Browsing by Subject "mixed methods"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Analysis of Public Preprint Server Comments on NIH Preprint Pilot Articles
    (2022-05-04) Sawyer, Amanda; Cruise, Allison; Dolan, Levi; Chatmon, Brianna
    Objectives: Given the increased prevalence of preprints during the COVID-19 pandemic, this project sought to analyze public comments left on a sample of preprint articles from the NIH Preprint Pilot to determine if they were substantive in nature. Analysis of article titles and qualitative coding of the comments was conducted. This analysis was designed to obtain both quantitative and qualitative measures of comments on a selected group of articles so that the relationship between public commenting and scientific rigor could be explored. Methods: The first 1,000 preprint articles to be indexed in PubMed Central and hosted on two preprint platforms (bioRxiv and medRxiv) were selected. Using the preprint servers’ associated commenting platforms, full text comment threads and Twitter information was obtained, and summary statistics of commenting platforms were produced. From the article sample a total of 494 comments were collected from public commenters using the Disqus platform to provide feedback on the articles. Using the article titles, the authors explored indications of the relationship between article topic and frequency of commenter engagement. Preliminary coding was conducted using a ‘thumbs up/thumbs down’ method and potential categorizations were suggested. Utilizing these suggestions, the authors created and refined a draft codebook. Finally, thirteen categorizations, ten for substantive comments and three for not substantive comments, were created and used to qualitatively code the comment sample. Results: Two rounds of coding were completed to reach sufficient interrater reliability. The authors found that most of the public comments were substantive, with over 28% meeting the criteria for critique, 21.5% as questions for authors, and over 11% having aspects of a formal peer review process. The analysis revealed engagement between commenters and preprint authors, demonstrated through author responses to questions, updates, and feedback. Commenters also provided suggestions for future research (3.6%) and indicated their intent to utilize the preprint findings in future research projects of their own (2.6%). Conclusions: This project provides evidence of the impact of public commenting on scientific rigor. Public commenting was frequently substantive, and provided critique which sometimes led to direct revisions of the preprint article. Commenters also provided responses similar in nature to the formal peer review process, providing authors with feedback faster than the traditional process. Through preprints authors can disseminate their research to a wide audience earlier, and comments indicated that some readers intended to use the preprint findings in their own research, accelerating the potential for scientific discovery. As the prevalence of preprints continues to grow and public engagement with preprints increases, this paper’s methodology can be replicated and refined to further analyze the value of public commenting on preprints.
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    Impact of Race and Sex on Pain Management by Medical Trainees: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study of Decision Making and Awareness of Influence
    (Wiley, 2015-02) Hollingshead, Nicole A.; Matthias, Marianne S.; Bair, Matthew J.; Hirsh, Adam T.; Department of Psychology, IU School of Science
    Objective Previous research suggests female and black patients receive less optimal treatment for their chronic pain compared with male and white patients. Provider-related factors are hypothesized to contribute to unequal treatment, but these factors have not been examined extensively. This mixed methods investigation examined the influence of patients' demographic characteristics on providers' treatment decisions and providers' awareness of these influences on their treatment decisions. Methods Twenty medical trainees made treatment decisions (opioid, antidepressant, physical therapy) for 16 virtual patients with chronic low back pain; patient sex and race were manipulated across patients. Participants then indicated from a provided list the factors that influenced their treatment decisions, including patient demographics. Finally, individual interviews were conducted to discuss the role of patient demographics on providers' clinical decisions. Results Individual regression analyses indicated that 30% of participants were reliably influenced by patient sex and 15% by patient race when making their decisions (P < 0.05 or P < 0.10). Group analyses indicated that white patients received higher antidepressant recommendations, on average, than black patients (P < 0.05). Half of the medical trainees demonstrated awareness of the influence of demographic characteristics on their decision making. Participants, regardless of whether they were influenced by patients' demographics, discussed themes related to patient sex and race; however, participants' discussion of patient demographics in the interviews did not always align with their online study results. Conclusions These findings suggest there is a considerable variability in the extent to which medical trainees are influenced by patient demographics and their awareness of these decision making influences.
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    Researching Feedback: Mixed-Methods Research
    (Wiley, 2024) Ene, Estela; English, School of Liberal Arts
    Mixed-methods research are sometimes used to explore feedback effectiveness, though not nearly as much as quantitative methods. Mixed methods help expand the array of topics and perspectives explored. Generalizability continues to be a weakness of mixed-methods research.
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    Social Network Decay as Potential Recovery from Homelessness: A Mixed Methods Study in Housing First Programming
    (MDPI, 2017-09) Golembiewski, Elizabeth; Watson, Dennis P.; Robison, Lisa; Coberg, John W.; Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health
    The positive relationship between social support and mental health has been well documented, but individuals experiencing chronic homelessness face serious disruptions to their social networks. Housing First (HF) programming has been shown to improve health and stability of formerly chronically homeless individuals. However, researchers are only just starting to understand the impact HF has on residents’ individual social integration. The purpose of the current study was to describe and understand changes in social networks of residents living in a HF program. Researchers employed a longitudinal, convergent parallel mixed method design, collecting quantitative social network data through structured interviews (n = 13) and qualitative data through semi-structured interviews (n = 20). Quantitative results demonstrated a reduction in network size over the course of one year. However, increases in both network density and frequency of contact with network members increased. Qualitative interviews demonstrated a strengthening in the quality of relationships with family and housing providers and a shedding of burdensome and abusive relationships. These results suggest network decay is a possible indicator of participants’ recovery process as they discontinued negative relationships and strengthened positive ones.
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    Understanding the Philosophical Positions of Classical and Neo Pragmatists for Mixed Methods Research
    (Springer, 2017-10) Johnson, R. Burke; de Waal, Cornelis; Stefurak, Tres; Hildebrand, David; Philosophy, School of Liberal Arts
    Pragmatism is the most popular philosophy/paradigm in the international field of mixed methods research (MMR). This article therefore introduces, describes, and contrasts the philosophies of the most well known pragmatists, including the three most important classical pragmatists (Charles Sanders Peirce, William James and John Dewey) and two neopragmatists (Richard Rorty and Susan Haack). It is shown that Rorty and James fit well with qualitatively driven MMR (i. e., MMR where the qualitative component of the study is primary); Peirce fits well with quantitatively driven MMR (i. e., MMR where the quantitative component is primary); and Dewey fits well with MMR that attempts to treat qualitative and quantitative research/philosophy equally (i. e., equal-status mixed methods research). Importantly, it is shown here that pragmatism offers a way out of many philosophy of science quagmires facing social researchers and it offers a promising philosophy for mixed methods research practice.