Research Methods Notes PDF

1.​ WHAT is RESEARCH? ​ The unbiased and systematic process of collecting, analyzing, interpreting information/data to answer questions to advance knowledge. 2.​ Scientific process - research is completed using a system (usually scientific method.) ​ Scientific method: step...

1.​ WHAT is RESEARCH? ​ The unbiased and systematic process of collecting, analyzing, interpreting information/data to answer questions to advance knowledge. 2.​ Scientific process - research is completed using a system (usually scientific method.) ​ Scientific method: step by step process used for investigating questions, interpreting data, expanding knowledge of a given topic. ​ Use scientific method to guide research studies. 1.​ The researcher develops a specific research question a.​ Designed to shed light on a problem (for ex: obesity). b.​ a research question poses a relationship between 2 or more variables. c.​ A statement of the problem d.​ explains the problem, gives context for WHY this is needed. e.​ Ex: the treatment of obesity is an area of concern because obesity affects health in poor ways + treatment is hard, but a small amount of weight loss can improve health.  f.​ Ex: “Do obese adults who weigh themselves everyday lose more weight and keep it off longer than obese adults who weigh themselves fewer than 7 days a week?” g.​ Research questions can be based on problems. For ex: i.​ clinical nutrition ii.​ community nutrition iii.​ business management iv.​ food science. h.​ community nutrition research question ex: “What is the impact of teaching kids to eat more fruits/veggies on plate waste in child feeding programs?” 2.​ Statement of the problem is based on a review of research already completed: a literature review. 3.​ Based on the literature review and research question, the researcher states the objective (purpose) of the study. a.​ Ex: “To examine whether weighting everyday produces greater weight loss than weighing less than daily for obese adults” b.​ objective needs to be CLEAR + identifying the key variables. ​ Variables - are any characteristics that can take on different values (ex: body mass index BMI, social support) and are measured, controlled, manipulated in research. ○​ Categorical - values that are names/labels (ex: sex) ○​ Continuous - can be counted + have infinite number of possible values (ex: body weight). ​ MAINLY (not all) studies state a hypothesis. ○​ A statement of what the researchers predict the relationship will be between the two or more variables. ○​ must be able to be TESTED. ​ Quantitative research designs are used to look at casual relationships as well as the associations or relationships between variables. ​ Qualitative research DO NOT have hypotheses. ​ ONLY quantitative and mixed research methods have it. ​ independent variable (what the research manipulates in certain studies) and a dependent variable (outcome measured). ○​ in the obesity study, the independent variable - the researchers manipulates how often the participants weigh themselves. ○​ dependent - then the researchers measure the participants’ weight. ○​ Research examines whether the independent affects the dependent. 5. Research design - once you have a problem statement, one or more research questions, possible hypothesis, the researcher developed a detailed research plan that states what data is required, where data come from, which method will be used, how data will be analyzed. ​ Focuses on the end product: getting evidence required to adequately + accurately answer research questions. ○​ Cross-sectional study - if data collected at just one point in time. ○​ Longitudinal study - participants are observed and multiple measurements are taken over a long period of time. ​ Studies either go forward (prospective) or backward in time (retrospective). 6. Methods section - addresses the research design, how variables will be measured, the setting, how participants will be chosen, statistical analysis. ​ research methods - many kinds of tools, techniques, processes used in research to get data. ​ ex: questionnaires, case studies, interviews. ​ instruments - measurement devices. ​ In the obesity study, participants are randomly put into the intervention group (getting the treatment or intervention) are instructed to weigh DAILY using a smart scale. ​ or the control group. Members of the control group also get smart scales but instructed to use the scales LESS than daily. 7. Possible extraneous variables - factors other than the variables being studied that might influence the outcome of a study) that can cause INCORRECT conclusions. 8. Last step is to report or disseminate the results. a)​ article published in a journal or another publication b)​ presentation or poster at conference c)​ meeting or workshop d)​ press release to the media or interviews. 1.​ PURPOSES of Nutrition Research a.​ to answer questions and solve nutrition related problems. b.​ Improve client outcomes c.​ Provide cost effective and efficient care for clients d.​ serve as a foundation for evidence based practice. e.​ Evidence based practice - i.​ Involves the process of asking questions  ii.​ systemically finding evidence iii.​ accessing its validity, applicability, importance to nutrition and dietetics practice decisions. iv.​ evidence based dietetics practice clearly states the source of evidence underpinning practice recommendations. 2.