Qualitative Research Study
Literature Review Basis
The research study by Eysenbach (2004) was to present clear evidence of the social and health effects of the ‘peer to peer’ groups based on computer and electronic support groups. It seeks to answer whether these groups have a reasonable impact on the people. A virtual community is a social group that has been established through the electronic media. These groups are formed by peers to discuss issues and health problems affecting them. The literature review argues that the arising electronic avenues for peers to discuss their interests have simplified the initiation of electronic health assistances. This is core to the study and therefore becomes a solid base for this research study since it addresses the question.
Clarity of Literature Review
The literature review by Eysenbach (2004) is clear and logical. The study was conducted in various fields including weight loss, diabetic patients, and smoking. The findings of the study in all these subsections are highlighted clearly making the literature review evident especially because the qualitative values are also stated. For instance, the study concludes that the virtual communities do not play a major role in depicting what a person wants in cases of weight loss (Eysenbach, 2004, 1189). This is attributed to insignificance of the results.
On the smoking, the results were varied depending on the age groups. The lower age groups are influenced easily by peer pressure where they talk about it in a closed computer forums. Although this literature review seems clear and reasonable in most parts, there is one point where the researchers state clearly that the outcome of the study remains imprecise (Eysenbach, 2004, 1186). Moreover, the report did not discuss the negative effects which triggered the researchers to ask some questions due to lack of a comprehensive description. For a valid report, both negative and positive feedbacks are expected. For example, it should be stated that they could not provide the exact report about the researchers who dropped out of the study.
Drawing from Literature
The authors of this literature did not use the literature they reviewed adequately when explaining most of their findings from the study. One area where an explanation was taken from the original information was when illustrating why lack of evidence was not a big issue. The authors argued that there are other sources where the virtual communities may be conversing without being recorded. For example, the private mailing of the peers is distinct from the chat-sites led by health professionals. It is easier to get evidence from these interventions monitored by the medics or specialists (Eysenbach, 2004). In the study, it is also indicated that many electronic health-support groups already existed before the study. Therefore, some of the existing electronic support groups were used solely for reference in this study.
Quantitative Research Study
Literature Review Basis
The research literature by Goldberger et al. (2000) seeks to introduce a new resource to the medics and also to invite the members of the biomedical community to participate in the cooperative study. To meet these objectives, the literature begins by introducing the three components of the new research resource for complex physiological signals. These components are the PhysioBank, Physio Toolkit and PhysioNet (Goldberger, 2000). The research also seeks to invite other members from the field of biomed and clinicians into the new idea.
By stating the usefulness of the new research for complex physiologic signals and how it would boost the other earlier signals, this research literature encourages clinicians and biomed researchers to participate in it. In the article, it is stated that this new resource for physiologic signals is purposed to stimulate the ongoing research and upcoming investigations that involve looking into the cardiovascular and other biomedical signals. This shows how the literature review forms the basis for the research query.
Clarity of Literature Review
The literature presented by Goldberger et al. (2000) is written in a clear and systematic way. This is first seen when the authors talk about the three components of the new research for the complex physiological signals. The authors discuss each of these interdependent components briefly and highlight their importance. For instance, they stated that the PhysioBank was a hefty and advancing archive of the digital footage of physiologic indications and associated data to be utilized by the biomedical society of their research (Goldberger, 2000, p. 54). In this regard, the PhysioBank acts as a data resource, the Physio Toolkit operates as the analytical resource, while the PhysioNet is the communication resource. This literature review highlights the connection of these three components in a simpler way.
The clarity of the research literature is also seen where the different techniques of representing data are presented. These tools of analysis are presented alongside graphs showing how physiological fluctuations may be taking place in the heart rates. The tools include the standard deviation, means, histograms, and analysis of the power-spectrum that are classic. The literature review becomes clearer when the bit of challenges is presented. At this point, the shortcomings facing this new research resource for complex physiological signals are highlighted. The major challenge is the lack of resources. The lack of resources for data, analysis, and human and communications are the challenges depicted in this section.
Drawing from Literature
The authors relate to the reviewed literatures when they introduce the findings of the study. One of the points where the authors draw their point from the reviewed literature is where they connect the background information to the objectives of the study. From the literature, they indicate that clinical diagnoses are dependent on the capability of the physiological signals to be recorded and analyzed (Goldberger et al., 2000). From the study, there is a PhysioBank where recordings of physiologic signals are made. The issues of scientific misconduct and issuing of invalid data have been the main problem for years as stated in the reviewed literature. From the study, common databases as those provided by the PhysioBank can help to solve this problem since it will be possible to work out certain contradicting researches. Some of the variables in this quantitative research study are blood pressure, respiration, and arterial oxygen circulation.
Mixed Method Research
Literature Review Basis
Borkan (2004) presents a research problem to clarify if the mixed research method is capable of giving out good results for primary care research. The mixed method study is one that brings in both qualitative and qualitative methods of study on board (Borkan, 2004). The author evaluates the benefits of both the qualitative and quantitative methods to show how the mixed method of study is the best. This literature review discusses how the two research studies connect and come out with a better way of carrying out effective research.
Clarity of Literature Review
This literature review is quite clear when illustrating the points. First, the author starts by showing what the quantitative study method does. He indicated that it is about identifying the members of the variations and keeping records (Borkan, 2004). This entailed things like having results tabulated in percentages and other types of data presentation. On the other hand, the qualitative method of a research study involves giving out the insights that led to the observed recordings. These can be things like past experiences, events that occurred or previous patterns. Furthermore, he argues that this type of study is important when predicting the future.
Drawing from Literature
The author does not draw a lot from the literature that was reviewed. At some point, he gets back to the literature when supporting the findings of his study. When supporting mixed method research study, the author refers to one of his first articles by Creswell. He says that according to Creswell, the mixed method research study provides a wider variety of tools to be used for research. He also states that this method brings in the concept of having insight when carrying out studies to support results. Creswell states, “This form of research is more than simply collecting both quantitative and qualitative data; it indicates that data will be integrated, related, or mixed at some stage of the research process” (Borkan, 2004, p. 4). This definitely means that the mixed method research study has more benefits over the other methods of study.
References
Borkan, J. (2004). Mixed Method Study: A Foundation of Primary Care Research. Annals of Family Medicine, 2(1), 4-6.
Eysenbach, G. (2004). Health Related Virtual Communities And Electronic Support Groups: Systematic Review Of The Effects Of Online Peer To Peer Interactions. BMJ, 328(7449), 1166-1193.
Goldberger, A., Luis, A., Leon, A., Hausdorff, M., Plamen C., Roger, G.,… Mietus, E. (2000). Circulation Electronic Pages. American Heart Association, 101(23) 45-67.