Research Methods and Literature Review Quiz

Research Methods - Foundations

• Research is a systematic investigation used to gain understanding, broaden knowledge, or find answers to unanswered questions.
• Scientific research involves careful planning, observation, and a commitment to learn from all research efforts.
• Modern society relies on research in numerous fields.
• Research allows us to explore our universe, environment, and understand ourselves.
• Research is an empirical endeavor, meaning it's derived from or guided by direct experience or experiments, rather than abstract principles or theories.
• Research is a systematic investigation, involving data collection (quantitative or qualitative) and analysis to answer a question.
• Research is driven by the need to contribute to public knowledge.
• The research process includes defining and redefining problems, developing hypotheses, collecting and analyzing data, and drawing conclusions.

What is Research and Why Do People Do Research?

• Everyday people conduct research to gather information about something of interest.
• Scientific research differs from everyday research, emphasizing careful planning, observation, and a commitment to learn from other serious researchers.
• Scientific research is characterized by its dedication to understanding and explaining phenomena, through relentless efforts.

The Research Enterprise

• Research is crucial for modern society, contributing to knowledge and understanding across various fields.
• Research enables the exploration of new ideas and fosters innovation.
• Research plays a significant role in education, advancing human growth and civilization.
• Research is a vital tool for knowledge acquisition, driving progress, and addressing societal needs.

Types of Research

• Primary research: First-hand investigation methods, including text analysis, film analysis, performance analysis, surveys, interviews, and lab experimentation.
• Secondary research: Examination of existing studies and research conducted by other researchers in the same subject area. This encompasses articles, books, historical events, scientific debates, and literary works.

Translational Research

• Translational research moves discoveries from initial stages to practice, ultimately impacting lives.
• The research-practice continuum is the process of translational research.

The Research-Use Continuum

• The research-use continuum includes knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation stages.
• The stages are categorized as conceptual uses (awareness, knowledge & understanding, and changing attitudes) and instrumental uses (practice & policy adaptation).

Basic and Applied Research

• Basic research: Aims to generate discoveries and understand how these discoveries work, leading to awareness.
• Applied research: Tests discoveries in a controlled setting, emphasizing increasingly controlled conditions in real-world contexts, leading to knowledge and understanding.

Implementation and Dissemination Research

• Implementation and dissemination research assesses how effectively innovations and discoveries can be utilized and carried out in various contexts.
• It extends beyond initial, controlled studies.
• Result of implementation research include changing attitudes, perceptions and/or ideas.

Policy and Impact Research

• Policy research investigates existing policies or develops and tests new ones, leading to policy adaptation and ultimately addressing societal needs.
• Impact research assesses the broader effects of innovations or discoveries on society.
• Impact research aims to define adaptation in practice.

Basic Research vs Applied Research

• Basic research focuses on developing knowledge without immediate application.
• Applied research addresses specific problems or issues in practical contexts.

Classification of Research

• Library research: Involves searching existing literature from libraries.
• Laboratory research: Conducted in controlled, artificial settings, like labs.
• Field Research: Involves studying phenomena in natural settings.

Literature Review

• A literature review is a comprehensive summary and analysis of published research on a specific topic or question.
• It compiles individual arguments to reveal the whole body of knowledge.
• Sources for a literature review include peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, and books.
• Literature reviews can take the form of narrative reviews (subjective summaries), systematic reviews (rigorous examinations), or meta-analyses (combining data from multiple studies).

Research Synthesis

• Research synthesis involves systematically studying multiple prior research projects on the same question or topic to present summarized results helpful to practitioners.
• Research synthesis encompasses similar techniques used in literature reviews, including systematic and meta-analytic reviews.

Steps in the Systematic Review Process

• Find similar research studies.
• Assess those studies using predefined criteria.
• Synthesize study findings objectively.
• Present a summary of findings, including any limitations.

Meta-Analysis

• A meta-analysis is a statistical examination of data from multiple independent studies on the same topic to determine overall trends.
• It uses statistical methods to integrate data from multiple studies and reveal overall trends or patterns.

Evidence-Based Practice

• Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a process that uses research findings to improve work processes, environments, and outcomes.

Evolutionary Perspective in Research

• Research operates as an evolving system.
• Research ideas compete with established or emerging discoveries.
• The selection process of ideas involves literature reviews and peer reviews, and natural selection processes.
• Strongest research ideas are selected.

Sources of Research Topics

• Practical problems in the field
• Existing literature review
• Research proposal requests
• Researchers' own ideas (often inspired by practical problems and literature reviews).

The Literature Review

• A literature review compiles a summary of existing scientific literature related to a specific topic.
• Peer review evaluates the quality and merit of the research and literature used in the review process.

Feasibility Issues

• Research feasibility considers the practicality of the research project.
• Factors to consider include researcher's interest, research costs, data access, time investment, ethical constraints.

Test your knowledge on various research methods and the integral role of literature reviews in the research process. This quiz covers fundamental concepts, differences between research types, and the purpose of reviewing existing literature. Perfect for students in research methodology courses.