Thursday, October 28, 2010

research methods in anthropology


The Seattle Biomedical Research Institute is doing research on malaria vaccines. They are wanting to find out if the vaccines work. Since they do not know if the vaccines work, they are looking for volunteers who will try the vaccines and then hold a cup of mosquitoes that are infected with the most deadly form of malaria to their arm so they are bitten. This study is a continuation of a study that start at Walter Reed Army Institute of Maryland is is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Since people are being asked to be infected with malaria, this brings up all kinds of ethical questions. First of all, would these people get seriously ill and even die? According to the researchers this would not happen and people would only have flu like symptoms for about a single day.

However, while the researchers may be able to try to control the mosquitoes to the best of their abilities, it is uncertain that these people may not have some type of allergic reaction or end up getting some type of disease or other infection from the mosquitoes.

Also, would malaria spread if these people are out in the community? Researchers say that the malaria will not get to a point where it is infectious from person to person. Most likely this is true since they know the research that has already been happening.

Of course, the volunteers are given $2,000 for participating. The researchers have said that this is mainly compensation for missing work or replacing funds used to get to the site and any other costs volunteers may incur.

While this sounds a little bit on the dangerous sides, there are benefits as a whole. People really do care about others in third world country who are often infected with malaria and do not survive because vaccines do not exist and they cannot afford the medication. Thus, people who want to make sure that vaccines will be available to these people may have an urge to volunteer for this program.

While I like the idea of getting vaccines to people in third world countries, no amount of money would make me go get a vaccine that may or may not work and be infected with a possibly deadly disease. While I know that only flu like symptoms should occur, I would be scared that something would go wrong.

I want to live my life and not be willingly infected with a disease. I would be scared that I'd have something in my body or have some type of reaction either to the vaccine or to the disease that would end my life suddenly.

While I know that I can't control the length of my own life, I can try to take care of myself so I have a good life. I want to be able to spend time with my friends, my family, and my dog. If anything were to happen because of this, the money, no matter how much of an amount, would not do me any good. While it could help my family, it would not ease the pain of the loss.

I'd rather earn my money honestly than making myself into a medical guinea pig.





Reference research: research Dr. and home research and shopping research and my bookmark page




Journalism

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

research medical center


I am a veteran. I was in the U.S. Army for three years, and, during that time, served in the Vietnam War. Also, I have a couple of long-standing illnesses. Nothing is currently threatening my life but I do have medical considerations. Both of these situations have put me in the position to participate in research projects. Should a person participate in a research project?

Are there results that make participating in a study worthwhile; yes! The VA alone has developed artificial limbs for amputees; invented the cardiac pacemaker; performed the first successful liver transplant and developed the nicotine patch to name just a few accomplishments. ((DVA ORCA 1B 10-54 page 3)

A research study is a study about a certain medical condition, or procedure, or effect of medication. It may be one of many different approaches to solving a problem that affects human beings.

People participate in studies to find cures for illnesses; to find better care; and, to battle an illness in which a person may have a particular interest, or indeed, may suffer from.

When considering whether or not to participate in any particular study, it is necessary to know that there may or may be direct benefits to you. There may be a benefit regarding a medical condition you may have, or, in some cases, you may be paid to volunteer. However, hand in hand with that, there may be risks and side effects when participating is a study.

There are many, many questions that a person should ask before participating in a study. Just a few are; "Who is doing the study and why?" "What tests and procedures will be done?" "What can happen to me good and bad if I participate?" "Will I be paid anything?" "Will I be told the results of this study?" "Is it possible I will receive a placebo?" "What happens if my condition gets worse?" (DVA ORCA 1B 10-54 page 11) These are just some of the questions that it makes sense to ask.

You should always make sure that there is comprehensive attention given to "Informed Consent", which is a point where you, as the participant, are given complete information about the study so that you can make an intelligent decision as to whether or not you should participate.

Finally, it is important to know who may see the results. Typically, the results will only be seen by researchers as part of the study. However, I have learned, especially in studies where you are paid, that the results may be sold; it is important that you know too whom the information might be given or sold.

