Asking generative AI to formulate a Housing Studies dissertation proposal with 2 research issues and research methods comparison

Asking generative AI to formulate a Housing Studies dissertation proposal with 2 research issues and research methods comparison: on homelessness (information from perplexity.ai)

My question 1: "Please come up with a concrete Housing Studies theme based on the following keywords: rough sleeping in Hong Kong, humanities, pathways to homelessness, family support. The theme should be based on the research philosophy pragmatism."

The reply: "Pragmatic Housing Studies Theme

A concrete theme aligned with pragmatism is: "Assessing family support interventions as practical pathways to prevent rough sleeping among at-risk individuals in Hong Kong, using mixed methods to identify what works for sustainable housing outcomes."​

Pragmatic Justification

Pragmatism prioritizes practical problem-solving over rigid theory, employing mixed methods like quantitative precarity indicators (e.g., employment gaps, food insecurity) and qualitative narratives on family dynamics and humanities-informed lived experiences to evaluate real-world effectiveness. This approach addresses Hong Kong's context of housing insecurity and relational precarity, where weak family ties exacerbate rough sleeping despite structural challenges.​

Key Research Components

• Pathways Analysis: Map multi-dimensional routes to homelessness, emphasizing family support breakdowns via semi-structured interviews with rough sleepers and families.​

• Intervention Evaluation: Test pragmatic interventions (e.g., family mediation programs) through comparative case studies, measuring outcomes like tenure stability.​

• Humanities Integration: Incorporate narrative accounts to humanize data, blending with stats for policy-relevant insights on dignity and justice.​

This theme yields actionable recommendations, such as targeted family support policies, fitting Hong Kong's limited homelessness research."

My question 2: "Based on the research theme, please formulate a dissertation proposal with a dissertation report title, 2 research issues, 2 research objectives, and 2 primary research methods (including their data gathering tasks and data analysis tasks) to study each of the 2 research issues (i.e. 2 primary research methods to study housing issue 1 and 2 primary research methods to study housing issue 2). Also comment on the strengths and weaknesses on the research methods employed as well as the mutual complementary of these research methods used. Preferably, consider 2 relevant academic theories to inform the research methods proposed to be used."

The reply: "Dissertation Report Title

"Pragmatic Pathways: Evaluating Family Support Interventions to Prevent Rough Sleeping in Hong Kong"

Research Issues and Objectives

• Research Issue 1: What are the key pathways to rough sleeping in Hong Kong, focusing on how family support breakdowns contribute?
  Research Objective 1: To identify and map pathways leading to rough sleeping with emphasis on family dynamics.

• Research Issue 2: How effective are family support interventions in improving housing stability for those at risk of rough sleeping?
  Research Objective 2: To evaluate the impact of targeted family support programs on housing outcomes.

Primary Research Methods

For Research Issue 1 (Pathways to Rough Sleeping):

1. Quantitative Surveys

• Data Gathering: Structured questionnaires to at-risk individuals/families through NGOs, capturing demographics, family relations, and precarity indicators.

• Data Analysis: Statistical modeling (logistic regression, correlations) to identify predictors of rough sleeping related to family factors.

2. Qualitative Semi-Structured Interviews

• Data Gathering: Interviews with rough sleepers, family members, and service providers to explore narratives about family support breakdown and homelessness pathways.

• Data Analysis: Thematic analysis to detect recurring patterns and personal insights complementing quantitative data.

For Research Issue 2 (Family Support Intervention Effectiveness):

1. Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)

• Data Gathering: Randomly assign participants to intervention (family support programs) or control groups, measure housing stability outcomes over time.

• Data Analysis: Comparative statistical analysis (e.g., survival analysis, mixed-effects models) to assess intervention effectiveness.

2. Process Evaluation with Mixed Methods

• Data Gathering: Observations, service provider interviews, and participant feedback to understand intervention implementation and mechanisms.

• Data Analysis: Qualitative thematic synthesis alongside quantitative fidelity and dose measurements for comprehensive evaluation.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Methods

• Surveys offer broad generalizability and statistical rigor but may overlook contextual and emotional nuances in family dynamics.

• Interviews provide rich, detailed narratives, capturing complexities but are limited by smaller sample sizes and potential biases.

• RCTs provide high internal validity on intervention effectiveness but are resource-intensive and can be ethically and logistically challenging.

• Process evaluation enriches understanding of intervention contexts and mechanisms but may suffer from subjectivity and complexity in data integration.

Mutual Complementarity

These methods complement each other by combining breadth (surveys, RCT) and depth (interviews, process evaluation), aligning with pragmatism’s focus on actionable knowledge that is both empirically robust and sensitive to lived experiences. Quantitative data identify patterns and measure impact, while qualitative data explain how and why family support influences housing stability, aiding policy translation.

Theoretical Frameworks

• Housing First Theory underpins the intervention evaluation, emphasizing immediate housing access with support as critical to reducing homelessness.

• Cumulative (Dis)advantage Theory informs the pathways analysis by explaining how family support breakdowns accumulate risks leading to rough sleeping.

This proposed design ensures a practical, mixed-methods approach grounded in relevant theory to address homelessness and family support in Hong Kong effectively."

My question 3: "Provide 4 relevant academic references on this proposal topic in Harvard reference format."

The reply: "Here are four relevant academic references in Harvard format related to the proposal topic:

1. Gaetz, S., Scott, F. and Gulliver, T., 2013. The Housing First Model: Ending Homelessness, Promoting Recovery and Reducing Justice System Involvement. European Journal of Homelessness, 7(2), pp.285-306.

2. Burt, M.R., Pearson, C.L. and Montgomery, A.E., 2007. Cumulative Disadvantage and Homelessness. Washington, DC: Urban Institute.

3. Pleace, N. and Bretherton, J., 2013. Housing First: The State of the Evidence. European Journal of Homelessness, 7(2), pp.113-137.

4. Morgan, D.L., 2014. Pragmatism as a Paradigm for Social Research. Qualitative Inquiry, 20(8), pp.1045-1053.

These references cover Housing First theory, cumulative disadvantage theory related to homelessness, and pragmatism as a research philosophy, directly supporting the dissertation proposal framework."

A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.