Researcher
The role taken by the researcher is conducting specific, observable behaviors using more structures techniques and involved in participants when collecting data related to ethnographic information using less structured techniques (Oshima & Emanuel, 2013). The researcher, however, has no interactions with the subjects during data collection. The research can as well remain detached from the subjects and, therefore, uninfluenced by their view and ideas.
The researcher as an observer places limitations on the behavior and settings that can be observed especially in natural circumstances. The researcher may not be in a position to collect supporting data by asking the subjects questions. As a result, he or she can fail to appreciate the perspectives of the subjects and at the subjects and understand the social meaning which underpins their interaction. This is one reason this role is most often used in more structured observation, where the researchers are interested only in categorizing instances of observable behaviors.
While the Belmont Report does mention that the roles of researcher and practitioner may overlap, ultimately it regards the two roles as distinguishable based on two assumptions:1). The research is biomedical or behavioral in nature and involves some intervention that usually takes place in controlled settings (Merriam, & Tisdell, 2015). 2) Research has a testable hypothesis and results in generalizable findings. These assumptions reflect a positivist philosophy of research that is not inclusive of more naturalistic research methods.
The students will recognize and limit the potential for bias. Before any data collection, techniques are designed, they will take into account issues or aspects that might affect the study design and results to be measured. The finding of a research study should be as free from bias as possible.
The focus group interview protocol is developed to ensure that research questions would be addressed in the data collection phase of the study. The interview protocol serves as a guide for research during interview sessions (Nilsson et al., 2016). The protocol assists in ensuring that all groups are asked the same question to elicit relevant responses. Additionally, the interview protocol allows the research to limit his voice during the sessions by only asking the protocol questions and follow-up prompts, which keeps the participant voice active during each focus group interview.
Participants
Screening ensures that participants meet eligibility criteria and understand what a participant in the study entails. Participants can either be randomly allocated to treatment and control groups or be assigned to different groups based on predetermined characteristics to create balanced or similar groups are the beginning of the study.
Very often, researchers gain access to their potential participants through a relationship with community leaders or stakeholders. Stakeholders may include formal and informal group leaders, service providers, business people and residents who have an interest in the particular community.
The participants use strategies such as summarizing the discussion, reaching and ratifying agreements (Aponte‐Rivera et al., 2014), asking for clarification or explanations and keeping to the agendas. In contrast, the person in charge uses strategies such as assigning turns to speak, moving to the exit point on the agenda, or opening and closing particular phases.
All studies include research question, which are overreaching questions that represent the research goals. The research questions must be open-ended questions such as beginning with what or how (Elo et al., 2014). It is also important for the research question to align well with the study for participants to find easy time answering.
Reference
Aponte‐Rivera, V., Dunlop, B. W., Ramirez, C., Kelley, M. E., Schneider, R., Blastos, B., & Craighead, W. E. (2014). Enhancing Hispanic participation in mental health clinical research: development of a Spanish‐speaking depression research site. Depression and Anxiety, 31(3), 258-267.
Elo, S., Kääriäinen, M., Kanste, O., Pölkki, T., Utriainen, K., & Kyngäs, H. (2014). Qualitative content analysis. SAGE open, 4(1), 2158244014522633.
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2015). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley & Sons.
Nilsson, U., Jaensson, M., Dahlberg, K., Odencrants, S., Grönlund, Å., Hagberg, L., & Eriksson, M. (2016). RAPP, a systematic e-assessment of postoperative recovery in patients undergoing day surgery: study protocol for a mixed methods study design including a multicentre, two-group, parallel, single-blind randomised controlled trial and qualitative interview studies. BMJ open, 6(1), e009901.
Oshima Lee, E., & Emanuel, E. J. (2013). Shared decision making to improve care and reduce costs. New England Journal of Medicine, 368(1), 6-8.
