MINAZ SHAIKH

Research MU 1435 Dr. Salameh Al Dajah

WhatWhywhoWhere

 Research is a method of asking and answering question as well as the method of extracting answers from observation.  Research is the studying of a problem in pursuit of a definite objective so it is a search for new knowledge.

 What is clinical research  Clinical research is a structured process of investigating facts and theories and exploring connections.  It proceeds in a systematic way to examine:  Clinical conditions and outcomes,  To establish relationships among clinical phenomena,  To generate evidence for decision making,  And to provide the moving force for improving methods of practice. Research MU 1435 Dr. Salameh Al Dajah

 Physical therapists members of the profession are likely to be the best researchers for building the body of knowledge for the profession. Qualifications of a researcher: CuriosityTechnical skill ImaginationKnowledge of mathematics Critical judgmentObservational abilities HonestGood memory Variety of experiencesPatience Ability to write clearlyHumanity

1. To establish a body of knowledge.  developing systematic ways of testing the means by which we meet the physical therapy needs of our clients.  Research is a foundation for decision making  We need to document what we do; how we do it; what effect it has on our clients; and what effect it has compared with no treatment, other physical therapy techniques, or other health care approaches. Research MU 1435 Dr. Salameh Al Dajah

2. Te determine the efficacy of your treatment or techniques.  To view PT as a independent profession by other profession  To obtain appropriate reimbursement for our services.  To validate and defend your practice.  Using US vs. hot pack or combined. Research MU 1435 Dr. Salameh Al Dajah

 Description (What is the nature of the phenomenon, and the key characters)  Explanation (why the phenomenon occur )  Prediction (When and how it occurs)  Control (what will be the outcome) Research MU 1435 Dr. Salameh Al Dajah

3. To provide development opportunities for PT  to provide intellectual challenges and professional development for physical therapists.  Too many PT and less jobs  Only bright and motivated PT will get the job. Research MU 1435 Dr. Salameh Al Dajah

4. To improve patient care  the most important one.  Decide which treatment has or has not been supported by research.  For example, Wessling and coworkers found that a combined program of static stretch and ultrasound produced greater range-of-motion gains than did static stretch alone. 5. To promote your profession.  All of the above will enhance your practice and advance your profession Research MU 1435 Dr. Salameh Al Dajah

 Lack of Familiarity with the Research Process.  The language of research and data analysis is specialized.  Student must do, critical analysis, group research..  Lack of Statistical Support for Research.  Lack of Funds for Research.  research is not a revenue-producing activity like patient care or teaching, administrators.  Lack of Time. Research MU 1435 Dr. Salameh Al Dajah

 Literature.  Practice.  Conversation with colleagues,  Conferences.  Accidentally.  Informal (anecdotal) observation.  From on going research. Research MU 1435 Dr. Salameh Al Dajah

1. Identify a topic. 2. Search and review the literature. 3. Define a topic. 4. State a general question or problem. 5. Phrase an operationally defined hypothesis. 6. Plan the methods to test the hypothesis. 7. Collect data. 8. Analyze data and interpret the results. 9. Write about the findings.

 Research problem Is the subject or the focus of the study  Research purpose Is an explicit statement of the goals of a study. It identifies the variables that will be investigated  d analysis Research MU 1435 Dr. Salameh Al Dajah

 Research sub-problems  Definitions of key terms  Literature review Review related articles which serves to explore the research problem and variables  Organizing framework  Study design  Data collection and analysis Research MU 1435 Dr. Salameh Al Dajah

New Questions Arise Results Interpreted Data Collected Question Identified Hypotheses Formed Research Plan Closed-loop conceptualization of the research process (Drew, Hardman, and Hart, 1996)

 The first step in a research process is to define the problem that is to be studied.  Define the area you want to study.  I want to do a study about the knee joint.  Then ask the research question:  "What is the relationship between hamstring strength and knee stability in patients with anterior cruciate ligament tears?"  "Does use of ice massage improve hip range of motion in children with spastic diplegia?“  The researchers need to focus on problems within the profession, not on questions they want to answer.

 The process of moving from a general topic to a specific research question involves four sets of ideas: 1. Topic identification and selection, 2. Problem identification and selection, 3. Theoretical framework identification and selection, 4. Question identification and selection.  At each step in the process, researchers must generate many ideas and then select and focus on an idea and keep the other for further study.

 3 Types ◦ Descriptive questions ◦ Difference questions ◦ Relationship questions

 Hypothesis ◦ A belief or prediction of the eventual outcome of the research ◦ A concrete, specific statement about the relationships between phenomena ◦ Based on deductive reasoning  Theory ◦ A belief or assumption about how things relate to each other ◦ A theory establishes a cause-and-effect relationship between variables with a purpose of explaining and predicting phenomena ◦ Based on inductive reasoning

Hypotheses Theories Laws In an ideal world…

 Hypotheses: ◦ ‘a predicted answer to a research question’, in which the predicted effect of the intervention to be tested is defined. ◦ A statement of a relationship between characteristics that vary (variables).

 Hypotheses: ◦ 2 types of hypotheses:  Null hypothesis (H O )  All is equal; no differences exist.  the results of an experiment can be interpreted only in terms of an intervention has no effect on the outcome under study. For example, there would be no difference between the test group and the control group.  Alternative (research) hypothesis (H A )  Usually specific and opposite to the null.

 Search and review existing literature to: ◦ provide perspective on how similar questions or problems have been examined in the past ◦ help in planning the methods to test the hypothesis of the current study (discussions, limitations, and suggestions for future research)  The methods must focus on the variables of interest and how these variables will be measured or evaluated so as to best answer the research question.  Research questions drive the research methods … and the methods need to be flexible, broad, and available for clinic use (i.e., practical).

 "the literature" means the works you consulted in order to understand and investigate your research problem.  discusses published information in a particular subject area.  A literature review is an essential part of the proposal writing process.

 The platform on which you will build your argument.  It places your research in context within your discipline  Demonstrates how your research improves your discipline.  Tell your reader what other researchers have done and what is need to be done.  Help you to develop a research question.  To know what is valid and what is not.  Which of the questions does this literature review answer? And which is not?

 What do we already know in the immediate area concerned?  What are the existing theories?  Where are the inconsistencies or other shortcomings in our knowledge and understanding?  What evidence is lacking, inconclusive, contradictory or too limited?  What contribution can the present study be expected to make?  What research designs or methods seem unsatisfactory?

 Journal articles  How to do a research.  If your idea has been investigated before.  Books  Conference  Helpful in providing information on which people are currently involved in which research areas proceedings government and corporate reports.  Newspapers and magazines  Helpful as providers of information about recent trends, discoveries or changes. Not count as a reference for subject  Theses and dissertations  Internet  Official and e-journal sites  Data base (Medline, pub med, EBISCO, Elsevier,….)  CD-ROM  Bibliographies are being put onto CD-ROM.

 Primary source:  The original resource, article, theses,…..  Secondary sources:  Review article and books

 Based on your question, determine the area you intend to search.  Choose a key word (exist in each article).  Narrow you search.  Summarize each study related to your question.  Evaluate each study,  Compare and contrast the finding.  Refine your question if necessary.  State your purpose of your study.

 Make a summery of each study,  What is the purpose of the study.  Briefly describe Sample and population.  What is the main result of the study.  What is the main conclusion of the study.  What your evaluation of the study (criticize the research)

 How will present the sources within the body of your paper.  Start with an introduction related to your topic  start to focus on the research subject  present sources and argument:  Chronological or publication  according to when they were published  Thematic  organized around a topic or issue  Methodological  it focuses on the "methods" of the researcher or writer