ERIC Number: EJ1070282
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0360-1277
EISSN: N/A
Applying Research Methods to a Gerontological Population: Matching Data Collection to Characteristics of Older Persons
Weil, Joyce
Educational Gerontology, v41 n10 p723-742 2015
As Baby Boomers reach 65 years of age and methods of studying older populations are becoming increasingly varied (e.g., including mixed methods designs, on-line surveys, and video-based environments), there is renewed interest in evaluating methodologies used to collect data with older persons. The goal of this article is to examine data-collection methodologies commonly used with older persons (closed-ended, structured surveys with standardized scales, performance-based measures, secondary data sets, open-ended interviewing, grounded theory, and ethnographic work) to illustrate issues arising from the use of each research design with older adults in real-life settings. Experiences from five studies are included to show the potential role of normative age-related sensory and functional changes as well as the role of age and cohort upon method. Specific guidelines are provided about how to improve existing data-collection methods for older persons and ways to improve selection of methodologies for use in future research on aging.
Descriptors: Older Adults, Gerontology, Research Methodology, Data Collection, Research Design, Surveys, Interviews, Grounded Theory, Ethnography, Role, Sensory Integration, Aging (Individuals), Cognitive Ability, Performance Based Assessment, Mixed Methods Research
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A