VCU PROJECT EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATIONS OF RESEARCH: FOUNDATION, IMPORTANCE AND KEY ELEMENTS Kelli Williams Gary, Ph.D., MPH, OTR/L Post-doctoral Research Fellow

Importance of Research  Someone you know today is alive because of research.

Importance of Research  Today you are more aware of the nutritional value of food due to research.

Importance of Research  Today you can travel from New York to California in less than 5 hours due to research.

Foundations “Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.” Zora Neale Hurston  Definition of Research  Systematic inquiry that uses disciplined methods to answer questions or solve problems. State the problem Define the purpose How to gather the information How to organize and analyze the information How the information is interpreted

Foundations  Designed to extend the base of information for increasing knowledge.  Application of imaging studies  Development of animal models  Studies of genetic variables  Designed to focus on finding solutions to existing problems.  Research on the development of preventative interventions  Research that examines the influence of race, culture and socio-economic status on the etiology  Research that examines mediating and moderating variables in the trajectory Basic Research Applied Research

Foundations  Action Research  Based on premise that production of knowledge can be political and can be used to exert power. Participatory Action Research Researchers work with communities that are vulnerable to dominant group or culture. Key objective is to produce an impetus that is directly used to make improvements through education and sociopolitical action.

Foundations  Types of Variables  Continuous Can assume an infinite number of variables of values between two points.  Categorical Small range of values that do not inherently represent a quantity. Dichotomous variables.  Discrete A finite number between two points representing discrete quantities.

Foundations  Types of Variables  Independent variables The presumed cause. Sometimes called criterion variable.  Dependent variables The presumed effect. Sometimes called outcome variable.

Types of Research Design QuantitativeDefinitionResearch Question Retrospective DesignsPhenomenon that exist in present and is linked to phenomenon in past. What effect did pre-injury lifestyle factors between minorities and non-minorities have on first-time noncardioembiolic stroke? Correlational DesignsAttempts to understand the relationship among phenomenon that naturally occurs without intervention. What is the relationship between minority status and acute length of stay after mod. to severe TBI? Prospective DesignsBegin with a presumed cause and look forward in time for its effect. What effect did individualized vocational services have on employment status of minority SCI patients at 1 year post-injury. QualitativeDefinitionResearch Question EthnographyIn depth inquiry that involves the description and interpretation of cultural behavior through field work and written text. How do minorities in urban areas view disability?

Types of Research Design Integration of Qualitative and Quantitative DefinitionResearch Question Triangulated DesignsBoth quantitative and qualitative methods are used to describe the same phenomenon. Quantitative—How prevalent is chronic disability among inner-city minority communities? Qualitative—How is chronic disability experienced by inner-city minorities?

Ethics and Research  Institutional Review Board (IRB)  Group of people that monitors research designed to obtain information from or about human subjects. Members of an IRB come from multiple research disciplines and from the communities in which the research is conducted.  Objectively assess the risk/benefits of research to protect research subjects’ rights.  Full review, expedited review, and exempt.