Knotty Problems in Realist Evaluation:  Disentangling Theories at Multiple Levels
Dr Nicky Harris – Wednesday 16th March 1.30pm

The search for causality can generate theoretical insights at multiple levels which can become tangled together.  Using my PhD as an example I will share my top tips for clarity during theory development and describe how middle range theory provided a scaffold for the process. 

I am a paediatrician by background, working with children with complex needs/life-limiting conditions for 25 years.  As a latecomer to academia (and previously looking towards RCTs to provide my answers) learning to think like a realist has been rather a seismic shift.  I am about to submit my PhD, a realist evaluation about Ehealth and the Delivery of Person-Centred Care. (Dr Nicky Harris)

References 

Punton et al (2020) Reality Bites:  Making Realist Evaluation Useful in the Real World  CDI Practice paper, Institute of Development Studies

• https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/handle/20.500.12413/15147

Shearn et al 2017:  Building Realist Programme Theory for Large, Complex and Messy Interventions  International Journal of Qualitative Methods 16:1-11

• https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1609406917741796

 Booth & Carroll (2015) Systematic searching for theory to inform systematic reviews:  is it feasible?  Is it desirable?  Health Information and Libraries Journal vol 32(3), pp. 220-235

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26095232/

 Ammenwerth et al  2006  IT adoption and the interaction of task, technology and individuals

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision-Making vol 6(1)pp3

• https://bmcmedinformdecismak.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6947-6-3

 Kujala, Ammenwerth, Kolanen & Ervast, (2020) JMIR vol 22(8) e17696

Applying and Extending the FITT Framework to Identify the challenges and opportunities of successful ehealth services for patient self-management

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7450365/

 Brundage, Feldman-Stewart and Tishelman .  Acta oncologia 2010: 49(2);136-143.

How do interventions designed to improve provider-patient communication work?

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20100151/

 Integrated model of Person-centredness (Scholl 2014)

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25229640/

Punton et al (2016) Reflections on a Realist Evaluation in Progress:  Scaling Ladders and Stitching Theory  CDI Practice Paper, Institute of Development Studies

• https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/handle/20.500.12413/11254

 Gill Westhorp(2012) Using Complexity-consistent theory for evaluating complex systems Evaluation 18(4) 405-20

• https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1356389012460963

Previous Recordings

‘Realist (and Realistic!) Searching - Where do I start and how far do I go?’ presented by Dr Andrew Booth, 12th October 2020

·       https://mediaspace.nottingham.ac.uk/media/t/1_jwja39kt

‘Practical advice on conducting a Realism Synthesis_ Lessons learnt from  the MEMORABLE study’ presented by Dr Ian Maidment, 20th January 2021

·       https://mediaspace.nottingham.ac.uk/media/t/1_e49o5vkm

‘How do you keep community groups and activities for people affected by dementia going_ The SCI Dem realist review.’ presented by Thomas Morton, 25th March 2021

·       https://mediaspace.nottingham.ac.uk/media/t/1_vc1ys4dm

‘The development of a middle range theory as part of a realist(ic) evaluation’ presented by Dr Kate Jack, 20th April 2021

·       https://mediaspace.nottingham.ac.uk/media/t/1_x4dem3u9

‘Funding for realist research projects’ presented by Dr Brian Crosbie, Dr Nicola Clibbens and Professor Jo Rycroft-Malone, 6th May 2021

·       https://mediaspace.nottingham.ac.uk/id/1_oplt3ls8?width=400&height=285&playerId=13724441

‘The Realist PhD Viva’, panel event with Dr Andrew Booth, Dr Vicky Booth, Dr Rob Goodwin and Dr Kate Jacks, 7th July 2021

·        https://mediaspace.nottingham.ac.uk/media/Nottingham+Realism+Group+-+The+Realist+PhD+Viva/1_p2fw9nq0

‘Journey through a realist synthesis: travel companions, the path, diversions and destinations’, Dr Karen Luetsch, 8th September 2021

·       https://mediaspace.nottingham.ac.uk/media/Notts+Realism+Group+-+Journey+Through+a+Realist+Synthesis/1_go8csxjn

‘A journey through data analysis – from extraction to theories of middle range’
 Dr Brynne Gilmore – Thursday 9th December 1.30pm

·      https://mediaspace.nottingham.ac.uk/media/Notts+Realism+Group_+A+journey+through+data+analysis+%E2%80%93+from+extraction+to+theories+of+middle+range+-+Dr+Brynne+Gilmore/1_yfhheyds

‘Opening the black-box of retroductive theorizing’ Dr Ferdinand Mukumbang – Thursday 20th January 2022, 1.30pm

·      https://mediaspace.nottingham.ac.uk/media/t/1_pdg9j7kf#:~:text=https%3A//mediaspace.nottingham.ac.uk/media/Nottingham%2BRealism%2BGroup_Opening%2Bthe%2Bblack%2Dbox%2Bof%2Bretroductive%2Btheorizing_Dr%2BFerdinand%2BMukumbang/1_pdg9j7kf

‘I’ve found the swamp, now what?’ Becky Hunter – Tuesday 8th February 2022, 1.30pm

·  https://mediaspace.nottingham.ac.uk/media/Nottingham+Realism+Group+_I%27ve+found+the+swamp%2C+now+what_Becky+Hunter_Tuesday+8th+February+2022/1_ojno6hpi