PAC Seminar – Class 3

Today’s plan Research design (15 minutes) Discuss the prospectus (20 minutes) Discuss human subjects research (20 minutes) Break for individualized time (remaining time)

Research Design

Best PAEs use multiple research methods

Goal is to find best ways to generate convincing evidence on client’s question

Research Methods on Demand has audio, video, text and examples about various methods

http://projects.iq.harvard.edu/hksresearchmethods

The Prospectus

Road map to your final product (show progress)Due October 26 at noon to me, advisor and clientComponents

Problem definition Methodology Sources of information Policy options Calendar Client responsibility (and budget)

Prospectus guidelines are on my websiteProspectus examples on HKS PAE website

Prospectus and Research Method Examples

Sarah Allin – Financial Aid in Mississippi Question Method(s)

Marcus Haggard – Extended Court Hours in MA Question Method(s)

Team – Health Insurance in VT Question Method(s)

1 Alexander Rothman 2 Robert Havdala 3 Anamika Dwivedi Da Eun Im Kelly Peaton Jiayin Xie Melissa Quick Paul Trompke Jooyeon Koo

4 David Truong 5 Katherine Luscomb 6 Lucy Boyd Subhadra Banda Nolin Greene Celia Segel Caitlin Ryan Jonathan Hui Mary Wright

7 Kimberly Branch 8 Victoria Jones 9 Michelle Miller Oscar Mairena Philip Ames Deena Zeplowitz Jennifer Angarita Portia Chipendo Audrey Baker

10 Samuel Salkin 11 Kristy Luk 12 Bryan Panzano Pamela Lachman Adam LaRose Caitlin Callahan Michael Good Hayling Price Lauren Viehbacher

13 Rachael Stephens 14 Marina Zhavoronkova Patrick Tighe Theodora Simon Daniel Lee Angela Rangel

Human Subjects Research

Our overarching goal is to protect the subjects of our research.You must e-mail me your research protocol (IRB form) by 10/26

Earlier is better if you’re doing potentially risky work

I will then read to determine who goes through IRB processCases that might require this include:

Surveys, focus groups, interviews (particularly of children, for example)

Identified data (where individuals could be identified by names or addresses)

Cases that don’t require this: Interviews of experts (client, employees) on policy issues; de-identified data

Full IRB process isn’t tough, so be as clear as you can on form.

What to do next

We do not meet as a class until the last week of the semester.Continue refining topic and start figuring out research methods.Start meeting regularly (every 2 weeks) with advisor (and me).Submit prospectus to me, advisor and client by 10/26 at noon.Submit human subjects research form to me by 10/26 at noon.