Research Methods In The Social And Health Sciences

Research Methods in the Social and Health Sciences: Research Decisions, by Ted Palys and Chris Atchison, gives students a thorough, thoughtful, and highly readable introduction to the entire research process from start to finish. From its underlying premise that your research questions and objectives, rather than any specific method, should guide your research, this book discusses each step of the research process, from limiting the scope of a literature review to navigating ethical considerations to deciding which methods are best suited for finding answers to specific research questions to how to analyze data and present findings. Readers are encouraged to think deeply about each step of the research process. The book promotes this deliberation by discussing the strengths and limitations of different methods and. Throughout the process, the authors provide many examples from their own and student research, sharing insights for research decisions arising from that experience. Readers will develop the skills to create solid research questions, perform literature reviews, identify appropriate data sources and methods, conduct research, analyze and interpret data and translate the resulting knowledge generated from the research process to a wider audience– all core parts of the research process –by developing their knowledge and creating confidence in their own decision-making skills. After explaining the unique and often complementary strengths of qualitative and quantitative methods, students focus on what methods are best suited for finding answers to the research questions that interest them. Major types of research including experiments, case studies, surveys, quasi-experiments, ethnographies, focus groups, participatory action research, and archival studies all receive significant coverage. The text illustrates how these methods are enhanced by integrating them with 21st century technologies and combining them in mixed methods projects. Chapters on constructing a research proposal and disseminating research bookend the process with concrete steps in between to support students designing their own original research projects. Study questions at the end of each chapter encourage students to think critically about the research process and how the choices a researcher makes will broaden or constrain what they can find. By the end of the text, social and health science students will feel confident in undertaking ethical and thoughtful research.

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This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.

There is a growing interest in, and acceptance of, qualitative research approaches in the health science disciplines, both as standalone methodologies and integrated with quantitative designs in mixed methods approaches. This comprehensive text provides deeper knowledge and application of a wide range of methodologies, methods and processes, enabling readers to develop their qualitative research skills. Divided into two parts, focusing first on methodologies and then on methods and processes, the text also includes revision of essential aspects of quantitative research as they apply to mixed methods research and a discussion of the uptake of qualitative research in the health sciences. The methodologies covered include: Grounded Theory; Historical Research; Ethnography; Phenomenology; Narrative Inquiry; Case Study Research; Critical Ethnography; Action Research and Mixed Methods. The methods and processes covered include: Interviewing and Analysis; Group Work and Analysis; Narrative Analysis; Discourse Analysis. Using accessible language to help extend readers’ practical research skills, this is a thorough and reliable text to guide advanced students and researchers from all health-related disciplines – including nursing, midwifery, public health and physiotherapy – to the best use of qualitative research.

Whilst the ‘health sciences’ are a broad and diverse area, and includes public health, primary care, health psychology, psychiatry and epidemiology, the research methods and data analysis skills required to analyse them are very similar. Moreover, the ability to appraise and conduct research is emphasised within the health sciences – and students are expected increasingly to do both. Introduction to Research Methods and Data Analysis in the Health Sciences presents a balanced blend of quantitative research methods, and the most widely used techniques for collecting and analysing data in the health sciences. Highly practical in nature, the book guides you, step-by-step, through the research process, and covers both the consumption and the production of research and data analysis. Divided into the three strands that run throughout quantitative health science research – critical numbers, critical appraisal of existing research, and conducting new research – this accessible textbook introduces: Descriptive statistics Measures of association for categorical and continuous outcomes Confounding, effect modification, mediation and causal inference Critical appraisal Searching the literature Randomised controlled trials Cohort studies Case-control studies Research ethics and data management Dissemination and publication Linear regression for continuous outcomes Logistic regression for categorical outcomes. A dedicated companion website offers additional teaching and learning resources for students and lecturers, including screenshots, R programming code, and extensive self-assessment material linked to the book’s exercises and activities. Clear and accessible with a comprehensive coverage to equip the reader with an understanding of the research process and the practical skills they need to collect and analyse data, it is essential reading for all undergraduate and postgraduate students in the health and medical sciences.

This Handbook is conceived to provide the foundation to readers who wish to embark on a research project in order to form knowledge that they need. This Handbook attests to the diversity and richness of research methods in the health and social sciences. It will benefit many readers, particularly students and researchers who undertake research in health and social science areas.

A comprehensive introduction to behavioral and social science research methods in the health sciences Understanding and Conducting Research in the Health Sciences is designed to develop and facilitate the ability to conduct research and understand the practical value of designing, conducting, interpreting, and reporting behavioral and social science research findings in the health science and medical fields. The book provides complete coverage of the process behind these research methods, including information-gathering, decision formation, and results presentation. Examining the application of behavioral and social science research methodologies within the health sciences, the book focuses on implementing and developing relevant research questions, collecting and managing data, and communicating various research perspectives. An essential book for readers looking to possess an understanding of all aspects of conducting research in the health science field, Understanding and Conducting Research in the Health Sciences features: Various research designs that are appropriate for use in the health sciences, including single-participant, multi-group, longitudinal, correlational, and experimental designs Step-by-step coverage of single-factor and multifactor studies as well as single-subject and nonexperimental methods Accessible chapter explanations, real-world examples, and numerous illustrations throughout Guidance regarding how to write about research within the formatting styles of the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association The book is an excellent educational resource for healthcare and health service practitioners and researchers who are interested in conducting and understanding behavioral and social science research done within the health sciences arena. The book is also a useful resource for students taking courses in the fields of medicine, public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, and the health sciences.

Research Methods in the Health Sciences provides clinical and non-clinical health science students with a comprehensive review of the designs and methods most frequently used in the discipline. Rather than preparing them to conduct original research, this text helps students develop a broad working knowledge of research processes across methodologies. Over the course of 10 chapters, students gain a strong understanding of the scientific method, evidence-based practice, deductive and inductive reasoning, ethical issues when conducting research, and the role of literature in the research process. They read about developing research problem statements and purpose statements, and asking sound research questions. Dedicated chapters illuminate how to select the right methodologies to ensure a study is valid, reliable, and trustworthy, how to understand qualitative and quantitative studies, and how to understand mixed methods research. Each chapter features field-tested tips for studying the material according to individual learning styles, as well as activities to help students develop high-order thinking skills. Written to help students develop foundational knowledge in the discipline, Research Methods in Health Sciences is an ideal resource for introductory courses in health science research methods.