Shape of things to come: Factors affecting an ethnographic study in radiation therapy

The research process is a series of stages necessary to establish the integrity, value, and feasibility of a proposal. Part of the preparation is in understanding the process and factors that can contour a study. The aim of this paper is to outline the hidden factors that may be experienced when und...

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Main Authors: Merchant, Susan, Halkett, Georgia, O'Connor, Moira
Format: Journal Article
Published: Cambridge University Press 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/45282
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author Merchant, Susan
Halkett, Georgia
O'Connor, Moira
author_facet Merchant, Susan
Halkett, Georgia
O'Connor, Moira
author_sort Merchant, Susan
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The research process is a series of stages necessary to establish the integrity, value, and feasibility of a proposal. Part of the preparation is in understanding the process and factors that can contour a study. The aim of this paper is to outline the hidden factors that may be experienced when undertaking qualitative research. Although the participants are the main players of the study additional influences also require recognition to allow transparency of the project and the researcher’s stance. The guidance of university supervisors has the potential to influence the researcher’s perspective and the effectiveness of the study. Negotiation with clinical staff can add another dimension. Ethics committees are composed of individuals with varied expertise, bringing their points of view into the discussion and decision making, impacting further on the proposed research. It is important for medical radiations professionals who become involved in research to be aware of these factors and how they may influence a project and to acknowledge the impact of the perspectives of the researcher on the project. The significance of this paper is to provide novice researchers, an understanding of the influence, hidden factors play on the results of qualitative research with particular reference to ethnography.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-452822017-09-13T16:03:54Z Shape of things to come: Factors affecting an ethnographic study in radiation therapy Merchant, Susan Halkett, Georgia O'Connor, Moira radiation therapy research students qualitative research radiation therapists ethnography The research process is a series of stages necessary to establish the integrity, value, and feasibility of a proposal. Part of the preparation is in understanding the process and factors that can contour a study. The aim of this paper is to outline the hidden factors that may be experienced when undertaking qualitative research. Although the participants are the main players of the study additional influences also require recognition to allow transparency of the project and the researcher’s stance. The guidance of university supervisors has the potential to influence the researcher’s perspective and the effectiveness of the study. Negotiation with clinical staff can add another dimension. Ethics committees are composed of individuals with varied expertise, bringing their points of view into the discussion and decision making, impacting further on the proposed research. It is important for medical radiations professionals who become involved in research to be aware of these factors and how they may influence a project and to acknowledge the impact of the perspectives of the researcher on the project. The significance of this paper is to provide novice researchers, an understanding of the influence, hidden factors play on the results of qualitative research with particular reference to ethnography. 2011 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/45282 10.1017/S1460396911000033 Cambridge University Press fulltext
spellingShingle radiation therapy
research students
qualitative research
radiation therapists
ethnography
Merchant, Susan
Halkett, Georgia
O'Connor, Moira
Shape of things to come: Factors affecting an ethnographic study in radiation therapy
title Shape of things to come: Factors affecting an ethnographic study in radiation therapy
title_full Shape of things to come: Factors affecting an ethnographic study in radiation therapy
title_fullStr Shape of things to come: Factors affecting an ethnographic study in radiation therapy
title_full_unstemmed Shape of things to come: Factors affecting an ethnographic study in radiation therapy
title_short Shape of things to come: Factors affecting an ethnographic study in radiation therapy
title_sort shape of things to come: factors affecting an ethnographic study in radiation therapy
topic radiation therapy
research students
qualitative research
radiation therapists
ethnography
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/45282