How do I go about organizing my interview for data?

[nehs]

My thesis advisor says I should do some "field" research and go to visit a hospital to actually collect the data. This kind of sounds impossible to me. I'm not sure how to go about this interview? I have questions such as Whom should  I contact in the hospital, how to structure the interview etc.

 

Does anyone have any experience?

[fuzzylogician]

What is the goal of this interview? What kind of data are you supposed to collect and for what purpose?

[nehs]

The goal is to understand more why the hospital uses a particular technology as opposed to other technologies. I would like to get quantitiave data but if they don't give me that, then i will make my own analysis with existing data.

[rising_star]

You need to read about interviews and qualitative research methods. The SAGE Handbooks are helpful in this regard. Then, you're going to need to get approval from your school's IRB (Institutional Review Board) before you actually collect the data, assuming you ever want to be able to use it for a thesis, dissertation, or publication.

[nehs]

Thanks rising_star. I will look into SAGE.

 

Also, I had a related question - so if I do not actually go looking for quantitative data but talk/interview experts for qualitative data, then is this also a step that needs IRB approval?

[fuzzylogician]

Any kind of work with human subjects requires approval from your university's IRB. That includes interviews as well.

[rising_star]

fuzzylogician is right. If you're working with people, whether that will be qualitative or quantitative data collection, you need to get IRB approval *before* you start collecting data.

[ak48]

Did not know that surveys/interviews required IRB approval as well.

 

You learn something each day.

[TakeruK]

Maybe your advisor isn't expecting you to do this all by yourself. I would think that this is a process that an advisor would normally guide his/her student through, instead of just saying "go get the data, and then we'll talk". In the end, you may be the one personally responsible if your work violates protocols so it's probably safer to ask for more guidance from your advisor or maybe your university has a help desk / help line for people wanting to gather human research data.

[fuzzylogician]

Did not know that surveys/interviews required IRB approval as well.

 

You learn something each day.

 

Indeed. Some studies along these lines are completely non-intrusive and can undergo an expedited process or you can apply for an exemption. But whenever you work with people, you need to have your work approved by your university's IRB before you do anything.

 

My department has an umbrella protocol that everyone who's undergone the mandatory human subjects training (CITI) is covered under. It covers many of the studies we do on a regular basis, like basic informant work, etc. OP - maybe your department has something similar that you could be added to with minimal effort, you should ask your advisor about that.

[Dal PhDer]

It sounds like you're looking to collect data from a specific department and/or lab. Perhaps your supervisor was suggesting that you go and talk to a department head or gatekeeper that you agree to help you out. From my experience, before going through the hospital's REB, you need someone from the department to put their stamp of approval on it. Perhaps going to the department and presenting your research proposal and seeing how they could help would be the first step.

 

Also, before you collect data, you may need to go through both the hospital's REB and your university's REB. This is the case for us here.

[Dal PhDer]

My department has an umbrella protocol that everyone who's undergone the mandatory human subjects training (CITI) is covered under. It covers many of the studies we do on a regular basis, like basic informant work, etc. OP - maybe your department has something similar that you could be added to with minimal effort, you should ask your advisor about that.

 

Are you saying that you don't need to apply for REB approval for every new project you do? That if you are CITI trained, you've already received approval for any work you do? Because if so...that's freaking AMAZING and I'm completely jealous.

[fuzzylogician]

Are you saying that you don't need to apply for REB approval for every new project you do? That if you are CITI trained, you've already received approval for any work you do? Because if so...that's freaking AMAZING and I'm completely jealous.

 

If your project uses a methodology that has already been approved and does nothing out of the ordinary - then yes. You do the training and you're essentially covered for all your "normal" everyday needs. Most students in my department will never need anything beyond this protocol to work with their language consultants or do behavioral experimentation. I'm also on other labs' protocols other than my department's, where the studies are more invasive (involve kids, or involve actually touching subjects and scanning them with EEG/MEG) and those projects required their own IRB approval, each.

[nehs]

Did not know that surveys/interviews required IRB approval as well.

 

You learn something each day.

Exactly! Same here. I didn't know that either.

[rising_star]

If it involves living animals (humans or otherwise), you need IRB approval. Even if it's just to ask them fill out a 10 question survey.

[nehs]

Maybe your advisor isn't expecting you to do this all by yourself. I would think that this is a process that an advisor would normally guide his/her student through, instead of just saying "go get the data, and then we'll talk". In the end, you may be the one personally responsible if your work violates protocols so it's probably safer to ask for more guidance from your advisor or maybe your university has a help desk / help line for people wanting to gather human research data.

Makes sense. My advisor did say that he will help me but he is out of town for two weeks and he comes back in a few days from now. I wanted to see if I can do some progress in the meanwhile.

[nehs]

Indeed. Some studies along these lines are completely non-intrusive and can undergo an expedited process or you can apply for an exemption. But whenever you work with people, you need to have your work approved by your university's IRB before you do anything.

 

My department has an umbrella protocol that everyone who's undergone the mandatory human subjects training (CITI) is covered under. It covers many of the studies we do on a regular basis, like basic informant work, etc. OP - maybe your department has something similar that you could be added to with minimal effort, you should ask your advisor about that.

 

I know of some students who went through the IRB exemption process but they haven't really heard anything yet. My advisor has a couple of students who are doing IRB paperwork but he did not mention anything of that sort to me.

[nehs]

It sounds like you're looking to collect data from a specific department and/or lab. Perhaps your supervisor was suggesting that you go and talk to a department head or gatekeeper that you agree to help you out. From my experience, before going through the hospital's REB, you need someone from the department to put their stamp of approval on it. Perhaps going to the department and presenting your research proposal and seeing how they could help would be the first step.

 

Also, before you collect data, you may need to go through both the hospital's REB and your university's REB. This is the case for us here.

 Thanks Dal! By the way what is REB? Sorry

 

Well, my advisor's idea was to go and survey some systems that they use and he also said he would make any phone calls, if necessary but since he had been away for a couple of weeks now, I would need to wait for next week to have my meeting with him.

[nehs]

If it involves living animals (humans or otherwise), you need IRB approval. Even if it's just to ask them fill out a 10 question survey.

Hmm, yes I would have a survey or possible a quick structural interview