week 1 what is research? Flashcards
what is research?
collecting information to generate new scientific knowledge
what are the 4 pillars of health research?
- biomedical research
- clinical research
- health services research
- health determinants research
Purpose of health research
- to describe - patterns, comparisons
- to explain - why problems occur, causes
- to predict
- to control
Role of researchers
create study design, collection and analysis that is ethically sound
- budget, timeline, record keeping, supervise team
step 1 of the research process
identify research problem
step 2 of the research process
the literature research: what do we already know?
step 3 of the research process
define the problem you want to study (must be specific) - purpose
step 4 of the research process
develop the research question - PICO(T)
what are the 3 types of research questions?
descriptive questions
difference questions
relationship questions - association
what does PICO (T) stand for
P - patient/population
I - intervention
C - comparison
0 - outcomes
T - time frame
FINER criteria for developing research question
F - feasible - possible
I - interesting
N- novel - does add to understanding
E- ethical
R - relevant - is it important?
step 5 of the research process
develop a hypothesis
- null and alternative
- testable statement
step 6 of the research process
choose an appropriate study design
- experimental
- exploratory design - relationships
- descriptive designs - features of participants
what is the 7th research process step
define variables and key terms
- independent, dependent, control
step 8 of the research process
identify the study population of interest
step 9 of the research process
conduct the study
step 10 of the research process
data analysis
step 11 of the research process
inform others
step 12 of the research process
start again, generate a new research question
what is quantitive research?
measured numerically
- analyzed with statistical methods
- measure, test hypothesis, assess relationships and generalize samples to populations
- aims for explanation
what is qualitative research?
when numbers don’t tell the whole story
- emphasis on meanings, contexts, experiences
- descriptive narratives to create theories
- aims to understand
how can qualitative research inform public and population health
explain economic, political, social and cultural factors
- how communities interpret health
what is a deductive approach?
quantitative
- testing an existing theory, comparison of two groups
what is an inductive approach?
qualitative
- gathers data and then develops a theory from this data
quantitative debate / arguement
research should be objective observation and measurement
what is objective
hard facts, no personal perspectives
qualitative arguement
research should be based in subjective understanding of meaning
what is subjective
personal perspectives and opinions
quantitative strengths
objective
generalizable
based on measurement and explanation
describes health problems
emphasis on sample or population experience
quantitative weaknesses
no lived experience
does not work for complexity and contradiction
rigidly bound to categories
qualitative research strengths
can address complex issues
holistic understanding
deep meaning
individual experience
HIGH VALIDITY
qualitative research weaknesses
subjectivity
replication is rare
results are not generalizable
convenience samples
