RESEARCH PROPSAL CORRECTIONS

December 2022

Tuesday/Thursday

Austin Porter, DrPH, MPH

1

COH 611: Public Health Research Methods

 Introduction to Scientific Journal Literature -YouTube

Reviewing/Critiquing Literature

 To determine how good the information is

 If done poorly, less trust in the information

 To find gaps in the knowledge base

 What has not been done

 To develop better ways of doing research

 Is there a better way to do it?

 To maintain integrity in research

 Peer review, catching cheats

Reviewing Literature - Summary

 Type of study

 Qualitative, observational, case-control, prospective etc

 Purpose of study

 “To test the hypothesis that…”

 Should be well-spelled out

Reviewing Literature - Summary

 Materials and Methods

 Subject population

 Variables and data gathering

 Statistical analysis

 Results

 Actual results, significant results

 Discussion/Conclusions

 Author interpretation of results

Reviewing Literature - Critique

 Introduction

 Clarity and rationale

 Methods

 Appropriate for this problem?

 Can it be duplicated from the info given?

 Flaws?

Reviewing Literature - Critique

 Results

 Accurate and reliable observations

 Data presentation

 Text/table discrepancies

 Results answer the question asked?

Reviewing Literature - Critique

 Discussion

 Interpretation is logical?

 All key studies been considered?

 Authors discussed strengths and limitations?

 Suggestions for further work?

Reviewing Literature - Critique

 Also consider

 Bias

 Disclosure

 Logical reasoning

 Clarity of presentation

Literature Review - Recap

 To determine how good the information is

 To find gaps in the knowledge base

 To develop better ways of doing research

 To maintain integrity in research

The Introduction

The Introduction  The first passage in a journal article, dissertation, or

scholarly research study

 Creates reader interest

 Establishes the problem that leads to the study

 Places the study within the larger context

 Reaches out to a specific audience

Research Methods and Introduction

 Similar format

 There are differences

 Qualitative

 Quantitative

 Mixed Methods

Introduction – Qualitative Methods  Problem calls for exploration

 May be shaped by a theoretical lens

 May be written from a personal, first-person, subjective point of view

Introduction – Quantitative Methods

 Problem calls for factors and variables

 May advance a theory to be tested

 Substantial literature background

 Generally written from an impersonal, objective point of view

Introduction – Mixed Methods  May use a quantitative or qualitative approach or a

combination

 If one approach is emphasized or begins the study, then the introduction may follow that approach

Introduction - The Format

 The research problem

 Studies that have addressed the problem

 Gaps in the knowledge base

 The significance of the study for particular audiences

 The purpose statement

The Research Problem

 Begin the introduction in such a way as to engage the reader

 Clearly identify the issue(s) or problem(s) that lead to a need

for the study

 Indicate why the problem is important by citing references

Introduction – An Example

The debate is no longer about whether mental illness is a

public health issue,1–4 but about what can reduce the

prevalence of, and suffering from, mental illness. The de facto

approach of mental illness treatment4 and prevention through

risk reduction has not reduced the prevalence, burden, or

early onset of mental disorder.5,6 A further step is mental

health promotion and protection, the latter defined as the

objective of preventing the loss of good mental health.7

Keyes, Dhingra, and Simoes, 2010

Introduction – Studies Cited  Studies are used to

 Show the importance of the problem

 Demonstrate differences between past studies and the proposed study

 NOT the same as a lit review!  Summarize large groups of studies

 Deemphasize single studies

 Focus on recent research studies (past 10 years)

Introduction – An Example

Findings from many studies13–21 support the

dual continuum: one indicating the presence or

absence of mental health, the other indicating the

presence or absence of mental illness symptoms.

For example, the latent factors of mental illness

and health correlate around –0.50, meaning

only 25% of their variance is shared.13 This

modest correlation supports the viewpoint that

mental health is not merely the absence of

mental illness.22,23

Keyes, Dhingra, and Simoes, 2010

Introduction –

Gaps in the Knowledge Base

 The topic has not been explored with a particular group, sample, or population

 The literature needs to be replicated with new people or sites

 The voice of underrepresented groups has not been heard in published literature

 How will your study  Fill the gaps

 Provide unique contribution to the literature

Introduction – For the Audience  Significance of the study for the audience

 Consider including:

 3-4 reasons the study adds to the scholarly literature

 3-4 reasons the study helps to improve practice

 3-4 reasons the study will improve policy

The Purpose Statement

 Central idea in the study

 Statement of the intent or objective

 It is NOT

 The issue leading to the need for the study

 The questions/hypotheses to be answered or tested.

A Script for Writing Qualitative Purpose

Statements

 The purpose of this (strategy of inquiry, such as ethnography, case study,

or other type) study is (was? will be?) to (understand? describe? develop?

discover?) the (central phenomenon being studied) for (the participants,

such as the individual, groups, organization) at (research site). At this

stage in the research, the (central phenomenon being studied) will be

generally defined as (provide a general definition).

Creswell, 2009

A Script for Writing Quantitative

Purpose Statements  The purpose of this (experiment? survey?) study is (was? will be?) to

test the theory of (theory name) that (compares? relates?) the (independent variable) to (dependent variable), controlling for (control variables) for (participants) at (the research site). The independent variable(s) will be defined as (provide a definition). The dependent variable(s) will be defined as (provide a definition), and the control and intervening variable(s) will be defined as (provide a definition).

