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PPTDevelopingaFeasibleResearchStudy.pptxDeveloping a Feasible research Study
Walden University Academic Residencies
PhD Residency 3
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Describe issues pertaining to feasibility in designing and implementing a research study
Consider how these feasibility issues apply to your dissertation research
Understand best practices for negotiating access to research sites
Session Learning Objectives
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Session Agenda
Feasibility of Access to Research Participants
Feasibility of Access to Needed Sample Size
Feasibility of Access to Existing Data
Feasibility of Data Collection Methods
Ethical Feasibility
Best Practices for Negotiating Access with Research Sites
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Feasibility of Access to Research Participants
Defining your population/sample or participants
How will you find them?
How will you know if they have the characteristics you are looking for?
How will you access their names and contact information?
Will the organization’s gatekeeper agree to allow you to contact participants?
How will you invite potential participants for study participation?
It is a common occurrence that some studies do not achieve the number of participants projected for the study
Usually this occurs for quantitative studies that require a larger sample size
May occur for qualitative studies with a limited pool of potential participants
Feasibility of Access to Needed Sample Size 1
Identify how many participants you need for your study to conduct your data analysis
For quantitative studies, use G*Power or similar
Consider how many participants you need in relation to the potential pool of participants
Applies to both qualitative and quantitative studies
Be realistic in your expectations for response
Response rates are usually low
Plan for about 10%–20% response rate for surveys
Feasibility of Access to Needed Sample Size 2
Plan ahead and think through your procedures
Develop workable plans for recruitment of participants
Develop workable plans for follow-up contacts
Develop workable plans for data collection
Allow your timeline to be flexible
Data collection may take longer than you anticipate
Have a backup plan
Feasibility of Access to Needed Sample Size 3
Consider multiple methods for recruiting potential participants
Face-to-face
Online
Flyer
Other
Which methods are likely to work for your potential participants?
See video: Tips for Ethically Maximizing Participant Response Rate
See: Walden’s COVID-19 Doctoral Data Collection for alternatives to F2F recruitment and data collection
Feasibility of Access to Needed Sample Size 4
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Feasibility of Access to Existing Data
Consider the following questions:
What data sources already exist that you can use for your study?
What specific variables or kinds of data are available?
How will you gain access to these data for research purposes?
What might be the quality or validity of these data?
What might be the limitations of these data?
Feasibility of Data Collection Methods
What methods will you use to collect data?
Will these methods yield the data to answer your research questions?
What are logistics of collecting your data? Will it work?
Time or effort you are asking from participants?
Questionnaires/interviews: face-to-face (F2F) or online?
Travel/locations for F2F data collection?
Technology for online data collection?
Thank-you gifts or other incentives to participate?
Consider which feasibility issues apply to your study:
Access to Research Participants
Access to Needed Sample Size
Access to Existing Data
Data Collection Methods
Discuss in small groups
Which issues apply to your study?
What are the challenges or potential problems?
What are your next steps to move forward?
Activity #1: Discussion Questions
Ethical Feasibility
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All Walden studies receive a research ethics review before approval to collect data
Some ethical issues might affect feasibility of study
Studies with a sensitive topic
Studies with a vulnerable population
Studies conducted at your own workplace
Studies in which you have a dual relationship with participants
Ethical Feasibility
All of these kinds of studies have been approved at Walden under the right circumstances
Early ethics consultation is strongly recommended
Attend IRB Office Hours to ask questions
Email your specific questions to [email protected]
The IRB will identify any cautionary ethical issues that you can address during proposal development
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Minors (age 17 and under)
Subordinates of the researcher
Nursing home residents
Prisoners
Mentally or emotionally impaired individuals
Individuals less than fluent in English (within U.S.)
