1. WELNS 670: Wellness Research Design Chapter 5: Planning Your Research Design

2. Research Planning, Research Methodology, and Research Tools Research planning (design) – the complete strategy of attack on the central research problem Research methodology – the steps used to collect and analyze data Research tools – a specific mechanism or strategy the researcher uses to collect, manipulate, or interpret data

3. Research Planning – Basic Format A question with no known resolution is posed This question is converted to a clearly stated research problem The researcher takes a guess as to the answer The literature is searched for possible solutions

4. If solutions are not found… The researcher looks for data that may relate to the problem The data are analyzed to reveal patterns The researcher interprets the data and suggests a conclusion The data may help resolve the problem The data support or reject the proposed hypothesis

5. Questions to consider Do you have a viable research problem? What kinds of data will an investigation of this problem require? How feasible are collecting and interpreting these data? Will you be able to find a sufficient number of people who are willing to participate? Do you have the knowledge, resources, and skills to carry this project through to completion?

6. Nature and Role of Data Data are manifestations of the Truth that underlies the phenomena we observe Data are transient and ever-changing Primary vs. Secondary Criteria for the admissibility of data

7. Measurement Instruments (tools) Instruments should be able to be described in explicit, concrete terms. “Personality type will be measured using a 26 item personality inventory containing Likert-type response scale scored questions that takes an average of 15 minutes to complete.” Researchers should provide evidence that the instruments used have a reasonable degree of validity and reliability.

8. Validity The extent to which an instrument measures what it is suppose to measure Forms of validity – Face validity – extent to which an instrument “looks like” it is measuring a particular characteristic – Content validity – extent to which an instrument is a representative sample of the content area being measured – Criterion validity – extent to which the results of an assessment instrument correlate with another, presumably related “criterion” measure. – Construct validity – the extent to which an instrument measures a characteristic that cannot be directly observed but must be inferred from patterns in people’s behavior

9. Reliability The extent to which an instrument yields consistent results when the characteristic being measured has not changed Forms of reliability – Interrater reliability – extent to which two or more individuals give identical judgment when evaluating the same phenomena – Internal consistency reliability – extent to which all items within a single instrument yield similar results – Equivalent forms reliability – extent to which two different versions of the same instrument yield similar results – Test-retest reliability – extent to which the same instrument yields the same results on two different occasions

10. Linking Data and Research Methodology The methodology used to help answer a particular research problem must always take into account the nature of the data that will be collected to help in the resolution of the problem “Different questions yield different types of information” No single research method leads exclusively toward a better understanding of the unknown Many different research paths converge to enhance human knowledge

11. Comparing Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches

12. Generally Speaking… Quantitative research – used to answer questions about relationships among measured variables with the purpose of explaining, predicting, and controlling phenomena. Qualitative research – used to answer questions about the complex nature of phenomena, often with the purpose of describing and understanding the phenomena from the participant’s point of view.

13. The quantitative research process Starts with a specific research hypothesis to be tested Isolates the variables to be studied Controls for extraneous variables Uses standardized procedures to collect some form of numerical data Uses statistical procedures to analyze and drat conclusions from the data Ends with confirmation or rejection of the hypothesis

14. The qualitative research process Starts with general research questions Collects and extensive amount of verbal data from a small number of participants Organizes those data in some form that gives them coherence Uses verbal descriptors to portray the situation they have studied Ends with tentative answers or hypotheses about what was observed. These hypotheses may form the basis of future studies

15. Distinguishing Characteristics

16. Now look at your project… Write down two research questions you are considering, and use the Distinguishing Characteristics chart to determine the type of approach you might use

17. The Validity of the Research Approach The accuracy, meaningfulness, and credibility of the research project as a whole Internal validity External validity

18. Internal Validity Internal validity – does the study have sufficient controls to ensure that the conclusions we draw are truly warranted by the data – Controlled laboratory study – Double-blind experiment – Unobtrusive measures – Triangulation

19. Group Work 3 Cases In each study, the conclusions are not truly warranted by the data Suggest possible reasons why.

20. Case 1

21. Case 2

22. Case 3

23. External Validity External validity – can we use what we have observed in the research situation to make generalizations about the world beyond that specific situation? – A real life setting – A representative sample – Replication in a different context

24. Validity in Qualitative Research Triangulation Extensive time in the field Negative case analysis Thick description Feedback from others Respondent validation

25. Ethical issues in research Protection from harm Informed consent Right to privacy Honesty with professional colleagues IRBs Professional code of ethics

26. Planning for Data Collection Start think about… What data are needed? Where are the data located? How will the data be secured? How will the data be interpreted?

27. Group project… Validity and Reliability Design Methods Tools

28. Research Planning/Design Develop a detailed plan including – Conceptualization of the project organization – Detailed specifications of the steps to follow – Consideration of… Basic format of the research Nature and role of the data Identification of appropriate measurement instruments Linking data and research methodology Validity of the selected research methodology Determination of how the data will be acquired Existence of ethical issues