ARM_Seminar 2.pdf

7/26/2019 ARM_Seminar 2.pdf

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Advanced

Research MethodsSeminar 2

March 17th, 2014


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Seminar overview

1. Your research topics

2. Define research aims and objectives

3. Purpose of research

4. Research designs

5. Exercises

6. Working in teams: write your research purpose, design, aim &objectives


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2. Research aims vs. objectives (1)


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Research aims

The overall purpose of the study

Emphasize what is to be accomplished

Address long-term project outcomes


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Objectives

Summarize what is to be achieved by the study

Should be closely related to the research problem

(problem statement) and address the various

research questions.

They outline the scope of research and give a

picture of how to perform the investigation.


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Objectives

Clear

Realistic

Use action verbs: to determine, to compare, to verify, to

calculate, to evaluate, to describe, to establish); avoid to

use vague verbs such as: to appreciate, to understand,

or to study. To suit the needs of your study, but also to be clear and

visible for those evaluating your proposal

Keep in mind that a project is evaluated based on the

extent to which it was able to meet its objectives


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Exercise

Write your own research aim and objectives


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3. Purpose of research (1)

Exploratory = brings new insights into a topic of

research; generates new theories.

Descriptive= describes situations and events; can

answers to questions such as What? Where?

When? How?

Explanatory= explains attitudes and behaviors;

can determine causal relationships; answers to theWhy? question

Determine the purpose of YOUR research


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4. Research designsTypes (1)

Non-

experimentalExperimental

Quasi-

experimental

Cross-

sectional

Longitudinal

Trend studies

Cohort

Panel studies

RTCsQuasi-

experiments

Times series

Non-equivalentcontrol group

Multiple time

series design


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4. Research designNon-

experimental

Observations conducted at a single point in time

Non-

experimental

Cross-

sectional

Longitudinal

Trend studies

Cohort studies

Panel studies

Observations conducted at multiple points in time

Examine changes within a population over time (census,preferences over the course of a campaign)

How specific subpopulations (cohorts) change over time

(data can be collected from different subjects)

Data is collected from the same sets of people at severalpoints in time


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4. Research design - Experimental

Complete control over the independent variable

and outside sources; has 4 key elements :

1) well defined dependent variable and

independent variable (stimulus)

2) pretesting and post-testingany difference

between pre and posttest data can be attributed to

the independent variable 3) experimental and control group (similar

individuals in each group)

4) Randomization => randomized control trials -

PRISM


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4. Research designQuasi-

experiment (evaluation research)

Quasi-

experimental

Quasi-

experiments

Times series

Non-equivalentcontrol group

Multiple time

series design

Experiments with no complete control over all the variables (no

random assignment, no pretest - posttest)

Involves measurements over some period of time (no. of

accidents before and after the lowering the speed limit)

The use of more than one sets of data that were collected over

time (compare accident rates over time in different cities)

Has a control group that is similar with the experimental group,but is not created by randomly assignment


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5. Exercisedetermine research

designs

Study 1 conducted in 2011measures childrens exposure

to in-home second-hand smoke

Study 2conducted in 2004, 2008, 2012measures smoking

behaviors in populationsdifferent subjects over time (GATS,

GYTS)

Study 3assesses the impact of the STOP Smoking national

campaign; multiple pre-and post surveys at the population

level

Study 4study evaluates the outcomes of a professional

program implemented in the Cluj county. Multiple

measurements are undertaken in Cluj, Bihor, Timis, and Arad

counties (for comparison)


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6. Exercise

Decide on a research design for your proposal

Finalize your research aim, objectives, purpose and

design

Documents

ARM_Seminar 2.pdf