• Most students tend to start here as they have already decided on how they will collect their
  • Quantitative (questionnaire)
  • Qualitative (interviews)
• Now you need to decided on what type of study you will undertake
  • longitudinal
  • cross-sectional
• Then state it within your research method (and abstract) e.g.

This longitudinal study will explore the medium-term interaction of using energy supplements and Type-A diabetes within the over sixties British population.  The longitudinal approach was selected as the monitoring and tracking stages will take 12 months.

 

Longitudinal Studies

• Longitudinal studies are conducted in a temporal approach
• Often over years using the same respondents\ subjects
• Results are very relevant but can take years to achieve the outcome

Cross-sectional studies

• Cross-sectional studies are snapshot of time (like a photograph)
• Using a sample of people from different age groups to provide a likely outcome
• Data can be collected within a very short period of time
• Online questionnaire can be completed by hundreds of people within one day
• Be aware of cohort effect
  • Older people interpret words differently to younger people
  • Older people have experienced different life events compared to younger people