Resource Packs

Qualitative data analysis describes and summarises the mass of words generated by interviews or observational data. It allows researchers to seek relationships between various themes that have been identified or relate behaviour or ideas to biographical characteristics of respondents. Implications for policy or practice may be derived from the data, or interpretation sought of puzzling findings from previous studies. Ultimately theory could be developed and tested using advanced analytical techniques.

This resource pack discusses some of the theoretical models within which qualitative data can be analysed, and helps researchers select the most appropriate one for their particular piece of research. The stages involved in qualitative data analysis, as well as coding and developing categories are described, and a discussion of processes that can help ensure rigour is included. Finally some of the practicalities of qualitative analysis are addressed , including the use of computer software programmes.

This resource pack suggests resources as well as supplying a glossary of terms. 

The general purpose of a research project is to gather information about an issue or problem and construct a report or article to disseminate the outcomes of the appropriate research process.

This resource pack gives help in writing up a research project and includes some tips on seeking publication of the final report .It covers the writing of reports, dissertations, abstracts, executive summaries as well as giving presentations of the research.

This resource packs suggests further reading and resources. 
 

Evidence based practice requires that practitioners are able to identify relevant and applicable research speedily and efficiently, which is why there has been an increased interest in reference management in recent years. A reference management system is any systematic means of organising your references. Such a system may be either manual or electronic or a combination of both. Each approach has three basic steps input, retrieval and output.

The aim of this resource pack is to introduce the need for, and practicalities of, managing bibliographic references as part of the research process. It discusses the pros and cons of manual versus electronic reference management systems, takes the reader through the major stages involved in reference management and reviews the major software packages available for the task. In addition it alerts authors to journals' "Instructions to Authors" regarding references and standard requirements for submitting manuscripts. In the appendices there is a detailed comparison between the Harvard and Vancouver referencing styles.

This resource packs suggests further reading and resources as well as supplying a glossary of terms. 
 

A literature review is a self-contained piece of written work that gives a concise summary of previous findings in an area of the research literature. It reflects an author's knowledge and interpretation of the area of interest. Literature reviews vary considerably in their depth and breadth, as well as style of presentation, depending on the purpose intended by the author. This may range from a superficial search of literature to give a researcher an insight into an area of potential research though to a scientifically rigorous "systematic review".

This resource pack looks at sources of research literature and outlines the different manual and electronic bibliographic tools to identify research literature. It offers tips on how to plan a literature search strategy, examine the results and write a review.

This resource packs suggests further reading and resources as well as supplying a glossary of terms. 
 

There are broadly two approaches to collecting information for research purposes: quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research is concerned with investigating things which can be observed and measured in some way. Such observations and measurements can be made objectively and repeated by other researchers. Qualitative research on the other hand is concerned with developing explanations of social phenomena. It aims to understand the world in which we live and why things are the way they are. It is concerned with the opinions, experiences and feelings of individuals and this produces subjective data.

This resource pack has a general introduction into the nature of qualitative research. It includes identification of the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research in a brief comparison with quantitative research. The main qualitative approaches and way of collecting information are described, and guidance is given on techniques for analysing and presenting information. The purpose is for primary health care professionals to gain a basic understanding of qualitative research and show the potential for this type of research in primary health care.

This resource packs suggests further reading.