exam 3 study pt 2

descriptive research ppt

define descriptive research

describe how variables change over time

AND

characteristics, behaviors, and conditions of individuals and groups

what are the two methods of developmental research

longitudinal (preferred)

and cross sectional

which study focuses on the natural history of disease states

 Longitudinal studies ( important 4 clinical trials abt disease etc)

what is the purpose of a normative study

Research that establishes typical/standard values (norms) for characteristics or performance within a specific population.

using large, representative samples to create norms

what is the purpose of qualitative research

­To examine experiences that looks at the true nature of “reality as participants perceive it

what would the benefit of combining qualitative and quantitative methods in one study be

can increase validity of findings

aka mixed methods

what is phenomenology

• Understanding a person's perspective (usually through interviews/narratives).

• How experiences are shaped by their social environment

• ex: What was your experience like

what is ethnography

• Study of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of a specific group of people within their own cultural milieu

• Researcher becomes immersed in the subjects’ way of life

ex: How does this culture shape people

what is grounded theory

A method used to create a theory from collected data.

• collect code and analyze data simultaneously

THINK- Build the theory from the ground up

what are the methods of qualitative research collection

observation- What are people doing and experiencing

interview- ­Form of direct contact between researcher and participant within natural environment

qualitative data analysis

Analysis happens while collecting data.

Code → Organize → Find themes.

purposeful vs theoretical sampling

puropseful» pick best informants

theoretical» elect additional participants based on emerging findings to develop categories/theories.

what are the techniques for ensuring trustworthiness of qualitative data

triangulation

audit trail

what is the purpose of descriptive surveys

• collect information about a specific group

• to describe characteristics or risk factors

what is a case study

Detailed description of one person, group, condition, or situation.

• (Can explore the condition, emotions, thoughts, and past and present activities)

what is the format of a case study

1. Introduction/background

2. theoretical/ epidemiologic info

3. Patient history

4. Methods/treatment

5. Results/outcomes

6. Discussion/conclusions

7. Future research recommendations

what are the strengths and weaknesses of case studies

strengths»

• Detailed understanding of rare cases

• Generates new ideas and hypotheses

weaknesses»

• Weak internal validity

• Limited generalizability

• No control group

• Cannot prove causation

what are case reports in epidemiology

Description of one or more unusual medical cases.

Purpose:

• Document rare events.

• Describe possible causes/exposures.

• Generate hypotheses.

Limitations:

• No control group.

• Cannot establish causation.

• Cannot make broad generalizations.

what Is credibility

How accurately the study represents the participants’ true experiences and reality.

Do the findings reflect what actually happened?

(similar to internal validity in quantitative)

what is transferability

How well the findings can apply to other people, settings, or situations

( similar to external validity of quantitative)

what is consistency

Whether the research process is logical, stable, and well-documented so another researcher could understand how conclusions were reached.

(similar to reliability in quantitative)