Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Chapter 8 Planning a Nursing Study

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Key Challenges of Doing Research Conceptual Financial Administrative Practical Ethical Clinical Methodologic

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Major Methodologic Challenge Designing studies that are: Reliable and valid (quantitative studies) Trustworthy (qualitative studies)

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Criteria for Evaluating Quantitative Research Reliability The accuracy & consistency of obtained information Validity The soundness of the evidence—whether findings are convincing, well-grounded

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Dimensions of Trustworthiness in Qualitative Studies Credibility Confirmability Dependability Transferability

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Bias An influence producing a distortion in study results Examples of factors creating bias: –Lack of participants’ candor –Faulty methods of data collection –Researcher’s preconceptions –Faulty study design

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Research Control in Quantitative Studies Achieved by holding constant factors (extraneous variables) that influence the dependent variable in order to better understand its relationship with the independent variable Randomness—An important tool for achieving control over extraneous variables

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Randomness Having certain features of the study established by chance rather than by design or personal preference

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Masking or Blinding Used to avoid biases stemming from participants’ or research agents’ awareness of study hypotheses or research status. Single-blind studies Double-blind studies

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Reflexivity Process of reflecting critically on the self and of scrutinizing personal values that could affect data collection and interpretation

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Generalizability and Transferability Generalizability (Quantitative research): The extent to which study findings are valid for other groups not in the study Transferability (Qualitative research): The extent to which qualitative findings can be transferred to other settings

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Overview of Research Design Features Comparisons: 1.Comparison among two or more groups 2.Comparison of one group’s status at two or more points in time 3.Comparison of one group’s status under different circumstances 4.Comparison based on relative rankings 5.Comparison with other studies

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Research Location Site selections Site visits

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Design Cross-sectional: Involves data collection at one point in time Longitudinal: Involves data collection at two or more points over an extended period – Trend studies – Panel studies – Follow-up studies

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Retrospective Design Versus Prospective Design Retrospective design: Involves the collection of data about an outcome in the present and about possible causes or antecedents in the past Prospective design: Involves having information about a cause or antecedent first and then the subsequent collection of information about outcomes

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Pilot Study (Feasibility Study) Small-scale version or trial run designed to test methods to be used in a larger, more rigorous study (the parent study)