Undocumented immigrants
Victims/witnesses of violent crime or other trauma
Active-duty military personnel
Due to the additional protections and gatekeeper approvals required by the federal government
Examples of Vulnerable Populations
Questions about professional work that might lead to disclosure of behavior/views that could potentially get someone fired or passed over for promotion
Cutting corners, lack of compliance with policy, disagreement with leadership decisions
Questions about substance use, mental state, or violence that might obligate a referral or intervention to prevent harm to the participant
Addiction, severe depression, suicidality, eating disorders, bullying, physical threats
Illegal activities in which the participant might incriminate him/herself via research data
Illegal drug use, illegal immigration, child neglect, harassment, assault, bullying, cyberbullying
Personal issues that could severely distress an individual if framed in a judgmental, noninclusive, dismissive, or otherwise insensitive manner
Ethnicity, body image, religion
Examples of Sensitive Topics
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Authority Relationship with Participants
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Risks to participants are greater when the researcher personally knows them
If authority figure asks, subordinates may feel pressured to participate, even if it is not in their own best interest
Subordinates may feel conflict between responding honestly and responding in a manner that would enhance the authority figure’s professional perception of them
Consider which ethical issues apply to your study
Studies with a sensitive topic
Studies with a vulnerable population
Studies in which you have an authority relationship with participants
Discuss in small groups
Which issues apply to your study?
What are the challenges or potential problems?
What are your next steps to move forward?
Activity #2: Ethical Feasibility Discussion
Community Partner Organizations:
May provide names or information to recruit participants
May provide space or resources to assist in data collection
May provide some educational program or service that the researcher is evaluating
Possible research sites include:
Schools, businesses, hospitals, churches, government, nonprofit organizations
Walden’s Online Participant Pool
Feasibility of Access to a Research Site
Best Practices for Negotiating Access to Sites
Based on interviews with 22 Walden alumni and 19 research sites
Allow plenty of time
Mean time for site approval was 6 weeks; multiple meetings needed
Use a face-to-face meeting
Mean time for site approval was reduced with F2F
Provide concise overview of study procedures and timeline
Use bullets and/or tables to make info clear and quick/easy for the site to review
Best Practices for Negotiating Access to Sites (cont.)
Give the site an early heads up about your interest
Communicate in general for early contact
For example, just share your research question to gauge site’s interest/willingness
Don’t get bogged down in specifics too early. Let the site know that the data collection plan is tentative
Contact the site for formal approval only after proposal approval by URR
Sites give approval more readily when they know the student has already been through a rigorous proposal defense and IRB review
Best Practices for Negotiating Access to Sites (cont.)
Build a partnership based on shared goals of the site and the researcher
Avoid a plea of “I need a site for my dissertation!”
Develop a concise pitch in which you share your research question and ask the site if they want to know the answer.
Ask: What types of issues are most urgent for this site to address?
Ask: What kind of information would be useful to you?
Consider: Which data collection procedures and analyses/reports would be viewed as mutually beneficial?
Best Practices for Negotiating Access to Sites (cont.)
Handle resistance with an open, accommodating mindset
Many students are surprised to learn that sites have concerns about being involved in research
If you sense resistance or hesitation, listen carefully to concerns
Consult with your committee and/or IRB to brainstorm what steps might address site’s concerns
Activity #3: Discussion Questions
Consider your approach to Community Partners:
What potential research sites are you considering?
What benefits might you be able to provide to the partner site?
What impositions might your study place on the site?
How could you frame the partnership so that the site perceives benefits that are worth the impositions?
Discuss in small groups
Final Assignment
Continue working on Final Assignment
Final Assignment is due:
4-day Residency: by Day 3 at 6:00 p.m.
8-day Residency: by Day 7 at 11:59 p.m.
Submit to classroom
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Take 2 minutes right now to reflect on what you learned from this session.
Write down notes for your Journal assignment:
Application to my Dissertation Prospectus and Proposal
Resources I will need
Next steps/questions I need to answer for my dissertation
Final Assignment
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Feedback Survey
Please take 2 minutes right now and complete feedback for this session
In the Residency App (Face to Face)
In the classroom (Virtual)
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