​ 1 way to classify research is according to the PURPOSE of the research: ​ Some research will EXPLORE problems. ​ Exploratory studies are often based on qualitative research, and most are also descriptive studies. ​ descriptive research attempts to describe a wide variety of phenomena often at a specific point in time - nutrition knowledge, attitudes, behaviors of youth athletes or the dietary quality of preschooler lunches. ○​ may measure, classify, compare phenomena. ○​ Often aim to provide info about relevant variables, but doesn’t test hypotheses or examine possible cause/effect. ○​ Good descriptive studies provide the WHY questions of analytic research. ​ Analytic research - goes beyond describing and looks at the cause and effect. ○​ Tries to quantify the relationship between either an intervention on an outcome or an exposure on an outcome. ○​ Prospective cohort studies (observational, not experimental) - look for causes of a disease when it would not be safe or ethical to expose participants to a factor suspected to be harmful. ​ In cohort study, researches form a hypothesis about the potential cause of disease and then observed a group of non diseased ppl (the cohort) over a long period of time to detect any changes in health (outcomes such as the presence of coronary artery disease) in relation to exposure to certain risk factors (obesity). ​ Another purpose of research may be to PREDICT something. ○​ Predictive studies - good at isolating an independent variable that may enhance successful outcomes. 3.​ WAYS TO CLASSIFY RESEARCH: ​ Original research study/primary research - narrative of single study designed and conducted by the researchers themselves. ​ Secondary research - summaries + discussion of primary research, like narrative reviews where the authors organize, interpret, summarize evidence from a number of primary studies in a particular research area. ​ You can classify research studies in many ways. For example: ○​ By PURPOSE. ○​ By RESEARCH DESIGN (randomized controlled trial or cohort study) ○​ Is the study quantitative or qualitative (or both) ○​ Is the study basic or applied research? ​ Quantitative studies - use a formal, objective, systematic process of collecting, analyzing, interpreting info or data - basically the scientific method. ​ ○​ OBJECTIVE and unbiased towards the participants. ○​ data are expressed numerically and analyzed in many ways. ○​ goal: generally to describe and examine relationships among variables (descriptive studies) and examine cause/effect relationships (analytic).  ○​ NOTHING is ever proven. Hypothesis is either supported or unsupported. ○​ Concept of control is critical and more important in an experimental study. ​ Control prevents outside factors. ​ How do researchers exert control? ​ How participants are selected ​ how much they know about the study ​ selection of the setting ​ measurements of the variables. ○​ often counts and measures behavior with instruments such as food-frequency questionnaires. ​ Qualitative research - DOES NOT manipulate variables or put a group thru an intervention. ○​ Researcher wants to understand the participant’s experience. ○​ Get into the shoes of the participants to capture info not conveyed in quantitative data: ​ beliefs ​ values ​ motivations behind behaviors. ○​ May conduct an open-ended interview with a participant. ○​ methods used in nutrition research: ​ Interviews ​ Focus groups ​ observations ​ document analysis ​ Mixed Methods research - mixes quantitative and qualitative research methodologies within a single investigation to provide a more complete data picture. ○​ May also be referred to as multi method or triangulated design ○​ Important characteristics: ​ collection of both quantitative (closed ended) and qualitative (open ended) data to answer research questions ​ analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data ​ integration of the 2 data sources in the results. The numbers provide precision and narratives supply the background texture. ​ Basic and Applied Research: ​ Basic research/bench research - research performed without a specific application in mind and completed for the sake of knowledge alone. ○​ Conducted in laboratory settings often using animals. ○​ experimental conditions are strictly controlled. ○​ To build a knowledge base - usually by testing theories. ​ Applied research - done to solve real world problems and to directly influence or improve nutrition practice. ○​ May be used to identify factors associated with weight loss or to determine whether a nutrition education program changes eating habits. ​ Outcomes of basic often informs and builds the foundation for applied. ​ Quality improvement (QI) - identifying problems and testing solutions to improve a process, system, outcome. ○​ QI is NOT considered research using the definition of Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). ​ Outcomes research - test the cost effectiveness of a new treatment with the standard treatment and whether it is a good value. ​ CLINICAL NUTRITION STUDIES ○​ usually uses human participants to help researchers understand a condition or disease as well as how best to treat pt’s. ○​ Includes a intervention (techniques, treatments, actions that are taken in a study to produce outcomes such as successful management of a disease.) ○​ clinical trial/experimental research - intervention studies. ​ Researchers test new treatments, drugs, medical devotes to add to medical knowledge related to treatment, diagnosis, prevention of diseases/conditions. ​ Often done in stages/phases. ○​ Many clinical trials randomly assign participants to a group to test a specific treatment or to a control group - randomized controlled trials (RCTs). ​ RCTS - gold standard cuz randomizing removes biases/manipulation helps reduce the risk that the effects of the intervention were a result of the groups being different. ​ Some RCTS are blinded.