Research Methods for

Development

Week 2, Session 2
Dr. Hina Khalid

1
Reading a scientific paper

• How to read a scientific paper?

• What were the main points reflected
in the Hogan C. reading?
• What steps did they highlight?

2
Sticky Dollars: Inertia in the Evolution of Federal
Allocations for HIV Care through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS
Class activity # 1
Program
Erika G. Martin, PhD MPH and Patricia S. Keenan, PhD MHS

What is the anatomy of the paper?

What is the research question?
What is the methodology?
Measurement? Dependent and independent variables?
Is there use of theory/theories?

3
 What is the anatomy of the paper?
Abstract , Motivation, Introduction , Methods, Results, Discussion

What is the research question?

We examine whether block grant allocations to states from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS
Program have evolved in response to major technological and political changes.
( dependent variable : Compare dollar-per-case allocations.

What is the methodology?

Class Quantitative research, regression analysis.

We estimated five separate regression models to compare dollar-per-case allocations
(dependent variable) to states' initial allocations (primary independent variable) and

activity the standards of equity (one model per standard).

Measurement?
(contd.) Table 1

Is there use of theory/theories?

Draw upon 4 theories to hypothesize underlying political mechanisms for inertia in
federal allocation formulas: path dependency, redistributive politics, interest group
politics and punctuated equilibrium.
We derived five distributional equity standards that are specific to RW, which we use
as counterfactuals to test for policy inertia.

4
Class activity # 2

Political and Governance Challenges to Achieving Global HIV Goals with

Injecting Drug Users: The Case of Pakistan
Hina Khalid, Ashley M. Fox

What is the anatomy of the paper?

What is the research question?
What is the methodology?
Measurement? Dependent and independent variables?
Is there use of theory/theories?
5
 Mapping geographical inequalities in access
to drinking water and sanitation facilities in
low-income and middle-income countries,
2000–17 

Class Local Burden of Disease WaSH

Collaborators* 

activity What is the anatomy of the paper?

#3
What is the research question?
What is the methodology?
Is there use of theory/theories?

6
References

• Scroll to the bottom of the paper. There is a

reference list
• What are references?
• What are referencing styles?
• https://pitt.libguides.com/citationhelp
• Class activity # 4
• Cite the article in the following formats
• APA
• MLA
• Chicago
• AMA

7
MLA
• Martin, E. G., and P. S. Keenan. “Sticky Dollars: Inertia in the Evolution
of Federal Allocations for HIV Care through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS
Program.” Publius: The Journal of Federalism, vol. 41, no. 1, 2009, pp.
101–125., doi:10.1093/publius/pjp041.

APA and others?