Research Activity #7
Analysis:
The most important thing that I learned from research activity 7 is how important it is (at least for me) to plan and evaluate your research question by comparing it to other articles.
Revisions:
I changed the chart format by just making the sections in bold and providing the answer right next to it to make it more straightforward.
Chart I: Research Question Evaluation
Title of Article: Prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Author: Salari et al. (2020)
Research Question: What is the systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression in the general population following the COVID-19 pandemic?
What type of research question is it? Exploratory, comparative
Is it a strong research question? This research question is strong and complex, and relevant to a single topic. According to McCombes (2019), a research question should be “focused on a single problem or issue, and be specific enough to answer thoroughly” (para. 2). It is generally complex due to the fact that it has both the systematic reviews and the meta-analysis, which can be brand new to someone who has never heard of that before. Research should be about “informing, not instructing” (McCombes, 2019, para 14). Even though it may be a little difficult to understand, it is focused on a practical problem and its goal is to improve understanding about the topic of COVID-19 and mental health.
Title of Article: Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic: a call for action for mental health science
Author: Holmes et al. (2020)
Research Question: What are the psychological, social, and neuroscientific effects of COVID-19 on the population who have lived mental-ill health?
Type of research question: Exploratory
Is it a strong research question: This research question is really dedicated to pursue the effects of COVID-19 on mental health. It points out to study three specific aspects, which according to McCombes (2019), using well-defined and specific concepts are key to a strong research question. It also does not have “yes or no” questions, because “closed yes/no questions are too simple to work as a good research question since they don’t provide enough scope for investigation and discussion” (para. 15).
My Research Question → How has the pandemic affected essential PNC Bank workers’ perceptions of their mental health?
Type of research question: Exploratory
Is my research question strong? My research question is strong because it has many qualities of what makes a sturdy research question. According to McCombes (2019), the criteria must be focused and researchable, focus only on a single topic and “the central research question should follow from your research problem to keep your work focused” (McCombes, 2020, para. 3). A research question must also be feasible and specific. In my question, I listed exactly who I will be researching (essential PNC Bank workers) and what information I will be gathering (their perceptions of their mental health due to the pandemic). McCombes also points out that in order to have an arguable research question, it cannot be answered with yes or no because “they don’t provide enough scope for investigation and discussion” (para. 10). Overall, my research question suits these criteria and will provide secure qualitative results.
Chart II: Research Design Evaluation
Title of article: Prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Author: Salari et al. (2020)
Participants: 17 cross-sectional studies
What type of data was collected: Quantitative
How did they collect the data? STROBE checklist, CMA software
How did they analyze the data? I^2 (%) test, tables
Did this research question have the clearer research design? In my opinion, this does not have the clearer research design. It is very complex and difficult to understand, possibly due to the different ways they collected data. However, it is a strong research question. Preferably, I tend to understand qualitative data more than quantitative data.
Title of article: Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic: a call for action for mental health science
Author: Holmes et al. (2020)
Participants/Setting: 2,198 people surveyed, 1,099 interviews with adults ages 16-75 in England, Wales, and Scotland in March and April of 2020
What type of data was collected? Qualitative
How did they collect the data? Surveys and interviews
How did they analyze the data? Into tables, and then suggesting long term strategies
Did this article have the clearer research design? This research question has a clearer research design, for a couple different reasons. First, it has surveyed many individuals and even stated their age group and location. It researched three different aspects of how COVID-19 affected mental health(psychological, social, and neuroscientific), which were all answered during the time constraints. It is complex, but specific and well-designed. Lastly, it revolves solely around the topic of COVID-19.