PHD Discussions Logo

Ask, Learn and Accelerate in your PhD Research

Question Icon Post Your Answer

Question Icon

3 years ago in Data , Research Design By Nkumardo

Is the data charting process explained, including the development of the charting form and what variables were extracted?

During our pilot extraction, we realized our form was missing crucial variables, leading to wasteful re-work. I'm asking to understand the standards for reporting this developmental stage. Should a methodology simply state "data was extracted," or must it detail the form's evolution, the variables chosen (like author, year, population, key outcome), and the piloting process?

All Answers (1 Answers In All)

By Rutuja Pathare Answered 3 months ago

I treat the charting form as the bedrock of the entire review. From experience, a vague description here raises red flags. I would recommend explicitly detailing a multi-stage process: First, developing the form based on the research questions, listing the specific variables (e.g., participants, intervention, methodology, outcomes). Second, piloting it on a sample of studies and refining it for clarity. Third, describing who performed the extraction and how consistency was checked. This shows deliberate, rigorous design rather than an ad-hoc approach.

 

Your Answer