Fundamentals of research methodology for healthcare professionals

Description

Front cover Tilte page Imprint page Contents About the authors Preface Chapter 1: Orientation to health sciences research What is research? Definitions of research What is health sciences research? Ways of acquiring knowledge Tradition Authorities Logical reasoning Experience Trial and error Intuition Borrowing The scientific method Limitations of the scientific method Main types of scientific research Reasons for conducting health sciences research Roles of healthcare professionals in research Using research knowledge to promote evidence-based practice The hierarchy of evidence Systematic and integrative reviews Chapter 2: Research and theory The nature of scientific theory Definitions of theory Types of theory Theory-related terms Development of theory Testing of theory The relationship between theory and research Chapter 3: Ethical considerations in the conduct of health sciences research Codes of ethical research Fundamental ethical principles Principle of respect for persons Principle of beneficence Principle of justice Procedures and mechanisms for protecting human rights Informed consent Issues relating to informed consent The risk–benefit ratio Scientific honesty and other responsibilities Ethics review boards and committees Evaluation of the ethical elements of a research proposal or report Chapter 4: An overview of the research process The research process Major phases and steps in the research process Phase 1: The conceptual phase Phase 2: The empirical phase Phase 3: The interpretive phase Phase 4: The communication phase Research setting Chapter 5: Selecting or identifying research problems What is a research topic? Research problem and purpose Origins of research problems Considerations regarding research problems Formulating a research problem Chapter 6: The literature review Definitions Purpose of the literature review Types of information and sources 1. Facts, statistics and research findings 2. Theories or interpretations 3. Methods and procedures 4. Opinions, beliefs or points of view 5. Anecdotes, clinical impressions or narrations of incidents and situations Primary and secondary sources Depth and breadth of the review Developing a search strategy Using libraries and electronic databases Identifying sources Locating sources Compiling lists of identified sources and searching for them The review process Systematically recording references Determining additional ways of locating sources Reading sources critically Writing the review report Evaluating the research review Chapter 7: Refining and defining the research question Refining the research question Research questions Example 1 Example 2 Research hypotheses Types of hypotheses Research aims and objectives Example 3 Identifying variables Types of variables Defining variables Research proposal Chapter 8: Quantitative research Important concepts and principles inquantitative research designs Rigour Causality Probability Bias Triangulation Basic and applied research Time dimension in research Classification of research designs Experimental designs Non-experimental designs Epidemiological research Epidemiological process Evaluating quantitative research designs Chapter 9: Qualitative research designs Searching the literature in qualitative research Phenomenology Ethnography Grounded theory Philosophical inquiry Rigour in qualitative research Choice of research design Chapter 10: Sampling Basic sampling concepts Population Sampling frame Parameter and statistics A representative sample Sampling error Sampling bias Sampling approaches Probability or random sampling Non-probability sampling Sample choice Sample size Sample adequacy Chapter 11: Data collection The data-collection process What data will be collected? How will data be collected? Who will collect the data? Where will the data be collected? When will the data be collected? Data-collection techniques Observation Self-report techniques Physiological measures Other techniques Chapter 12: Data quality Types of error Random errors Systematic errors Sources of measurement error Participant factors Researcher factors Environmental factors Instrumentation factors Validity of data-collection instruments Content validity Face validity Criterion-related validity Construct validity Validity of qualitative data Reliability of data-collection instruments Stability Internal consistency Equivalence reliability Relationship between reliability and validity Trustworthiness Other factors affecting data quality Sensitivity Efficiency Appropriateness Ability to generalise The pilot study and pre-test Measurement evaluation Chapter 13: Data analysis Analysis of quantitative data Choosing appropriate statistical procedures Descriptive statistics Inferential statistics Use of graphics Interpretation of quantitative data Analysis of qualitative data Data-analysis evaluation Chapter 14: Research reports and report evaluation Purpose of a research report Report formats Sections of the report The title Abstract Introduction to the study Literature review Research methodology Research design and strategy Participants Instrument and data collection Data analysis Results or findings Discussion References Style of the report Technical layout of the report The ethics of report writing Critical evaluation of the report Productive writing Bibliography Index