2. My personal experience
Students knowledge and understanding of research
Questioning the purpose of the dissertation
1) what in essence are we trying to achieve ?
2) Is it just to get students through the academic
hoop?
3) Is it about transferable knowledge and skills?
4) Is it about career progression?
4. The theory rests on several assumptions
knowledge is socially constructed rather
than truth or fact.
Learning is an active, rather than passive,
process of knowledge construction.
6. In constructionist classroom students are
encouraged to:
pose questions
pose statements
explore ways to find the answers to
questions & statements
7. Development of:
Analytical/ critical skills and skills that
can be applied to other problems.
Enquiring mind.
Research mindedness ,
knowledgeable and skilled.
8. Tool – the dissertation
Research based
Literature based research methodology
Getting students to engage in the process
Importance of language
Engaging them as researchers rather than
students
Changing a mindset & inculcating a
different form of thinking
9. Philosophical basis
Empirical research Non-empirical research
Positivism/ naturalism Positivism/naturalism
Research methodology
Quant/qual Systematic/traditional review
Research methods
People/object of study The literature is the population
is the population
Observation, interviews are examples Different data bases are used & literature is
of data collection tool the „textual‟ data
10. Literature based research methodology has
often been referred to in many texts as :
literature review
To some extent this is true but the problem is that
as such it has blurred the understanding
between literature review as a methodology in its
own right and its utilisation in the process of
empirical research. So we need to differentiate
between the two purposes.
11. Literature based methodology – designing a
research project where existing literature is
the population where the researcher
needs to go for:
Sampling
Data collection
Data analysis
Ethics
12. Constitutes two types
1. Systematic literature review [also known
as systematic overview]
2. Traditional literature review [also known
as narrative or comprehensive
13. Definition:
“ A scientific tool which can be used to summarise,
appraise and communicate the results and implications
of otherwise unmanageable quantities of research”
[ CRD Report 4: 2001]
Philosophical basis:
Positivism – Quantitative methodology
Purpose:
To synthesise the results of a number of small studies
14. Rationale:
Small studies- design may be rigorous but
may lack Statistical power to show significant
effect.
Methodology:
Quantitative approach
May include meta-analysis [the specific statistical
method to combine results from different studies
into single summary estimate
for quick reference].
15. The research process
Research problem
Research question[s]
carrying out the review- searching the data
- critical analysis of the data
- combining and synthesising the data
Basically it is a:
Reanalysis of results
Reanalysis of findings
Method of data analysis
Descriptive
Data extraction tool
16. A methodology in its own right
Epistemological basis:
Interpretivism: Comprehensive review
May combine positivist elements
17. The criticism here is:
Methodological- not based on explicit
specified method
No clear cut steps in design
18. The key issue:
To ensure that the quality and rigour of the
research is demonstrated and the link is
made apparent from beginning to end.
19. What are the students required to do?
Engaging students in the process.
Pedagogical issues
The process should be the same as empirical design
Four main considerations:
1) Defining the research problem and posing the
research question
2) Overview of the literature to support the study
3) Methodology – Design of the study
4) Ethics and ethical approval
20. 1 .Defining the research problem [ may come from
practice ]
Examples may be as issue with:
domestic violence
patient experience with obesity
transition to motherhood
postnatal depression
attending to patients spiritual needs
effective communication with patients
21. Posing the research question:
May start with reflecting on a particular issue from
practice that the student has observed.
May involve talking the issue with others- obtaining as
wide a perspective as possible.
Questioning- what is going on here?
1) policies
2) protocols
3) guidelines
Working research question
22. 2.Overview of the literature:
Purpose
What exists on the subject if enquiry
Identify gaps in knowledge
Confirms the research question
Reformulation of the research question
Support feasibility of the study
23. 3. Methodology:
[Note that in secondary ,methodology the literature
is the Population –i.e all sources where data are
found]
24. Method of data collection:
Methods
Sampling and sampling strategy
Inclusion & exclusion criteria
Data collection tool- where and how will data be
collected?
Search strategy
Which data bases ?
Search terms
Reviewing the search terms, data bases
25. Inclusion criteria- defines the boundaries of the
study
Type of data – research papers to include both qualitative
and quantitative methodology
Language and context
Time frame- e.g. 1990 – 2011
A variety of studies- research as well as grey literature
Exclusion criteria
Papers that are not current
Research conducted externally
Any other methodology – i.e. mixed methodology
26. Data analysis
Includes two analytical phases
1) Appraising the data
2) Synthesis of the data
How to go about doing the analysis ?
Needs a structured approach
Employs the principles of systematic review.
Data extraction tool + a theoretical framework
27. The data extraction tool
Can be constructed by using:
a combination of research critique frameworks
Precise identification of the information to
be extracted.
What can it do?
Enables a schematic presentation of findings
Enables development of student own thinking and
position.
28. Appraising the data
Appraising how the authors have arrived at their
findings, themes and conclusions
Background of the authors
Have they been true to their chosen methodology?
Theoretical frameworks
Epistemological orientation
Findings and relationship to the research question
Contribution to existing evidence
29. Synthesis of the data :
May calls for the examination of the findings in the
following Contexts
Disciplinary context
Professional education
Professional acculturation
30. How has these contexts shaped the
essence the research findings and the
contribution to evidence ?
31. Findings :
Can be organised in themes
Address how the primary researchers arrived at
themes
Discussion and implications for practice
Can the evidence be trusted?
Has the research question been answered
What are the challenges for the area of practice?
Can the findings be applied to the area of practice?
direct day to day care
policy
What is the student‟s own position?
Conclusion and recommendations
32. Completing the research cycle
What are the issues:
quality of evidence
understanding of knowledge
utilisation of knowledge
protocols and policies
barriers to implementation of research
political issues
economical issues
ethical issues
Recommendations
33. Moving from secondary to primary
methodology
Ideally students should be advised to raise
future research question
34. Aveyard.H ( 2010) Doing a literature review
in health and social care – A practical
guide, London: Sage publication
Hart. C.(2001) Doing a literature review - a
comprehensive guide for the social
sciences. London: Sage publications