Research Methods Mid Term

Examples of consumer of Research

Advil - nothing is proven more effective than Advil

What is research

research is what we do when we have a question or a problem we want to resolve

What is the first priority of research

formulate a question, then figure out how you are going to answer it

What is research all about

increasing our understanding of how and why we behave the way we do

Research is based on

the work of others

Research can be

replicated

research is always

on going

research is generalizable

research should apply to situations outside the study setting

research is not done in intellectual isolation

it is based on some logical rationale, it is tied to the theory

research is apolitcal

research should have the betterment of society as its ultimate goal

Research Defined

a purposeful and systematic approach to problem solving, finding questions in a logical, orderly, and systematic fashion

Two key components of research

Systematic in nature, and focuses on a question of intrest

Systematic

Plan, identify, design, collect data, and evaluate

Logical

Examine procedures to evalute conclusions

Empirical

Decisions are based on data, its important because its the data you can observe, measure, and test

Reductive

general relationships are established from data

Replication

actions are recorded

Stages of scientifc method

Identify the problem, Research the topic, Identify the hypothesis, Research design and method, Collect data, Analyze Data, Findings/Conclusion

Applied Research

Type of research that has direct value to practitoners but the research has limited control over the research setting. "Comparing two weightloss pills in humans"

Basic Research

Type of research that may have limited direct application but the researcher has careful control of the conditions. "comparinf weight loss pills in lab mice"

Level 1 - Basic Research

Goal - Theory driven / Approach - Laboratory

Level 2 - Middle Research

Goal - Theory based using relevant movements / Approach - Similar to real life setting

Level 3 - Applied Research

Goal - Innmediate Solutions / Approach - Real life setting

Quantitiave Research

Relies on numerical data (#s)

Qualititave Research

Ask questions to explore topic areas from the participants descriptive perspective

Mixed Methods Research

Qualitaive and Quantitaive mixed

Research Variables

Specific aspects that a measured, (height, weight, BP)

Operational Definition

Statement of how the research variable will be measured (ex. physical fitness)s

Continous Data

Data that includes range of scores

Categorial Data

Data that place subjects into specificed groups (training status)

Independent Variable

the variable that is manipulated by the researched

Dependent Variable

Behavior that is measured to determine whether it is altered by the independent

Predictor Variable

Used to explain the criterion or outcome variable in correlation research (known as X variable - idependent variable)

Criterion Variable

Variable that is being explained by the predictor variable in correlation research (known as Y variable - dependent variable)

Internal Validity

The degree to which the research findings and conclusions are related to the research design and methodology, how much the independent variable affects a dependent variable

External Validity

Generalizablity of the research findings, the degree to which the results of a study can be applied to difference conditions or subjects

Validity

does the test or instrument measure what it is intended to be measured

Reliability

the extent to which test scores are repeatable

Objectivity

Consistency of the results between or among more than one test administrator

Internal Review Board (IRB)

review research and to enure the rights and welfare of human subjects involved in research are adequatley protected

Naxi Human Experimentation

Medical experiments performed on concentration camp prisoners during WWII, led to the Nurembeg Code of 1947

Tuskegee Syphilis Study

in 1932, the US goverment started a study in Macon Alabama, studied long trm effects of untreated syphilis in poor, rural african men. There was no "consent" to participate

Stanford Prison Experiment

Examine the power of roles, rules, and group identity and situational behavior.

The Belmont Report

Ethical principles, respect for persons, beneficence, justice

Respect for persons

treat individuals as autonomous agents, subject controls their decisions, do not use people as means to and end, allow other to choose for themselves

Beneficence - "to benefit"

Do no harm, maximize possible benefits and minimze risk

Justice

Treat people fairly, fair sharing of burdens and benefits of the research, the means used to select subjects are equitable

An injustice occurs when

benefits to which a person is entitled are denied without good reason, burdens are imposed

Respect for persons derived

informed consent process, respect for privacy

Beneficence derived

Good research design, competent investigators/researchers, favorable risk-benefit analysis

Justice Derived

equitable selections of participants

The Common Rule

Regulations developed to ensure compliance with the principles of Belmont Report

IRB Full Review

More than minimal risk, invasive research, special populations, reviewed by ALL IRB memebers

IRB Expedidted Review

Minimal risk, reviwed by IRB chair +1 or more other members

IRB Exempt Review

Loe risk, Reviewed by 1 IRB member

Criteria for IRB approval

Risk are minimized, risk are reasonable in relation to benefits, selection of participants is equitable, informed consent will be sough and documented

Criteria for IRB approval ext.

