Systematic and Rigorous Process of Enquiry, Which

¶ … systematic and rigorous process of enquiry, which aims to describe phenomena and to develop and test explanatory concepts and theories. Ultimately, it aims to contribute to a scientific body of knowledge. It aims to improve health, health outcomes, and health services (Bowling, 2002, p. 1). Health research has been de-ned in relation to health generally. As well as having an emphasis on health services, it has an important role in informing the planning and operation of services aiming to achieve health (p.3).

One method and type of study design in health research is the case study. Creswell (2009), explains that there are three groups of research, quantitative, qualitative (which includes case study), and mixed methods. Yin (2009), explains that using case studies for research purposes remains one of the most challenging of all social science endeavors. The writer breaks this method into two parts: literature review, and secondly acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of case study research. The case study is used in various different ways, to contribute to one's knowledge of individual, group, and organization, social, political, and related phenomena. The book goes on to mention that though case studies are a widely used method, there are others that warrant consideration, and may at times prove to be more beneficial to one's research. The other methods included experimentation, a survey, a history, and an analysis of records.

Creswell (2009), adds that there are important components involved in a design. He explains that a framework for design includes philosophical worldviews (post-positivism, constructivism, advocacy/participatory, & pragmatism), selected strategies of inquiry and research methods. Creswell goes on to state that individual researchers have a freedom of choice to choose the method they utilize. Lastly, he confirms and adds that a case study is a strategy of inquiry in which the researcher explores in depth a program, event, activity, process, or one or more individuals. Cases are bound by time and activity, and researchers collect detailed information using a variety of data collection procedures over a specific period.

Yin (2009), also made an important depiction into the relationship of the research question and one's research. He explains that defining the research questions is probably the most important step to be taken in a research study, so the researcher should be patient and allow sufficient time for this task. A research question needs to have substance and form. The form of the question can provide an important clue regarding the appropriate research method to use. Creswell (2009), explained in his writing that a significant part of the framework is the research method utilized. This involves what the forms of data collection, analysis, and interpretation that the researcher proposes for their study.

Research methods should not be seen in isolation from each other. A triangulated or combined methodological approach to addressing different facets of a research issue, using different methods, which complement each other, is increasingly recommended as a means of establishing the external validity of the research. In the same way in which prospective, longitudinal surveys can inform the results from randomized controlled trials, so qualitative research results can enhance quantitative survey data by placing the latter into real social contexts and enhancing understanding of relevant social processes (Bowling, 2002, p. 2).