Qualitative vs Quantitative and Summarizing Research

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Qualitative vs Quantitative and Summarizing Research

Description:

This assignment will display the students ability to find a suitable Health and Wellness Concepts topic of interest (in a peer reviewed journal article), and help them apply critical research methods learned in the course (from a high level perspective). It will also demonstrate the student’s ability to analyze a peer reviewed publication by understanding the validity of the chosen article, breaking down the type of data written about, understanding the main thesis, and being able to effectively summarize the research. The final two aspects of this assignment (the reflective journal questions and the summary presentation) contribute to the students learning process and initiation of critical research skills that will support future semesters.

Instructions:

Qualitative vs Quantitative Data – Refer to handout.

Remember the differences that:

·​ ​Qualitative data:
o ​ ​Cannot be measured.
o ​ ​Relies on observation and interpretation.
o ​ ​A very fine piece of art, a good piece of art, a nice piece of art, a bad piece of

art, a horrible piece of art.
o ​ ​“The bird is blue”.
o ​ ​Qualitative variables could be color, texture, and appearance.

·​ ​Quantitative data:
o ​ ​Can be measured, it is based strictly on numerical measurements.
o ​ ​“There are nine people standing in front of me”.
o ​ ​5 sacks of grain, 4 glasses of water, 2 cups of sugar.
o ​ ​Relies on numbers.
o ​ ​Quantitative variables include length, height, and weight.

Reviewing your specific article in detail, breakdown and describe (using examples from the
article) your understanding of the quantitative and qualitative types of data as written by the
author. Present your information typed in 2 to 4 paragraphs.

PART B – Summarizing Research

Understanding the Thesis – Refer to handouts/notes from Lab (In the course, Health and
Wellness Concepts)

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Peer-Reviewed Journal Analysis

Assignment 2: Peer Reviewed Journal Analysis

Name:

FTHP110

Michelle Gasparotto

Date:

Part A – Identifying Validity and Analyzing Data

Credentials

Date

– Valid (Y/N): Yes

– Example: Was written on 1 October 2012

There is a discrepancy as to what is considered outdated or current because research itself does not have an “expiry date” however I would suggest that this source is credible because:

a) Written within last 5 years, which is a filter when refining a search for scholarly & peer-reviewed articles on the Centennial Database

b) There is no new information that argues and disagrees with the article’s main thesis

· Research in the field of depression and it’s relationship with nutrition and exercise is not a fast-developing field, as investigation on topic is proven correct through scientific experimentation

Source

– Valid (Y/N): Yes

– Example: A library database is an indexed collection of journal, newspaper articles, books, magazines, and other scholarly works that have already been organized and analyzed for their accuracy and reliability. By using Centennial College’s database, unlike the internet, the ability to find this article has ensured me that:

a) It has undergone a peer-review process (which makes it more reliable) and ready for distribution for academic purposes

b) The database allowed me to see it’s relevance in the topic I’m learning, as it suggested to me the most up-to-date articles that greatly fit the keywords I searched, i.e. “depression” “nutrition”, etc.

c) It is fully accessible as centennial College purchased it for redistribution and licensing for academic purposes

d) It is published by The Medical Journal of Australia, in which medical journals are credible sources that regularly inform new research findings to healthcare workers, scientists, and other medical professionals to assist with research and practice in workplaces.

e) Authors have extensive knowledge on fields and have a strong background (see next column). They have written more than one scholarly & peer reviewed article or journal contribution. This includes, but not limited to :

Michael Berk

· “From Risk to remediation” (2015), “Neuroprogression, pathways to progressive brain changes in bipolar disorder” (2009)

Felice N Jacka

– “Dietary patterns and depressive symptoms over time” (2014), “The association between fruit and vegetable consumption and mental health disorders” (2013)

Background

– Valid (Y/N): Yes

– Example:

Felice N Jacka

– BA: Bachelor in Arts, specializing in Psychology

– PhDipSci: Postgraduate Diploma in Science

– PhD: Doctor of Philosophy in Psychiatric Epidemiology

Michael Berk

– PhD: Doctor of Philosophy in Internal Bipolar Foundation

– MB BCh: Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor os Surgery

– FRANZCP: Fellowship of the Royal Australiana dn New Zealand College of Psychiatrists

– Chair in Psychiatry at Barwon Health

Both authors are credible as they both have:

a) High academic standing

· Both have finished educations and are not still completing their post-graduate studies

· Have more than one diploma/degree/ level of education

b) Experience in field

– both have undergone several experimentations in attempts to research and propel medical fields, i.e. implementation of therapies, case studies for the prevention of psychiatric disorders

c) Strong reputation

· Highly cited in many other scholarly works

· Both are honorary research fellows, or chairs at different University departments

· Michael Berk has his own grants and awards

d) Publication

· Publication associated with Deakin University, School of Medicine

· Purpose of publication was to provide information for other healthcare professionals

References

Valid (Y/N): Yes

Example: The peer-reviewed article provides an abundance of references to validate their own piece. It includes over 40 scholarly sources to validate their own paper. Some of the primary and secondary sources that provide both quantitative and qualitative research. Examples of this include:

a) Primary sources (direct-first hand evidence):

– World Health Organization. The world health report 2002: reducing risks, promoting healthy life. Geneva: WHO, 2002. http://www.who.int/whr/2002 (accessed Feb 2012).

