WELNS 670: Wellness Research Design

Introduction

Getting to Know You

Welcome Expectations of class Previous experiences with research

Thoughts on Research

More than an academic requirement Today's health issues/problems demand

thoughtful resolutions “In virtually every subject area, our

knowledge is incomplete and problems are waiting to be solved.”

From Leedy and Ormrod (2004). Practical Research: Planning and Design.

Research is not…

Information gathering by itself (information discovery, reference skills)

Transporting facts from one location to another (fact discovery, fact reporting)

Rummaging for information (self-enlightenment)

Catchword to get attention (sales-pitch)

From Leedy and Ormrod (2004). Practical Research: Planning and Design.

8 Characteristics of Research

Originates with a question or problem Requires a clear articulation of a goal Follows a specific plan or procedure Divides the principle problem into more manageable sub-

problems. Is guided by the specific research problem, question, or

hypotheses Accepts certain critical assumptions Requires the collection and interpretation of data in an attempt

to resolve the problem that initiated the research Is cyclical, by nature…

From Leedy and Ormrod (2004). Practical Research: Planning and Design.

The Research Cycle

From Leedy and Ormrod (2004). Practical Research: Planning and Design.

Research Ideas

Class Expectations - Revisited

Review Syllabus Leedy Website:

http://www.prenhall.com/leedy Revisit Expectations (update as appropriate)

Next Session… Bring 3 full-text articles related to “school wellness”

Types of articles…

Editorial Quantitative Qualitative Mixed Methods In-depth Literature Review Meta Analysis Letter to the Editor

Project

What are key peer-reviewed journals for wellness management and gerontology?

What other areas of study should you look at for important literature? (i.e., public health, communication, business, disease specific publications)

In which Databases (if any) are these journals indexed?

Library Resources @ www.bsu.edu

Focusing in on a research question

Start thinking about your individual research proposal.

What population do you want to use? What would you like to know about your

population? What is already known in this area? How are you going to go about finding the

answer to your question?

Quick Overview of Data Collection Techniques…

Secondary Data Analysis– Visit Data Sites– Borrow from researchers in the field

Interviewing– Unstructured (oral histories, ethnographic interviewing)– Semi Structured (follows an interview guide, probes on key topics)– Structured (survey questionnaires… in-person, telephone, paper

and pencil, online) Observation Content/Media/Document Analysis Situational Analysis