Week 4: Applying Research Methods to Planetary Health

Key Takeaways

Contributions by Altaire N.

Types of Evidence

• Two major categories of evidence: quantitative (numbers, stats, measurements, and mechanisms-- the "how") and qualitative (stories and experiences-- the "why")

• Unreliable evidence is that which has involves conflict of interest, clear bias, misinterpretation, outdated statistics, etc.

• Evidence can be a good or poor fit for a given research question. It can also be a mix of qualitative and quantitative 

How to Approach Research

• You need specific data on who and what is being studied and in what context (what's the location and independent variable)

• Developing a strong research question is key. You should be able to gather data about your question and test it under different conditions

• Data visualization is a way to visually show people the answer to your research question. It can include cartoons, maps, graphs, or figures.

Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)

• CBPR is when community members have equal involved with researchers on developing a project that meets community needs

• Studies come from social justice and are meant to benefit the community

• The goal is to digest scientific information to the level that anyone from your community can understand. In other words, you want to communicate research back to your community 

Announcements

• Next class, we’ll talk about the format of the research showcase and have more time to work on your research projects

• Consider your availability for field trip led by Dr. Deema Arafah to City Farmers Nursery either on Thurs, July 23 (after class) or Sat, July 25. The trip will be about 1.5-2 hours long. There will be a poll next class to decide on the date.

• If you want to share feedback about the fellowship-- things you like, don’t like, or wish were different-- submit your thoughts here!

Key Takeaways

Contributions by Osdanna R.

Research Tips to Keep in Mind

• Organize your research by the following: Title, Authors, Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References

• Make sure that you have a specific and measurable research question

• Your hypothesis/prediction should be your answer to your research question before doing extensive research. It is poor practice to change your hypothesis after conducting research. 

  • The point of research is not to "be right," it is to uncover patterns and contribute to general knowledge on a subject.

• Always cite your sources! Keep track of your sources as you conduct research

• Citations are used to establish credibility-- how well we can trust what you say

• Paraphrase when possible. Avoid using direct quotes in your research paper

Announcements

• City Heights Community Resilience Walk led by Sinthya Carranza is next Tuesday after class until ~4:30 PM. Please decline or accept the calendar invite so we know how many people to expect. 

• We will take a class photo next Tuesday!

• If you want to share feedback about the fellowship-- things you like, don’t like, or wish were different-- submit your thoughts here!