Research studies are most important to mankind. We learn about diseases and quality of life. Further, you never know when a project you participate in may help you or someone in your family. However, as noble as this cause is, it is always important to be diligent in your research about the research.





Reference research: business research and computer research and travel research and my bookmark page




Freeware Social Bookmark Script Html

research triangle park


Archibold, Randall. (1999, January). As Parents Sweat, 4th Graders Cram for New Test. New York Times, v148 i51397, p. A1

Bracey, G. W. (1992, February). Predicting school success for at-risk children. Phi Delta Kappan, v73 i6, p. 492.

Phelan, Patricia; Davidson, Ann Locke; Cao, and Hanh Thanh. (1992, May). Speaking up: students’ perspectives on school. Phi Delta Kappan, v73 n9, p.695(9).

The following academic journal resources all utilized effective qualitative research methods. This report will identify and describe the approaches and methods taken in these studies to achieve the qualitative research.

The Research Design Symposium is meeting for the last time. The goal of this meeting will be to consider the value of qualitative research. The methodologies used in the studies above address the needed research concerning the matter of standardized tests and the causal relationship they have with anxiety. The approaches that will be discussed are ethnography, phenomenology, and field research. The methods that will be discussed are participant observation, direct observation, and unstructured interviewing.

The term ethnography comes from the field of anthropology. The purpose of this research approach is to study an entire culture. Typically, when one thinks of culture, we immediately think of ethnicity and perhaps location globally. However, recent studies have broadened this understanding to include “any” group or organization regardless of previously mentioned ideologies. The approach of ethnography is most common with the method of participant observation. However, the study listed above did not utilize this method. In fact, the method that the study used was unstructured interviewing. Unstructured interviewing involves direct interaction. The most important aspect about this method is that it does not possess a formal structured instrument or protocol. The interviewer is very “free” to move the conversation as he/she sees fit. I can understand why this method would be used to address research that involves ethnic difference. Sometimes researchers feel the need to direct the interview so that the participant does not feel manipulated and also so that the participant does not become offended by the interviewers assumptions or questions. Although this method is usually more difficult to interpret the interviewed data (because of its lack of structure), it is the broad undertaking that makes this method appropriate for the study.

The second study that used qualitative research used different approaches and different methods. The approach used was phenomenology. This approach has a long history and can be closely linked to the field of Philosophy. However, the purpose of this approach is to emphasize a focus on the participant’s experiences and interpretations of his/her environment. Additionally, the researcher would use this approach to better understand how the world is seen through the eyes of another person. This approach is to establish a “perception” and how the research supports or changes this perception. The method used in this study was direct observation. The researcher used video cameras to observe the phenomenon. The purpose of this method is to observe certain controlled sampled situations. Also, this method is not as long as other methods, and therefore, it tends to be more focused than other types of observations (participant observations). The researcher in this instance is not taking part in this experiment. His/her entire purpose is to be a ghost. Direct observation attempts to keep a distance so as not to bias the observations. For example, on reality shows currently on television, would the participants act different if they didn’t know that they were being watched by millions of people?
The final study mentioned earlier uses the approach of field research. Field research is very broad. The purpose of this approach is to gather qualitative data. Examples of this type of data include in-depth interviewing, direct observation, and written documentation. The researcher embodies himself/herself into the environment of the research. The researcher relies heavily on field notes and extensive use of coding.

The method used in the final study was direct observation. Oddly enough, field research is closely related to the method of participant observation. Participant observation is considered the most common methods of qualitative research. The most important aspect of effective participant observation is that the researcher must be engulfed in the context. It is almost as if the researcher is “under-cover”. The researcher must plan on spending years gathering data. He/she must also be willing to be wait until he/she is accepted within this culture or environment. The acceptance of the researcher is important for the researcher to observe the natural phenomenon as it happens. The researcher becomes a part of the research. This method is very extensive and thorough. This data may also be interpreted later in the form of a “case study”, which is also a qualitative method not used in the three studies presented.







Reference research: finance research and health research and travel research and my bookmark page




Js Social Bookmark Script