Maintaining high quality of data over time in longitudinal research

Smith, C. (2017) ‘Longitudinal research: Transition of adult basic education students to college’, SAGE Research Methods Cases. doi:10.4135/9781526406040

This case study highlights the author’s efforts to secure the quality of data in a longitudinal study. The author discusses three principle challenges: (1) to get the data, (2) get high-quality data and (3) to keep the data organized. The example comes from studying students’ transition to college.

1. What type of strategies would you use to keep track of participants in your study if it was a longitudinal study?
2. Which threads do you see for the quality of data and analysis in such a study?
    

Feeding back research with systematic reviews

Virdun, C., Luckett, T., Lorenz, K., Davidson, P., and Phillips, J. (2017) ‘Analyzing consumer priorities for hospital end-of-life care using a systematic review to inform policy and practice,’ SAGE Research Methods Cases. doi:10.4135/9781526424884

This case study presents and discusses an approach to summarize research findings in a way that they can be used for informing audiences from policy and practice and aiming at making impact with research.

1. How far is the single research study still visible and identifiable in such a systematic review?
2. How far will readers in policy and practice contexts struggle with understanding such a review?