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Template
Research Title:
1. Introduction (500 words)
1.1. In this section, you should introduce your research topic, present some background information about your topic including the definition (s).
For example, “Working in the health and social care sector can be challenging particularly during the global pandemic. The aim of this study is to investigate challenges faced by health and social care professionals working together”.
1.2. Continue with a few sentences presenting relevant background information providing a rationale for your topic. Why is this topic more important than ones you have considered?
For example, Collaboration in health and social care has shown to improve patient outcomes including reducing preventable adverse drug reactions, decreasing morbidity rates and optimising medication dosage (Bosch and Mansell, 2015). Collaborative working has shown to provide benefits to health and social care providers including reducing extra work and increasing job satisfaction. Mansell et al. (2015) study findings stated that collaborative working in health and social care is increasingly becoming evident globally (Mansell et al., 2015).
2. Literature Review (1500 words)
Conducting a literature review involves collecting, evaluating and analysing publications (such as books and journal articles) that relate to your research topic/question. There are five main steps in the process of writing a literature review:
You need to search for and select relevant literature. E. g. Journal Articles, E-Books, Books, Websites including Government Websites. Search Engines including Google Scholar and School Library. Example of a journal article
- Make sure you follow these guidelines to write a good literature review:
- Identify themes, debates and gaps
- Evaluate sources (identify the similarities and differences between the studies).
- Summarise and synthesise give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole.
- Analyse and interpret don’t just paraphrase other researchers – add your own interpretations, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature.
- Critically evaluate mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources.
Make sure you write in well-structured paragraphs: use transitions and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts.
Example 1: Social inequality can cause short and long-term health conditions, such as long-term stress. Consider looking for sources that support your research question including advantages and disadvantages of your study.
Example, 2: Research on social inequality in developing countries has a long history. Even before Blau and Duncan (1975) published their seminal work on social justices. Continue with other sources to underpin your research.
3. Problem Statement and Research Justification (Gaps in knowledge, practice or services provision) (Approx. 300 words)
Here you should summarise the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasise their significance. Moreover, you need to summarise the main statistical information to justify reasons for research topic and identify the research gap.
For example, The United Kingdom (UK) has a very high level of income inequality compared to other developed countries. In 2018, 20% of UK households had an average disposable income of £13,234. Similarly, in the Great Britain wealth is even more unequally distributed. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) calculated that the richest 10% of households hold 44% of all wealth. The poorest 50%, by contrast, own just 9% (ONS, 2019).
The aim to demonstrate and justify the importance and relevance of the study you are about to propose is relevant and exactly how your project will contribute to conversations in the field.
4. Research Question
What is your specific research question? (You may have more than one)
For example, how does social inequality in health and social care affect person with disability?
5. Methodology (Approx. 1500-1750words)
5.1 Research Design
1- Describe the research approach chosen for your study (Qualitative, quantitative or mix-methodology). Also, give reasons for your choice of approach, limitations and strengths.
Example 1. the research employed a mixed-method approach of gathering data. The mixed method consists of qualitative and quantitative methods. Define quantitative and qualitative research including strengths and weaknesses.
Example 2. The project will use a qualitative research approach to evaluate how hate crime is reported and experienced by service users in Merseyside. It will employ a practical small -scale evaluation model with a focus on eliciting the views of stakeholders and service users to provide insight into how services work, how they could be improved and whether they meet their stated objectives. This is appropriate both for the short timescale outlined by the commissioners and the applied nature of the project (Brophy, Snooks and Griffiths, 2011)
2- What study type will you use? Explain why this is a good choice for your research question.
Cross-section, longitudinal, intervention? (For quantitative approaches).
3- Explain that the study will have ethical approval from LTU – describe what this means.
5.2 Data Collection
Explain what data collection method (questionnaire, focus group, interviews) you will be using and justify it.
Example 1. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with stakeholders to explore the frameworks, type, and quality of perinatal service provision across a range of agencies, as well as data sharing processes, and areas for development for the future monitoring purpose. perinatal service users will also be interviewed regarding their experience of support and their pathway through services.
5.3 Participant recruitment and research procedure
- 1. Justify the chosen sampling method
- 2. How many participants will you recruit? - Sample size justification
- 3. Inclusion and exclusion criteria (for the study participants): (e.g., demographic information, location, age, SEN, ethnicity)
- 4. How will they be recruited? Recruitment procedure - use of an information sheet and consent form (Add to appendix)
Example 1. Sampling in research is generally conducted to permit detailed study of part than the whole population (Ref). However, the sampling method employed for the study is the volunteer sampling. This means that participants self-selected themselves and choose to take part by responding to the questionnaires provided by the researcher.
Example 2. The researcher will work with the gatekeeper (the perinatal support Coordinator) to recruit two kinds of participants – stakeholders and service users. Stakeholder participants must be a perinatal service delivery stakeholder (i.e. work for one of the organisations/agencies that t comprise the perinatal board or feed into its processes) and will be invited to participate via perinatal service delivery meetings or contacted by telephone. Services user participants will be identified through their involvement with perinatal support i.e. they will have been individuals referred to perinatal services after before or after birth.
5.4 Data Analysis
- Define what type of analysis you will use. E.g., Qualitative analysis (thematic analysis) or quantitative analyse (statistical analysis- charts, tables)
- What are you trying to identify? (Cause and effect, relationship, change over-time or association)
- How will you analyse and summarise your data to establish your findings?
Example: The interviews will be recorded, transcribed and a thematic analysis will be carried out using Braun and Clarke’s six step process (Braun and Clarke, 2013). This approach is often used for short term and applied health research. The outcome will be a coding frame which explores knowledge of perinatal services’ processes/pathways, support, barriers, satisfaction and areas for improvement.
5.5 Ethical considerations
What Ethical principles for research will be considered? And why (i.e. information sheet for participants, consent form, confidentiality, debriefing, sharing results: when, where and how, data management, access and storage: GDPR compliance) Will participants be asked to sign a consent (and why), and will they be giving an opportunity to read (and having the opportunity to discuss) a participant information sheet? Will the participants be informed of their right to withdraw at any time?
Example: All participants will be asked to sign a consent form after reading (and having the opportunity to discuss) a participant information sheet. All participants will be informed of their right to withdraw at any time. Researcher will seek ethical approval from Leeds Trinity University Research Ethics Board Researcher.
6. Evaluation (300 words)
- Identify strengths and limitations of your chosen method?
- How will this study benefit the practice, knowledge and policy?
- State any improvements in methodology for future research.
- Should more data be gathered for such research.
- What future research could be undertaking to improve the knowledge base on research area.
Reference List
Please make sure you put your reference in alphabetical order including the Harvard Referencing System.
Appendix
- Participants Information / consent form
- Interview and/or questionnaire questions
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