Creswell, 2009

Four Scripts for Writing Mixed Methods

Purpose Statements I. Sequential Study with Quantitative Phase Building on Initial

Qualitative Phase  The intent of this two-phase, sequential mixed methods study is to (mention

content objective of the study). The first phase will be a qualitative exploration of a (central phenomenon) by collecting (types of data) from (participants) at (research site). Findings from this qualitative phase will then be used to test (a theory, research questions, or hypotheses) that (relate, compare) (independent variable) with (dependent variable) for (sample of population) at (research site). The reason for collecting qualitative data initially is that (e.g., instruments are inadequate or not available, variables are not known, there is little guiding theory or few taxonomies).

Creswell, 2009

Four Scripts for Writing Mixed Methods

Purpose Statements II. Sequential Study with Qualitative Phase To Explain Initial

Quantitative Results  The intent of this two-phase, sequential mixed methods study will be to

(mention content objective of the study). In the first phase, quantitative research questions or hypotheses will address the relationship or comparison of (independent) and (dependent) variables with (participants) at (the research site). Information from this first phase will be explored further in a second qualitative phase. In the second phase, qualitative interviews or observations will be used to probe significant (quantitative results) by exploring aspects of the (central phenomenon) with (a few participants) at (research site). The reason for following up with qualitative research in the second phase is to (e.g., better understand and explain the quantitative results).

Creswell, 2009

Four Scripts for Writing Mixed Methods

Purpose Statements III. Concurrent Study to Best Understand a Problem

 The intent of this concurrent mixed methods study is to (content objective of the study). In the study, (quantitative instruments) will be used to measure the relationship between (independent variable) and (dependent variable). At the same time, the (central phenomenon) will be explored using (qualitative interviews or observations) with (participants) at (the research site). The reason for combining both quantitative and qualitative data is to better understand this research problem by converging both quantitative (broad numeric trends) and qualitative (detailed views) data.

Creswell, 2009

Four Scripts for Writing Mixed Methods

Purpose Statements IV. A Transformative Mixed Methods Study

 The intent of this concurrent mixed methods study is to (state issue that needs to be addresses for group or individuals). In the study, (quantitative instruments) will be used to measure the relationship between (independent variable) and (dependent variable). At the same time, the (central phenomenon) will be explored using (qualitative interviews or observations) with (participants) at (the research site). The reason for combining both quantitative and qualitative data is to better understand this research problem by converging both quantitative (broad numeric trends) and qualitative (detailed views) data and to advocate for change for (groups or individuals).

Creswell, 2009

Research Questions and Hypotheses

Qualitative Research Questions

 Questions

 Not hypotheses

 Central question

 Subquestions

Writing Qualitative Research Questions  Ask 1-2 central questions and no more than 5-7 subquestions

 These questions should:  Relate the central question to the strategy of inquiry

 Begin with "what" or "how"

 Focus on a single phenomenon or concept

 Use exploratory verbs like discover or describe

 Avoid directional words such as "affect" or "impact"

 Evolve during the study

 Be open-ended without reference to the literature

 Specify the participants and research site (unless stated previously)

Creswell, 2009

A Script for Writing a Qualitative Central

Question

 (How or What) is the (“story for” for narrative research; “meaning of ” the

phenomenon for phenomenology; “theory that explains the process of ” for

grounded theory; “culture-sharing pattern” for ethnography; “issue” in the

“case” for case study) of (central phenomenon) for (participants) at

(research site).

Creswell, 2009

Quantitative Research Questions and

Hypotheses

 Questions

 Relationships among variables

 Hypotheses

 Predictions about the relationships among variables

 Predictions about the population values the researcher will

estimate based on data from a sample

Quantitative Hypotheses or Research

Questions

 3 main approaches

 Compare groups

 Relate variables

 Describe a group, sample, or population

Research Questions and Hypotheses

 Question example

 What are the risk factors for the development of pneumonia in

adult trauma patients?

 Hypothesis example – null hypothesis

 There is no difference in trauma patients with or without

pneumonia in level of mental status.

Writing Quantitative Hypotheses or

Research Questions

 Hypotheses – consistent form

 Null, alternate (directional or non-directional)

 Questions

 Inferential

 Descriptive

 Controlling

Quantitative Methods – an Example

Central to the mental health promotion and protection’s

promotion hypothesis is that gains in the level of mental health

decrease the risk of future mental illness; central to the mental

health promotion and protection’s protection

hypothesis is that loss of mental health increases the risk of future

mental illness. We investigated both hypotheses with the 1995

and 2005 waves of the Midlife in the

United States (MIDUS) National Study of Health and Well-Being.

Keyes, Dhingra, and Simoes, 2010

Mixed Methods Hypotheses and

Research Questions

 Both qualitative and quantitative research

questions/hypotheses

 Same requirement as for non-mixed method designs for

qualitative and quantitative questions and hypotheses

 Order questions to match the mixed methods design

 Include a mixed methods research question that

 Directly addresses the mixing of the two methods

 Written to convey the procedures or the content of the study

Questions???