MIDYEAR (QUIZ 1)

• RESEARCH PROCESS


  a problem-solving activity using the scientific method of inquiry aimed at the discovery and interpretation of new knowledge
• Research Process should be:

  • Systematic
  • Objective
  • Reproducible
• Steps of the Research Process

  1. Statement of the Problem
  2. Planning
  3. Research Design
  4. Data Collection
  5. Organization & Presentation of Data
  6. Data Analysis
  7. Interpretation of Results and Conclusions
• Statement of the Problem


  state clearly and unambiguosly the problem and formulate the research question
• Planning


  selecting target population, sampling strategy, data, collection techniques, to answer the research question
• Design


  clear statements of how the research data are to be collected in the study
• Data Collection


  includes observation, measurement, in-depth interviews, and focus groups
• Organization & Presentation of the Data

  use of descriptive statistics to organize and summarize quantitative data
• Data Analysis


  use of inferential statistics to make predictions from the sample data and used to make generalizations about a population
• Interpretation of Results and Conclusions

  to answer the research question, support existing theories or practices and suggest new techniques
• Evaluation and dissemination of the results

  presentation of results in professional journals and at conferences
• Structure of a Research Paper

  1. Title
  2. Abstract
  3. Introduction
  4. Method
  5. Results
  6. Discussion
  7. Conclusion
  8. Reference & Appendices
• Title


  descriptive sentence stating the topic of the report; should be concise and informative, enabling a reader to identify the nature of the investigation
• Abstract


  short description (not more than 250 words) of the entire report, and to provide the reader with a general overview of the communication
• Introduction


  discuss theoretical background of the problem by evaluating relevant research previously completed
• Method


  informs the reader on how the research study was carried out
• Method


  includes:

  • Research Participants
  • Apparatus/Tools
  • Procedure
• Results


  presents the findings of the investigation through graphs, tables, and the outcomes of statistical tests, and draws attention to points of interest
• Discussion


  restates the aim(s) of the research study and discusses your results with reference to the aims of the study
• Conclusion


  the main finding is summarized and suggestions are made for further research
• References & Appendices


  may include labeled appendices, a full description of questionnaires or other measuring instruments, raw data or statistical calculations
• Data


  the raw material of statistics
• Statistics


  a field of study concerned with collection, organization, summarization, and analysis of data ;and the inferences about a body of data when only a part of the data is observed
• Biostatistics


  when data analyzed is from the biological sciences
• Source of Data

  • Hospital Medical Records
  • Hospital Accounting Records
  • Surveys
  • Result of an Experiment
  • Published Reports
  • Data Banks
  • Research Literature
• Variables


  an observed characteristic or measurement whose values differs from one individual to another, or from one period to another in the same individual
• Types of Variables

  • Qualitative
  • Quantitative
• Qualitative Variable


  levels, categories, or classification are expressed as labels or codes to distinguish one group from another
• Types of Quantitative Variable

  • Discrete
  • Continuous
• Quantitative Variable


  values indicate quantity or amount and can be expressed numerically and can be arranged according to magnitude
• Discrete Quantitative Variable


  usually whole numbers without gaps or interruptions
• Continuous Quantitative Variable


  may be expressed as a fraction or decimal; infinite or uncomfortable set of values
• Dependent Variable


  also known as response variables

  'outcome'
• Independent Variable


  determines the value of the dependent variable

  'predictor/exposure'
• Cofounding Variable


  an extraneous variable whose effects are not primarily interested to the researcher
• Level of Measurement

  • Nominal
  • Dichotomous
  • Ordinal
  • Interval
  • Ratio
• Nomimal


  numbers or names which represent a set of mutually exclusive classes to which individuals are objects
• Dichotomous


  can only have 2 levels
• Ordinal


  same characteristics as phenomenal scales but classes can be ordered (ranked)
• Interval


  same characteristics as for ordinary scales but with the additional feature that the distances between all adjacent classes are equal (no true zero)