Basics of the Data Management and Data Analysis Methods - Essay Example

This journal article critique is a review of the article titled “Access to Care, Health Status, and Health Disparities in the United States and Canada: Results of a Cross-National Population-Based Survey” and is an examination of the article content, description of the problem, a review of the methodology and analysis and discussion of the findings. Observations and suggestions for improvement are included. Title The subject article has a title that is understable and it gives an overall picture of what the article is all about. However, the title is too long, having 20 words. Katz (2009), states that the title of an article should be concise and should sound interesting but must not be funny. The subject article failed to meet the first requirement (pp. 26-39). Literature review The review of the literature of the subject article can be considered good, because the writers have been able to show the various existing bodies of knowledge and research studies that had been done and performed before the actual writing of the subject article. This can be seen in different tables, studies and authors that have been mentioned in the subject article. According to Day (2008), a good starting point for the literature review is to identify the most significant works that have been published on the chosen topic or theme (pp. 14-36). In addition, the literature review article topic shows the most significant studies that have been established on the matter. The methodology and processes that had been applied need to be stated. According to Day (2008), it is important in a qualitative report not to use each piece of research known in the field or to give a critical review of all literature, but to only give the major relevant studies, including the methodological approaches and procedures used by the relevant studies (pp. 112-126). Because of that review of previous research and studies on the research topic, the writers were able to gain knowledge about the human experience, thus helping to broaden the understanding of the research problem, illustrate a point, demonstrate the need for investigation, and describe aspects of health care in Canada and the United States. Above all, the literature review was able to show the gap in the knowledge that it intends to cover. Gaps in knowledge are manifested due to the collection of the different studies, and therefore the research question had been linked to literature. That is why at the end of the review of the literature, the reader will have no doubt that research can meet the target of the investigation (Day, 2008, pp. 96-116). Sample and Setting Description The sample and setting aspects in the subject article have been described in sufficient detail. The writers have been able to show and describe the parameters of the article, from the organizations that are involved, along with information about the people and countries that were needed in the article, as well as the time period. In qualitative research, the sample was intentional, not fixed from the beginning. People that were intended for the study are in the sample. It is important to identify the informant, who they were, how many were elected and the reason for the elections. It is also important to tell readers about how the samples were obtained, and describe the environment in which the study topic took place. Moreover, the inclusion of theoretical sampling should also be explained (Cargill & O'Connor, 2009, pp. 66-89). Approach used to recruit participants or to gain access to countries The subject article has presented the approach that was used to recruit participants and access the countries. The article shows the countries that participated and the approach that was used in accessing the people from the different countries. The information about the participants from past surveys can be considered as adequate, since the surveys were carried out jointly by the Canadian and United States governments, and the writers have also followed the ethical issues and considerations because they have kept the participants of the surveys anonymous. Data management and Data Analysis Methods The analysis of the data has been explained, including the different aspects of how the data were coded and categorized, and how theoretical construction was generated from data (Katz, 2009, pp. 76-98). The process in which the data were collected is broken down, analyzed, compared and conceptualized and categorized (Katz, 2009, pp. 76-98). For the purpose of the subject of the article, the processes and methods that were used in data management and data analysis and categorization has been identified and described. In addition, one can see the strategy that was used in data analysis that is consistent with the tradition of research as well as the nature and type of data it collected. Moreover, the comprehensive data collection and analysis in the subject article focuses on the process of discovery and investigation of views and opinions of participants about their experiences with race, poverty and immigration status. Qualitative content analysis has been done in the identification of different categories (Katz, 2009, pp. 101-112). Findings Tsi & Yang (1995) stated that the conclusions of an article must be made in relation to the themes identified from the data and all the issues raised should be supported by proof from the original source of data (pp. 65-83). Therefore, it must be shown in detail in the original words of the participants, the details of their experiences with health care provision. The use of exceptional characteristics in results will identify the various issues that were established in the outcome of data analysis that provide insightful, provocative and meaningful picture of the phenomenon being investigated (Tsi & Yang, 1995, pp. 45-76). These characteristics of the results can be seen in the article, because the results are from different groups and categories of people. Discussion, implications and limitations for practice and research It is important for research to connect or link their interpretation and discussion of recent studies and research to earlier findings that have been made and published, which is due to the fact that it may help the writers to know if the earlier studies remain applicable or not. Limiting the article subject is considered one of the most important parts of any research and the resulting article. This is due to the fact that it allows the creation of borders and restrictions on the topic covered by the article, and that will help in categorizing the article. In the case of the subject article, the authors had been able to connect their limitations to the interpretation of data, focusing on the fact that the sample cannot be regarded as the representative of all individuals. In addition, the discussion and interpretation given focus on the relevance of the participants from Canada and United States. Conclusion and recommendation According to Day (2008), a research should dedicate the conclusion to formulation of recommendations and interpretation of data (pp. 119-123). The subject article should also have included practical applications of its findings, and further studies on the topic should be recommended. The subject article must have been clear as to the further justification and proper evaluation of the matter. In the conclusion of the article, the writers should have given readers an over-analysis of the topic under discussion. The article should not have left the readers assuming things that may or may not happen. References Cargill, M. & O'Connor, P. (2009). Writing scientific research articles: Strategy and steps. John Wiley and Sons. Day, R. (2008). How to write and publish a scientific paper. 7th ed. Cambridge University Press. Katz, M. (2009). From research to manuscript: A guide to scientific writing. 2nd ed. Springer science. Tsi, J. & Yang, J. (1995). An outline of scientific writing. World Scientific. Read More