resdency 2 q3
bmarlurer8
AdvancedMethods2.pptxElevating Research: Advanced Methods & Hands-On Activities
Preparing to Start Your Dissertation
Pitfalls in Designing a Research Study
Poorly defined research questions
Inadequate literature review or reliance on old studies which don’t reflect the current state of knowledge
Weak research design
Inappropriate sampling techniques
Flaws in data collection methods
Inappropriate selection of assessment tools or quantification of variables/data
Poorly Defined Research Questions
When a college student takes time off from school, does their stress impact the student experience after returning back to school?
Do teachings of Christianity in African American churches alter how African American men and women attitudes towards depression and the need to seek therapy from someone outside of their denomination
Are stress reduction techniques among social service workers effective in reducing stress and improving overall health?
Inadequate Literature Review
Reliance on old studies which don’t reflect the current state of knowledge
Poor organization; Tell a story
Lack of alignment; Discuss how existing literature relates to your study
Lack of synthesis: Don’t just summarize, but discuss integration of research
Weak Research Design
This can lead to unreliable, imprecise, or irrelevant answers to research questions
The design may oversimplify a complex problem
Determining the appropriate sample size, including whether you will be able to obtain that sample size
Determining whether your design will be experimental, quasi-experimental or non-experimental
Inappropriate Sampling Techniques
Improper sampling techniques can lead to sampling errors that can be biased and result incorrect or misleading data
Selection error occurs when the researchers bias leads to the selection, inaccurate or inadequate data for analysis
Undercoverage bias occurs when the sample doesn’t accurately represent the population. Only selecting people who are easy to reach may bias the results.
Having sample sizes that are too small can underepresent the target audience resulting in misleading statistics
Flaws in Data Collection Methods
Data Quality
Data can be inaccurate or inconsistent
Incomplete Data
Data can be incomplete if it’s lost during collection or storage or if it’s not collected correctly
Poor Sampling
Sampling errors can lead to biased conclusions: results may only describe behavior of volunteers
Security
Collecting, storing, and analyzing large amounts of data can increase the risk of compromising sensitive information leading to privacy insecurity breaches
Inappropriate Selection of Assessment Tools
Tools that are not designed for your target population may be invalid
Tools that require a lengthy amount of time to complete may result in incomplete data
Issues such as response bias may lead to inaccurate results
Issues of reliability and validity need to be reviewed
Assessment of both research variables as well as confounds are required
Activity: Goals
Apply what you know about research design to create a testable study
Apply psychological theory to solve a real-world problem
Demonstrate critical thinking to identify an aspect of the problem that you would like to investigate
Work in small groups to collaborate on best practices
Activity: Scenario
Literature suggests that adolescents and young adults…
Are using social media more today than ever before
Preferring to use nonverbal (e.g., texting) over verbal (e.g., calling) communication
Utilizing mental health services at greater rates than every before
Being prescribed antidepressants and anxiolytic medications at high frequencies
Reporting greater issues with body image and eating disorders
Activity: Research Design Deliverables
List a research question that is clear and concise
List a testable hypothesis
Design a study that might be executable
Define appropriate variables with operational definitions
Define the population you might generalize the results
Define a sampling procedure