– Goldney RD, Eckert KA, Hawthorne G, Taylor AW. Changes in the prevalence of major depression in an Australian community sample between 1998 and 2008. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2010; 44: 901-910.

b) Secondary sources (analyze and evaluation of primary sources)

– Kellett E,Smith A,Schmerlaib Y.The Australian guide to healthy eating. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 1998. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health- pubhlth-strateg-food-resources.htm (accessed Feb 2012).

– Jacka FN, Mykletun A, Berk M, etal.The association between habitual diet quality and the common mental disorders in community-dwelling adults: the Hordaland Health study. Psychosom Med 2011; 73: 483-490.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research

Qualitative and quantitative researches are two factors that play important roles for journal articles and other scholarly works to assist in evaluating and creating conclusions to support an author’s main thesis. An article may have just qualitative research, which is data that cannot be measured and relies on observation and interpretation and is written in the language of the informant (author), or may have quantitative, which is much easier to obtain, and is concerned with a measureable reality that relies on numbers and are reported and written through statistical analyses. Articles are not limited to just one, but could also have both types of research, such as the peer-reviewed journal that I analyzed for this assignment, Michael Berk and Felice Jacka’s Depression, diet and exercise. In this work, Berk and Jacka use several types of qualitative and quantitative data to support their thesis and the idea that unhealthy lifestyle behaviour are directly related and stimulate an increase in depression and chronic illnesses.

As mentioned, qualitative data is the more descriptive of the two types of research and is reliant on observation and analysis. This is a useful way to understand why individuals think or feel and exploring the experiences that individuals have. It is immeasurable, and Berk and Jacka provide several of their own findings in their piece, such as “Snack food vending machines are common in inpatient mental health units, exercise programs are rare, and smoking areas are still commonplace” (Berk et Jacka, 2012, pp. 22) This is considered qualitative as there was no statistical study or consensus that had actually proved the amount of vending machines or smoking areas different health units has, but rather is suggested as an observation that the authors have witnessed and experienced in their own accounts. Berk and Jacka provide several other references of data of qualitative research, such as “regular exercise is protective against developing depression, while physical inactivity is a risk factor for developing depressive symptoms” (Berk et Jacka, 2012, pp. 22), and “dietary intakes have changed, with a marked increase in consumption of sugar, snack and take-away foods, and high-energy foods, while the consumption of nutrient-dense foods has diminished” (Berk et Jacka, 2012, pp. 21) By using immeasurable qualitative research, this allows the authors to relay their own observations and interpretations without the use of any primary or secondary sources or conduction of any experimental research.

Quantitative research constructs conclusions through numbers, and measures data through experimentation. It was much easier to find in Diet, depression and exercise where the authors used quantitative research as they used a numerous amount of statistics and case studies to support their thesis. This includes “A 2007 study aimed to determine perceptions and practices relating to physical activity counselling among mental health practitioners. While 51% of respondents agreed that providing advice about physical activity was part of their job, only 40% had recommended physical activity to their patients” (Berk et Jacka, 2012, pp. 22) Often, when authors use quantitative research, if they did not conduct the analysis on their own, they use a variety of primary and secondary sources to prove their major thesis. Other times that the authors use quantitative research can be seen, “Results from the Nurses’ Health Study, involving nearly 50 000 American women, showed that women who were more physically active had a reduced risk of clinical depression over 10 years of follow-up” (Berk et Jacka, 2012, pp. 22) and “In the 1958 and 1970 British birth cohort studies, comprising nearly 30000 people, increased leisure-time physical activity in adolescence was consistently related to increased wellbeing in adulthood” (Berk et Jacka, 2012, pp. 22) Quantitative research is the more reliable and objective of the latter and it tests and proves theories and hypotheses. By providing quantitative research, the authors are able to prove key points through facts.

Part B – Summarizing Research

Thesis:

Unhealthy lifestyle behaviour such as poor diet and lack of exercise are driving an increase in depression.

Key Points:

· There is epidemiological evidence that proves diet strongly affects depression, though studies in dietary improvement and treatment is very scarce

· Exercise is shown to be an effective treatment for depression though in clinic practice, physical activity is not often encouraged and not reflected in treatment guidelines

· Overall lifestyle is not a common topic that is addressed in clinic practice.

· There should be an urgency towards suggesting to increase one’s physical activity towards patients who deal with depression

· The national guidelines for eating healthy and performing physical activity should be followed for the betterment of all individuals

· Age, health, social situation, injuries, and any interests can be defining factors that a medical professional can use to tailor interventions or treatments for their clients

Part C- Reflective Journal

References

Jacka, F. N., & Berk, M. (2013). Depression, diet and exercise. The Medical Journal of Australia, Vol. 199(6 Suppl), S21.

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