Week 1 Lecture 1: Introduction to Research Methods Flashcards
What is knowledge?
An accepted body of facts or ideas which is acquired through the use of the senses or reason.
What is knowledge (Grinnel et al. 2011:16)?
“Knowledge is essential for human survival. Over the course of human history there have been many ways of knowing, from divine revelation to tradition and the authority of elders. In the beginning of the seventeenth century people began to rely on a different way of knowing - the research method” (Grinnel et al. 2011:16).
What is research (Tuckman, 1978)?
= a systematic means of problem solving (Tuckman, 1978)
What is research (Leedy and Ormond, 2010)?
“…the systematic process of collecting and analysing information (data) in order to increase our understanding of the phenomenon or phenomena about which we are concerned” (Leedy and Ormond, 2010)
What is research (Creswell, 2008)?
“… a process of steps used to collect and analyse information to increase our understanding of a topic or issue” (Creswell, 2008)
2 Adjectives to describe research
Systematic:
- careful preparation and planning
- organisation
- critical evaluation
Rigorous:
- What is known and needs to be known?
- What research methods are needed to generate new knowledge?
Three steps of research
- pose a question
- collect data to answer the question
- present an answer to the question
Cochrane Collaboration
= an international repository of known information about healthcare created by researchers who speak many different languages and are from many different countries
Why do research?
A study can be undertaken for two different purposes:
- To solve a currently existing problem = applied research
- To contribute to the general body of knowledge in a particular area of interest = basic/fundamental research
Applied research
= research to solve a currently existing problem
Basic/fundamental research, or
“Blue sky research”
= research to contribute to the general body of knowledge in a particular area of interest
What is the research continuum?
Basic <——-> Applied
Possible problems in conducting research (5)
- funding
- correlation vs causation
- is research always progress?
- always looking for counterarguments in research:
- interpretations
- assumptions: are we asking the right questions? - framing of question, answer and results
Einstein on research
“If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn’t be called research, would it?”
5 stages of conducting research
missing?
- Planning
- Data collection
- Data analysis
- Conclusions drawn
- Dissemination of results
missing:
- clarification of purpose of research
- development of research questions
- generation of research hypothesis (quantitative research) or research aims (qualitative research)
