Research Possibilities
Surveys, diagrams and more...
Online research has the possibility to provide data in many formats. There are, of course, many stadardized questionnaires that have been developed and validated over the years. Many forms of data gathering are also graphic as well. Images of a human form can be used to detail specifically where a study participant has a complaint.
The online form could also help minimize study bias or variablity. With online help systems, study administrators can insure all participants recieve the appropriate 'canned' answer to questions. It has also been shown that the person administering a test can alter a participants response by their gender or status. The interface of a computer should essentially neutralize this effect.
What type of Questionnaires are there?
There have been many questionnaires developed over the years. They study things ranging from mood and depression to pain and functioning.
However, validating these questionnaires often lags behind. Essentially each study has to be validated for a particular study population. For a study examining pain, it might first be evaluated in adults with patients with shingles, in English. However, to be used in spanish, it should be revalidated in spanish speaking adults with shingles. Then, to use that study for patients with migraines, it would need to be revalidated (preferably in each language...) for migraine patients.
Often questionnaires will be used in populations where they haven't been validated. This may be because there is some overlap with prior populations, or there aren't resources available to validate the test. This can produce reliable results, but it may not.
The Navigation bar to the left can direct you to specifics about particular questionnaires that have been developed.
Potential for dynamic content
Far from being simple, fixed questions there is the possibility to dynamically create study content based on prior answers. In an ideal world, this would allow for shorter, yet more detailed studies. Often in study design there is the necessity to balance information obtained and the burden placed upon study participants. By having more intelligent questionnaires, there would be less conflict here.
Participants can be put off by a questionniare of several hundred questions. However, if you were able to eliminate later questions based on preliminary answers you might be abIe to reduce a questionnaire from two hundred questions to seventy-five. Yet, on those participants who need the two hundred questions, you haven't lost the ability to capture your data.
Potential for interactive content
Standard questionnaires are limited in what they can test. Reaction times, for example, traditionally require something beyond the pencil and paper of a questionnaire. Generally, this would limit testing like this to a research lab or clinic. However, the internet based studies can go beyond these limits. Reaction times, coordination and other physical parameters can be measured in electronic media.
While not being able to control the environment that testing occurs in, it would allow for serial testing. So, for example, the reaction times of participants may be tracked over several months as they begin a new medication. Since the testing would typically be performed using the same household computer each time, more frequent testing over longer periods could accomodate for variations more easily.
