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Quality and purpose: issues and approaches

Quality and purpose: issues and approaches. Teresa Williams Head, Government Social Research Unit Research Methods Festival 2008 2 July 2008. Credibility. ‘Good systematic review’. Opinion. ‘ Trusted source’ view. ‘ Good RCT’. ‘ Evidence-based opinion’. ‘ Good quantitative research’.

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Quality and purpose: issues and approaches

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  1. Quality and purpose: issues and approaches Teresa Williams Head, Government Social Research Unit Research Methods Festival 2008 2 July 2008

  2. Credibility ‘Good systematic review’ Opinion ‘Trusted source’ view ‘Good RCT’ ‘Evidence-based opinion’ ‘Good quantitative research’ ‘Stakeholder opinion’ ‘Good qualitativeresearch’ ‘Person on the street’s view’ Slow or inconclusive research Quality Why does quality matter? Adapted from J. A. Muir Gray Evidence-based healthcare, 1997, Bell and Bain Ltd, Glasgow. www.gsr.gov.uk

  3. Who does it matter to? • Research community – badge of professionalism, common language, sense of identity • Research funders – value for money, continued investment • Research users – confidence in the results, belief that they are relevant • Research respondents – ethical considerations, cooperation www.gsr.gov.uk

  4. Dimensions of quality…. • Rigour – scientific method • Respect – ethical frameworks • But also Relevance • Range of stakeholders • Different stages in policy/implementation process • Tomorrow’s questions as well as today’s www.gsr.gov.uk

  5. Frameworks for quality • Principles setting out broad expectations • Specific standards (can be independently assessed) on what ‘best’ means in different circumstances • Clear processes to ensure the best design is identified and executed www.gsr.gov.uk

  6. GSR Code: principles for quality and relevance in govt What is it? Addendum to civil service code 7 principles under 2 key themes (People and Products Specific guidance and resources What’s it for? Cementing our identity Communicating our standards Assessing how well we’re doing www.gsr.gov.uk www.gsr.gov.uk

  7. www.gsr.gov.uk www.gsr.gov.uk

  8. www.gsr.gov.uk

  9. STANDARDS - Research Reviews www.gsr.gov.uk

  10. STANDARDS: Survey Methods www.gsr.gov.uk

  11. Processes • Main tools • Publication: Inputs (research objectives, design protocols etc) as well as outputs (reports) to be in public domain for general scrutiny • peer review: ‘independent’ and ‘expert’ scrutiny to help inform decisions • Not a one-off event. Good QA should be applied throughout project life cycle • Project design • Procurement • Project Delivery • Publication • Post project review www.gsr.gov.uk

  12. Some key issues • Building in and weighting non-methods aspects of quality? • Appropriateness of research questions • Ethical considerations • Research relevance/impact • Time/cost considerations • Can we work towards minimum standards? • Who should (and indeed can) judge quality • What/who counts as ‘independent’ • Methodological vs subject area expertise • Role of practitioners/end users as well as research experts • Quality assurance processes as tools for assisting decision-making rather than a bureaucratic process www.gsr.gov.uk

  13. Format for session Part 1: Methodological quality • Jane Lewis (qualitative methods) • Angela Dale (quantitative methods) Part 2: Quality from the User perspective • Sandra Nutley (how knowledge is used) • Juliet Mountford (capacity building in the Third Sector) Discussion – led by Ceridwen Roberts www.gsr.gov.uk

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