Involving Men in Reproductive Health: Challenges and Opportunities

the essay needs to have a clear, specific, and focused research question; a literature review of at least 4 research articles published in refereed social science journals (e.g. database “Sociological Abstracts”) that have used qualitative methods and can be used to provide conceptual/methodological leads and answers to your research question; a proposed research design, using qualitative methods, with a plan for data collection; while it will not be required to go out in the field and perform a full-fledged data collection, it will be required to having pre-tested your methodology and having reflected briefly the results from the pre-test as well as the corrections you envision so as to improve the organization of the data collection process and the quality of the information (its validity and reliability). Criteria for assessment: Clear, specific, focused research question that is suitable for qualitative research and at least 4 research articles that answer overall this question (up to 5%); Literature review: comparative analysis of the research articles (their definitions of studied phenomena, conceptual frameworks, methods and data collection techniques, findings, conclusions, ethical considerations) (up to 10%); Clearly stated purpose of your study (see item 4 of the Tasks and Steps above) (up to 5%); Appropriate method(s) for qualitative research identified and properly operationalized, including a Plan for Data Collection (up to 10%); Discussion of data quality issues (validity, reliability) (up to 5%); Ethical considerations (up to 5%); Instruments for data collection developed in draft form and tested (up to 5%). Expected length of the paper: 11-12 pages, double-spaced with concise text. Tasks and steps The following issues should be addressed in your paper. These steps can be used as an outline for the proposal or the items can be integrated. 1. State the general problem area of your choice. What topic are you investigating and why (the importance of this research)? Define the phenomenon or phenomena that have to be studied. What is your main research question (formulate it)? Note previous studies in the area. Why is qualitative research the most appropriate way to study the phenomenon you have chosen? 2. Find at least 4 research articles from refereed journals that answer overall your research question and have carried out qualitative research. 3. Describe the theoretical context/framework and the known facts about the phenomenon you plan to study. What have you learnt from previous studies that have been answering the same or similar research questions? 4. Identify what is not known or remains to be studied in more specifics. In what area your research will add knowledge? What is therefore the purpose of your study? What kind of results/empirical evidence you expect to gather? If necessary, refine your main research question. 5. Operationalize (themes, questions, concepts): What are the specific sub-questions and the concepts that you will be using in order to answer your main research question? (e.g. do helping behaviours in teamwork differ by gender?) 6. Determine the unit or units of analysis (based on the literature review and the conceptual considerations from that review.) What dimensions or aspects of these units of analysis will be in your focus (e.g. unit of analysis: teams of engineers; focus: helping behaviours of team members;) 7. Determine the unit or units and areas/contexts of observation: Give operational definitions of what exactly you will observe - places, times, behaviours, interactions, documents? (Ex., define what behaviours will be considered as “helping”, from what sources the data will be collected, e.g. documents, live observations, interviews, and so on.) This should be based also on the literature review and on methodological considerations you have derived from it. 8. What qualitative methods and techniques for data collection will be used? Explain why they are appropriate for your study. a) What will be the role of the observer, if any? What will be the rapport of the observer with the observed actors? What ethical considerations must e taken into account; if any problems – how will they be solved? b) Do you need to use a procedure for sampling? What kind of sampling? 9. How do you plan to ensure validity and reliability of the qualitative data? 10. Outline a Plan for Data Collection or Plan for Observation: procedures, sequences, number of observers and their relationships, procedures for note taking, etc. 11. Develop draft of instruments for observation/data collection (e.g. Standard Observation Recording Forms or SORFs, thematic outlines, questions for interview, and so on.) For ex, the SORF must contain the main fields in which you expect to record your notes from field observations… 12. Test your instruments in the field. What corrections did you have to make as a result of the test? How are they going to improve the quality of data? 13. What method (s) of data analysis you plan to use? What qualitative codes (categories) will be appropriate? (based on your answers in items 5-7 above); 14. How are you going to ensure reliability of the interpretation of patterns found in the data? 15. What do you expect to learn from your study and how your expected findings may improve our knowledge about the phenomenon and your main research question?