Overviews Research Methodology
- 1. Research Methodology Somsak Wongsawass ASEAN Institute for Health Development 4 March 2011
- 2. Defining research Research is a process for: collecting analysing interpreting information to answer questions.
- 3. The Research Process (Kumar, 2005, p.19)
- 4. Why literature review? LR is the foundation and inspiration of substantial, useful research. Most graduate students receive little or no formal training in how to analyze and synthesize the research literature. LR acquires the skills and knowledge. Critically appraise and synthesize the current state of knowledge relating to the topic under investigation, as a mean of identifying gaps .
- 5. Sources of information Keywords related to the research topic Beware of different terms used Problems too little versus too much inclusion versus exclusion
- 6. Reviewing the literature Skim reading of the abstract and main body What and why it has been done and how it was done. Position current knowledge in the field and elucidate gaps of knowledge. Identify themes and detail structure of final review.
- 7. Define scope
- 8. Construction of review Introduction Main body Theoretical literature and methodological literature Examine theoretical literature and empirical literature in separate sections Divide the literature into content themes Examining the literature chronologically Conclusion – integrate all the theme summaries, gaps and weakness should be evident, suggestion of research needs
- 9. How to use the concept of study type in evaluating journal articles To get as close as possible to the “truth” No study is ever perfect. If your expectation is too HIGH => reject all the articles you review
- 10. 5 Steps What is the study objective, hypothesis, or research question? study factor /outcome factor? What study would give the highest quality of evidence for this hypothesis/objective? What is the best study type you consider feasible? What study type was actually used? Is the conclusion of the paper reasonable in the light of how compares with 2 and 3?
- 11. Objective Causality Does an intervention work? Is a factor a cause, determinant of, predictor or risk factors for a specific problem? Magnitude How common is the health problem? Evaluation of diagnostic tests Is the test a good indicator of existing disease? Is the test a good indicator of future disease? Possible study types RCT Cohort Case control with well defined study base Case control with poor defined study base Cross-sectional analytic Descriptive Descriptive (cross-sectional for prevalence, prospective for incidence) Cross sectional analytic Cohort Population-based case control study Hospital based case control study Quality The tops Nest best Almost as good Weak Fair-weak Very weak: Appropriate Appropriate Best Al most as good weak
- 15. Proposal STRONG Appearance Red flag (specific aims) Conceptual framework (figures and diagrams) Review criteria (state of the art: clear, logical and brief) Hypotheses Soundness of method WEAK Lack of Original ideas Diffuse, unfocused Lack of published relevant work, uncritical approach Lack of experience in essential methodology Uncertainty of future directions (so what?) Lack of sufficient experimental detail