It was pointed out the me (by one of my supervisers) the importance of having some key themes during data collection. Over the last month i have been working on my questions and having trouble knowing what type of questions to start with and how to approach the data collection process during a focus group. Having themes will not only give me some structure, but it will also prompt me to know what area i need to question participants more on. These key themes have developed as a result of reading the literature about how new grads are transitioning into acute care, and the nature of acute care practice etc.
The key themes are
~New graduate’s ability
~Challenges in acute care
~Support
~Reality of work environment
Jess
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Timeline
Draft timeline at this stage
Begin research 18 February 2008
Present initial ideas to Post Grad School 12 March 2008
Proposal due 11 April 2008
Submit for Ethics Approval 9 May 2008
Ethical Approval 3 July
Contacted unit managers 10 July 2008
Present work so far to Post Grad School 21 July 2008
Focus group piloted July 28-1 August 2008
Send off demographic sheets and consent forms August 2008
Data Collection Begins Late August 2008
Data Collection Finishes Late September 2008
Finish analysis 1 October 2008
Present findings to Post Grad School October 2008
Complete final write up 8 December 2008
Begin research 18 February 2008
Present initial ideas to Post Grad School 12 March 2008
Proposal due 11 April 2008
Submit for Ethics Approval 9 May 2008
Ethical Approval 3 July
Contacted unit managers 10 July 2008
Present work so far to Post Grad School 21 July 2008
Focus group piloted July 28-1 August 2008
Send off demographic sheets and consent forms August 2008
Data Collection Begins Late August 2008
Data Collection Finishes Late September 2008
Finish analysis 1 October 2008
Present findings to Post Grad School October 2008
Complete final write up 8 December 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
My obsession with lists and tick boxes
I dont think i would have coped so far, or for the rest of the research process without my obsession with tick boxes, and things to do lists. Sometimes (more like all of the time) people laugh at me for being so obsessed with organisation but i dont see how i would manage with out them. The walls around my desk and computer are filled with calenders, wall planners, things to do lists, helpful words for writing, and a whiteboard with important dates ands things to remember.
There are other things on my wall - pictures; a start chart for exercise; a bus timetable; a map of dunedin; when library books are due; news paper articles etc. But man i guess that just reinforces the type of learner i am - visual/kinesthetic!!!
Am i abnormal????
There are other things on my wall - pictures; a start chart for exercise; a bus timetable; a map of dunedin; when library books are due; news paper articles etc. But man i guess that just reinforces the type of learner i am - visual/kinesthetic!!!
Am i abnormal????
Getting prepared for data collection
Wow so much to organise at the moment.
Getting the finishing touches done on my letters and information sheets to make sure they include everything.. organising a pilot focus group...finalising focus group questions...finalising teleconference sheet...practicing coding....then doing a literature mind map.
So getting the letters and info sheets away asap to get some participants :) so i can get consent forms and demographic forms in before mid august.
Aiming to start the first focus group in the last two weeks of August - but the biggest goal is to have data collection, analysis and results done by late september! Well see how that goes..
Ive been finding myself glearing at the calender alot lately ~ kinda freeky! Sometimes i freek myself out that im gonna run out of time. But i guess thats what a timeline is for.
Future posts will be on ...
Recriutment of participants; how the pilot focus group goes; how the coding exercise goes
Jess
Getting the finishing touches done on my letters and information sheets to make sure they include everything.. organising a pilot focus group...finalising focus group questions...finalising teleconference sheet...practicing coding....then doing a literature mind map.
So getting the letters and info sheets away asap to get some participants :) so i can get consent forms and demographic forms in before mid august.
Aiming to start the first focus group in the last two weeks of August - but the biggest goal is to have data collection, analysis and results done by late september! Well see how that goes..
Ive been finding myself glearing at the calender alot lately ~ kinda freeky! Sometimes i freek myself out that im gonna run out of time. But i guess thats what a timeline is for.
Future posts will be on ...
Recriutment of participants; how the pilot focus group goes; how the coding exercise goes
Jess
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
An updated tick box
Things completed:
• Topic & working title
• Initial literature review
• Proposal
• Ethical approval
• Clear understanding of coding/analysis process
• Clear understanding of strategies to increase rigour/trustworthiness
• Letters/info sheets/demographics form/consent forms ready
• Focus group outline & questions
• Interview questions
• Thesis document/layout reaady to go
• Draft teleconference sheet
Things to do:
• Finalise teleconference sheet
• Set up teleconference account
• Make sure all participant documents are ready to go
• Set up clear schedule for data collection/analysis
• Contact unit managers/professional advisers/team leaders
• Once participants have contacted me expressing their willingness to participate....... Arrange the focus group etc..
• Topic & working title
• Initial literature review
• Proposal
• Ethical approval
• Clear understanding of coding/analysis process
• Clear understanding of strategies to increase rigour/trustworthiness
• Letters/info sheets/demographics form/consent forms ready
• Focus group outline & questions
• Interview questions
• Thesis document/layout reaady to go
• Draft teleconference sheet
Things to do:
• Finalise teleconference sheet
• Set up teleconference account
• Make sure all participant documents are ready to go
• Set up clear schedule for data collection/analysis
• Contact unit managers/professional advisers/team leaders
• Once participants have contacted me expressing their willingness to participate....... Arrange the focus group etc..
Data Collection/Analysis guides
Some guides on large posters so that i can follow them during the data collecton and analysis stages of my study. Hope they will help me - at least by making them they definitly helped me understand the coding procedures!!!!!
The first is the overall process of grounded theory - Constant comparison method.
The second is open coding. The third is axial coding. The fourth is selective coding. :)
Ethical Approval!!!
I got ethical approval today - 5 weeks in total which is great. A few ammendments at the 4 week mark but now im set to begin..starting with contacting unit managers for participants to then get in contact with me. So looks like my timeline is somewhat on track :)
Planned to start data collection late july so i may be a wee bit behind but i think if i am for Aug 1st that give me enough time to seek participants and get consent forms signed etc. Then Aug/Sept could be data collection/analysis month and then at the end of sept i should be finished writing up results. That will give me two months to put everything together and write a discussion/recommendations chapter etc.
So everything is coming along nicely!
Planned to start data collection late july so i may be a wee bit behind but i think if i am for Aug 1st that give me enough time to seek participants and get consent forms signed etc. Then Aug/Sept could be data collection/analysis month and then at the end of sept i should be finished writing up results. That will give me two months to put everything together and write a discussion/recommendations chapter etc.
So everything is coming along nicely!
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