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Designing research

Designing research. How to design an effective research project. Choosing the topic. Defining the research question Writing a research outline. Choosing the Topic. Where do topics come from?. A problem that needs to be addressed? Inspired by previous research? A gap in the literature?

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Designing research

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  1. Designing research

  2. How to design an effective research project. • Choosing the topic. • Defining the research question • Writing a research outline

  3. Choosing the Topic

  4. Where do topics come from? • A problem that needs to be addressed? • Inspired by previous research? • A gap in the literature? • Does current practice work? • Could we do something better instead?

  5. Is it an import topic? • What is the size and extent of the problem? • Will the question provide an answer? • Who is it important to? • Will the results of the research be widely applicable?

  6. Is the research timely? • It could take several years for results to emerge. • Will the research still be relevant? • Will the world or technology have moved on?

  7. Is the research original? • Has the question already been answered? • Literature search or systematic review. • Remember … it is often useful to replicate previous research in a new setting

  8. Is the research achievable? • Can you conduct a study to address the question? • Do you have access to the data? • Sample size – how many participants? • Can you recruit participants? Evidence? • Funding needed? • How long will it take? • Do you have the skills?

  9. Recruitment • How many eligible people are there? • Will they agree to take part • How many will consent? • How good is your access to those people? • Will you retain patients?

  10. Defining the Research Question Acknowledgements to Prof Mike Clarke, CTSU, University of Oxford

  11. Research Question • Is a vegetarian diet good?

  12. Is a vegetarian diet good? • What is a vegetarian diet?

  13. Is a vegetarian diet good? • What do we mean by good?

  14. Is a vegetarian diet good? • Good for whom?

  15. Is a vegetarian diet good?? • Compared to what?

  16. Is a vegetarian diet good?? • Over what time frame?

  17. Is a vegetarian diet good? • What is a vegetarian diet? • What do we mean by good? • Good for whom? • Compared to what? • Over what time frame?

  18. PICO-T • Population & Participants • Intervention • Comparator • Outcomes • Timeframe

  19. Research Questions 1 • EDUCATION Do primary children in the UK (P)in small class sizes (I) achieve better test results (O) at age 11 than those in larger classes (C) • HEALTH Does the speech (O) of people with stroke (P)improve after speech and language therapy (I), compared to people who get lay support (C)

  20. Research Question 2 • POLITICS Does involvement in local communities (I) by young people (15-25) (P) increase their interest in politics(O)? • SOCIOLOGY Are donors (P)more likely to give to charity (O)if they are offered public recognition (I) than if they are not (C)?

  21. Other approaches • PICOT is very useful when reading or designing studies that involve an INTERVENTION. But not always the case. • Other common approaches in quantitative social science include: • Descriptive research (e.g. What parties did people in the UK vote for last election). • Comparison of outcomes between groups (e.g. Does household income vary by ethnic group?) • Is one thing affected by another (e.g. Does parental education and/or household income affect children’s exam results?) • Population and Outcome Measures – need to be carefully chosen.

  22. Population • Unit – individuals, classes, streets? • Choose sample carefully – external validity • Recruitment and consent • Ethics • Power calculation is essential

  23. Outcome measurement • Choose an outcome that is: • Sensitive • Reliable • Valid • Observed behaviour “Unobtrusive measures” • Routine measures – scores, tests, etc • Questionnaires

  24. Writing a research outline

  25. Write an outline for your research • Background • Research question • Research Design/Methods • Expected benefits • 100 words

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