week 4: quantitative research design

Question 1

Please list 6 Key Research Design Features

Answer 1

Key Research Design Features
Feature Key Questions
1) Intervention - Will there be an intervention?
2) Comparison - What types of comparisons will be
made?
3) Control over
confounding variables
- How will confounding variables be
controlled?
4) Time frames - How often will data be collected?
5) Relative timing - When will information on independent and
dependent variables be collected?-
Looking backward or forward?
6) Location - Where will the study take place?

Question 2

List 3 research designs that have control over the independent variable.

Answer 2

 Experimental
 Quasi-experimental
 Non-experimental

Question 3

list 2 research designs that are based on the number of data collection to be done.

Answer 3

 Cross-sectional
 Longitudinal

Question 4

list 2 research designs that are based on the timing of the data collection. eg. future or past?

Answer 4

Retrospective
 Prospective

Question 5

what is the difference between cross sectional and longitudinal research design?

Answer 5

cross sectional:Data are collected
at one point in time

longitudinal:Data are collected at
two or more points over
an extended period

Question 6

Assess patients’ QoL at 1 week after their heart attack
(using MIDAS or WHOQoL scale)

what research design is used in this statement?

Answer 6

cross sectional research design

Question 7

Assess patients’ QoL at 1 week after their heart attack
and again at 3 months and at 12 months after their heart
attack (using MIDAS or WHOQoL scale)

what research design is used in this statement?

Answer 7

longitudinal research design

Question 8

List 3 strengths and 1 weakness of cross sectional research design

Answer 8

1) appropriate for
describing
phenomena at a
fixed point;
2) economical and
3) easy to manage;
but
1) pose problems
for inferring changes
over time.

Question 9

list 2 strengths and 2 weaknesses for longitudinal research designs

Answer 9

Longitudinal designs
1) Are useful for
studying changes
over time and for
2) establishing
sequencing of a
phenomena;


1) Loss of participants
(attrition) over time;
2) Risk of faulty
inferences.

Question 10

What are the differences between retrospective and prospective research design? Dr IP

Answer 10

Retrospective ()
 Examine what has
happened in the
past
 Data begins with
outcome (DV) and
looks backward for
cause or
influence(IV).

Prospective ()
Investigate the
outcome (DV) in the
future
Data begins with IV
and looks forward for
the effect.

Question 11

Examine the causes of
emergency admission in a public
hospital in Singapore

Identify the research design in this statement

Answer 11

retrospective research design

Question 12

Example: Examine the effects of a
counseling service on the extent of
marital problems

Identify the research design in this statement

Answer 12

prospective research design

Question 13

differences between retrospective and prospective research design abt 4

Answer 13

Retrospective ()
 relatively
inexpensive
 smaller numbers
required
 quicker to complete
 prone to
recall/retrospective
bias

 Prospective ()
 yields true incidence
rates and relative
risks
 expensive
 requires large
numbers
 takes a long time to
complete
 prone to attrition
bias

Question 14

what are the 3 characteristics of True experiment- Randomised Controlled Trial

Answer 14

Characteristics of True Experiments
Intervention - Manipulation of independent variable
Control - Recruitment of a control group
Randomization – Assignment of participants to a
control or experimental condition on a random basis

Question 15

which research design is the Most powerful approach to test a cause-and-
effect relationship between Intervention (IV)
and Outcome (DV)

Answer 15

True experiment- randomised controlled trial RCT

Question 16

what is the most common type of RCT?

Answer 16

pre test-post test design