship between concepts
- usually developed at an earlier stage in research - not well proven or established yet
What is a conceptual framework?
- defines and/or explores various concepts
- does not use a specific model or theory
- blueprint/flow chart outlining the goal of research but positions the work, ideas, and concepts within the larger field of research
List the assumptions of positivism.
- believes human behaviour is driven by objective social facts
- researcher can and should avoid any bias or influence on the outcome
- if done well, results are true
What is a null hypothesis?
A statement that assumes there is no difference between groups or that two variables are unrelated
- in general, researcher is looking to reject the null hypothesis - this would support the relationship between the variables and can drive more research
What is empirical evidence and how is it collected?
- facts and information about human behaviour and society
- surveys, questionnaires, observation, other lab methods
What are the features of objectivity?
- bases knowledge on systematic observation
- what can be observed can be measured
- all basic concepts must be defined (consistency)
What is a prospective cohort study?
A study that follows a group forward in time
What is a retrospective cohort study?
A study that looks at a cohort’s history and past experiences
What theoretical position does Interpretivism take?
- the consciousness - thoughts, feelings, meaning, values, beliefs are important
- context matters - patterns of interaction are situational and unpredictable
- humans give meaning to their actions and those of others; humans are engaged in creating and interpreting social circumstances.
Features of subjectivity:
- attempts to understand, describe, and observe the lived experience
- rejects neutrality or distancing between researcher and participant
- researcher embeds self in the world of the subject
What is an inductive approach?
Takes specific occurrences and created a generalized conclusion
- look for patterns > tentative hypothesis > promote more research, form a conclusion, or develop a theory
- findings refer to the CONTEXT in which they were collected