Rapid Research Methods for Nurses, Midwives and Health Professionals

Colin Rees, Nursing Lecturer, Cardiff University.

• Introduction xiAbstract 1Accidental sampling 1Action research 2Aim 3Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) 4Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) 5Anonymity 6Audit 7Audit trail 8Back chaining 9Bar graph 10Before and after designs 11Beneficence 12Bias 13Blinding 14Bracketing 15Case–control study 16Causal relationship 17Cell 18Chi-square test (χ2) 19Clinical trial 19Closed (close-ended, fixed choice) questions 20Cluster sample 21Coding 22Cohort study 23Concept definition 24Confidentiality 25Confirmability 26Confounding variable 27Contingency table 27Control group 28Convenience sample 29Correlation 30Covert observation 31Credibility 32Cross-over design 33Cross-sectional study 34Critique 35Data 36Database 37Data saturation 38Demographic data 39Dependent variable 40Descriptive statistics 41Double-blind study 42Ethics 43Ethics committee 45Ethnographic research 46Exclusion criteria 46Experimental design 47Ex post facto studies 49Face validity 50Fieldwork diary 51Fieldwork 52Findings 53Fittingness 54Focus group 55Forward chaining 56Frequency distribution 57Generalisability 58Grey literature 59Grounded theory 60Hawthorne effect 61Hermeneutics 62Heterogeneity and homogeneity 63Hierarchy of evidence 64Histogram 65Homogeneity 65Hypothesis 66Inclusion and exclusion criteria 67Inferential statistics 68Independent variable 69Informed consent 70Interval data 70Interviews 71Inverse relationship 72Judgemental sample 73Justice 73Key informant 74Key words 75Levels of measurement 76Likert scale 78Literature review 79Manipulation 80Masking 80Measures of central tendency 81Mean 81Measures of dispersion 82Meta-analysis 83Mode 83Median 83Naturalistic research 84Non-maleficence 84Nominal data 84Non-probability sampling methods 85Normal distribution 86Null hypothesis 86Observation 87Observational designs 88Open questions 89Operational definition 90Opportunity sample 90Outliers 91Ordinal data 91p Values 92Paradigm 95  Phenomenology 96Pico 96Pilot study 97Population 98Power analysis 99Pretest–posttest designs 99Principles of research 100Probability sampling methods 100Prospective and retrospective study designs 101Qualitative research designs 102Quantitative research designs 104Quasi-experimental research 105Questionnaires 106Quota sampling 106Randomisation 107Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) 108Range 108Ratio data 108Reflexivity 108Reliability 109Research 110Research design 111Research method 112Response rate 112Retrospective study 112Review of the literature 112Rigour 113Sample 114Sampling methods 114Sampling frame 116Self-report 116Snowball sample 116Social desirability 116Statistical analysis 116Survey 117Systematic reviews of the literature 117Table 118Thick data 119Transferability 119Triangulation 119Trustworthiness 119Type I, Type II Type III errors 120Unstructured interviews 122Unstructured observations 123Validity 124Variable 126

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