Topic: the U.S. healthcare system its future

5 pages

Your chapter 3 will be based off the research question and research hypothesis in chapter 1

Research Question

What are the strategies for reducing health disparities? Keep the research question

Research Hypothesis

Implementing evidence-based programs that advance health equity can help ensure that all people have the opportunity for long and healthy lives. The research hypothesis can be changed but need to be tested with data sets

You will use published data (at least 3 published data)

Chapter III: Methodology

In general, this chapter describes how the data were collected that answer the research question and its component parts. It is important to utilize appropriate methods of data collection in order to be able to support or reject the research hypotheses. This chapter should begin with a description of the research design used in the project. Chapter III will most likely include the following subsections:

Setting: if important to the research, describe the time and place of data collection.

Description of the Subjects: depending on the type of data used in the project, this subsection can include either subjects involved in primary data collection, or those described in published research studies. If the project involves human subjects, it is necessary to comply with all requirements set by the University’s Institutional Review Board

As noted in the Course Home, it will be very difficult to complete your research project in a timely manner if your research involves human subjects: first, you will need to spend much more time in developing the means by which you collect and record data; second, you will need IRB approval. While IRB approval is not particularly complicated it can, depending on your research project, be time consuming. Under no circumstances can you start your research if it involves human subjects prior to IRB approval.

If you are using previously published data you will probably need more than one study to be able to support or reject your hypotheses. You will need to discuss this with your instructor, but a good target is at least two or three studies that measure the same phenomenon as your study.

This chapter will have the same subheadings if you use previously published data. In essence, you “inherit” the methodology used by the author(s) of your study/ies. That is, you will still need to describe the setting, the research subjects, the variables, define specific terms (if appropriate), describe the procedures, and discuss the limitations of the research. All this information can be found in the articles you are using: most if not all peer-reviewed journal articles have a section on methodology. In this chapter you will summarize those methods – for each study from which you are using data. In addition, you will need to describe how you will use those data to test your hypotheses – what your methods of analysis are.

Description of the Research Instrument(s): fully describe all questionnaires and tests, if appropriate. Include a copy of questionnaires in the Appendix.

Description of Variables: list and describe the dependent and independent variables that will be used to answer the research question or test the hypothesis/es. If appropriate, describe how concepts have been operationalized.

Definition of Terms: list definitions for only those terms which might be unfamiliar to the reader, especially those which can be considered terms of art and operational definitions.

Procedures: describe in full detail how data were collected. If different methods were used, each method must be described. This subsection should also include a description and rationale for any statistical procedures used to support or reject the research hypotheses. Again, this subsection might reflect the procedures used by the researchers whose data you will use. This section will also describe sampling methods.

Limitations: describe any limitations that may pose internal or external threats to validity and reliability. There are typically two types of limitations: those imposed by the researcher on the nature and scope of the research, and those that are related to a specific research method. Describe the (potential) effects the particular limitations may have on your research.

For example, a research study on the effects of race/ethnicity on SES may be limited to an analysis of data between 1990 and 2000; to a comparison between Blacks, Whites, and Asians; and in the United States. Each research method has some inherent limitations. Survey research is often limited by sample size or sampling method; interviews would have the same limitations plus the possibility of reactivity between the researcher and the subject. The use of official statistics are limited by the thoroughness and accuracy of the data collection as well as other restrictions place on the data collect. The studies you are using should discuss the limitations of the research.

Chapter 3

Methodology

· Step by step discission of how you are going to collect and analyze your data (i.e. your research design)

· The recipe card

· Identify data set that will be used for study (i.e. government statistics, case, studies, research studies)

· Secondary studies not used in chapter 1 or chapter 2

· Include description of methodology for each study if using secondary data

Inherit data collection and methodology

· Explain how you are going to analyze data to answer research question (data must relate to research question)

· No actual analysis in this chapter

First paragraph of chapter will briefly present the research design that will be used to collect and analyze your study data in relation to research question stated in chapter 1. You should address the following in this paragraph:

1- What type of data set will the study use?

Likely it will be secondary data from published scholarly studies

2- Will the data collected be quantitative or qualitative (dependent on secondary studies)

3- How will you analyze this data?

Comparative analysis

Content analysis

Statistical analysis

Chapter 3 – Methodology

Sub-Headings

Explain data and how you will analyze it by identifying the elements of each of the following chapter 3 sub-headings

1- Setting- where, what

2- Subject – who (demographics)

3- Instruments -depending on study

4- Variables- state out the dependent and independent variables

5- Procedures – exactly what you will do with the data to analyze it

6- Limitations- restrictions to the data set

Chapter 3 template

Chapter III: Methodology

That is where you start writing your chapter……