Data collected will be monitored to ensure safety, Privacy of participants will be protected and confidentiality maintained, additional safe gaurds are included when necessary

Informed Consent includes

information, comprehension, and volunratiness

Privacy applies to

the person

Condifentiality applies to

the data

IRB has authority to

approve, modify, table, and dissaprove

causes of Scientific Misconduct

Pressure to publish, needed complete work, desire to continue funding, and desire for awards

Research study can ask 3 types of question

Descriptive, Relationship, and Difference

Descriptive Question

Seeks to describe pehnomena or characteristics of a particular group of participatns being studied, ex. what are the attitudes of paretns toward the inclusion of sex education in school cirriculum

Relationship Question

Investiages the degree to which two or more variables are associated with each other, ex. is there an association between self-esteem and % of bf levels among children

Difference Question

Seeks to make comparisons between or within groups of interest, ex. does creating supplementation improve sprint performance in college athletes

Problem Distillation

refining a question to make it sufficiently specific

problem statements

the aim of this study was to, this study was concerned with, this study was designed to, this purpose of this investigation was to

Sampling / Target Population

All inclusive group defined by the researcher, group you want to study

Random Sampling

method of selecting participants in which everyone has an equal chance of being selected

Simple Random

"hat" model, randomly selected from total population

Stratifed Random

Determine crtical characterisitcs of a target population to ensure that the same % are in the sample. ex. LHU student body is mostly women 60%

Cluster Sampling

rather than an individual, one randomly examines a group of subjects within a defined unit. ex. 10 memebrs of LHU field hockey team

Non-Random Sampling

Method of selection where all participants DO NOT have an equal chance of being selected

Convenicne Sampling

Select subjects that are readily available

Intact Sampling

Select an already formed group ex. class/team

Systematic Sampling

Select subjexts using some order ex. every 15th person in a phone book

Volunteer Sampling

most common in NR sampling, selecting people want elect to participate

Purpose Statement

what you are going to do

hypothesis

what do you think is going to happen

Delimitation

Who, what, when, where, Summerizes the nature and surrounding components of the study

Limitations

Events that may interfere with the results of the study that cannot be controlled by the researchers

Assumptions

basic, fundamental conditions that must exist in order for research to proceed, ex. subject motivation, truthfulness, validity of measuring instrument

Statistical or Substanive Hypothesis

Educated guess as to the results of the study ex. children that watch more TV will have a higher amount of BF than those that wathc less

Null Hypothesis

No relationship is identified between variables of intrest. ex. the amount of BF that a child has is unrelated to their amount of TV watching

Subject/Participant Section

Who, why, and how these individuals were chosen, subject characteristics (ht, wt, age)

Measurement Section

what will be collected, operational definitions (how the research varibales will be measured within the study, ex. VO2 max, # of push ups, # of times somebody exercises)

Procedure Section

how was the study performed, summarized each step in great detail

Statistical/Data Section

how will the data be examined, explains which statistical procedures will be used to analyze the variables of intrest

Results Section

Brief statements of meaningful findings without an explaination, MOST IMPORTANT

Logical Flow

results should be presented in an structured sequence, most important findings should be first

Tables and Figures

Descriptive data (mean +- sd) should be presented in tables, complex data shuld be represented in figures

Discussion Section

explanation and interpretation of results, discuss results

Conclusion Section

simple, concise statements justified from the results

References Section

sources actaully cited or used in the research paper

Descriptive Quantitative Research

Survey, Observation, provides exploratory data about the specific varibales under examination

Experimental Quantitative Research

Quasi, True, research that attempts to identify group differecnes on a dependent variable

Correlation Quantitative Research

Research that examines the relationship between variables

Survey

Gather information regarding perceptions and behaviors through the use of questionaires

Behavioral Observation

Process of collecting objective information by a live observer or through the use of audio or video