Research Methodology Quiz

Clinical Research Overview

• Clinical research involves interventions like medication, psychotherapy, new devices, or surgery/radiation therapy.
• Prevention research seeks to prevent disorders from returning. This can involve medicines, vitamins, vaccines, minerals, or lifestyle changes.
• Diagnostic research focuses on improving methods to identify disorders/conditions.
• Screening research aims to optimize the detection of disorders/conditions.
• Quality of life research focuses on improvements to comfort and quality of life for those with chronic illnesses.
• Genetic studies analyze genes and illnesses to improve disorder prediction, potentially leading to tailored treatments.
• Epidemiological studies seek to understand disorder patterns, causes, and control measures in population groups.
• Some clinical research is outpatient (participants stay overnight, meaning participants do not need to stay overnight at the hospital) and some is inpatient (participants require an overnight stay). Verify with the researchers' requirements.
• The scientific method in research is a cumulative process, each researcher building upon prior work by completing a thorough review of the literature.

Types of Research

• Clinical research
• Basic science research
• Translational research

How to Conduct Clinical Research

• Develop a research idea: Critical thinking, clinical background, active observation during clinical practice, and reading relevant clinical research.
• Review the literature: Identify keywords from the research question, develop search strategies (using databases like PubMed, Cochrane, Google Scholar, EBSCO, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Web of Knowledge, etc.)
• Formulate a hypothesis: Understand hypothesis types.
• Plan the study: Crucial step in the research process; proper planning ensures success. Poorly designed research can be misleading and may not be accepted in top journals.
• Pilot the study: A pilot study allows refining data collection, entry, and analysis methods. This helps discover any unanticipated problems.
• Gain ethical approval: Comply with institutional ethics committee (EC) or institutional review board (IRB) guidelines.
• Implement the study: Implement the planned study. Clinical skills are needed if the study involves interventions. Data collection tools like Redcap, Surveygizmo, etc. will also be needed. Data entry must be done correctly using Excel, GoogleSheets, etc.
• Analyze the data: Interpret data statistically using software such as SPSS, R, STATA, or SAS.
• Write a manuscript: Structure the manuscript by following standard reporting checklists and scientific writing rules. Ensure English proficiency.
• Publish the research: Develop presentation skills and the experience to address journal reviewer comments. Publications can be in peer-reviewed journals, or at academic conferences, nationally, regionally, or internationally.

Reviewing the Literature (Literature Search)

• Finding: Keywords and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH).
• Developing: Search strategy and Boolean operators.
• Searching: Electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, EMBASE, Google Scholar, EBSCO, SCOPUS, Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO).

Research Questions

• Writing effective research questions requires several steps:
  1. Selecting a topic.
  2. Conducting preliminary research on the topic.
  3. Considering the target audience.
  4. Asking relevant questions.
  5. Starting your research.
• Characteristics of a good research question:
•  Feasible
•  Interesting
•  Novel
•  Ethical
•  Relevant

Databases for Research

• PubMed: A search engine from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) offering access to Medline and life science journals.
• CINAHL: A database covering nursing and allied health research.
• EMBASE: An alternative to PubMed, covering international research on drugs and diseases, and covering research since 1974.
• Cochrane Library: An international research collaborative offering guidance for clinical decision-making using medical evidence. Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar are large interdisciplinary databases that contain research articles, abstracts, full-text articles, and more.

Troubleshooting Research Questions

• Difficulties in feasibility:
• Broader scope
• Inadequate subjects
• Unprecedented methods
• High costs
• Difficulties in other areas:
• Lack of interest and relevance
• Uncertain ethics

Each problem has suggested solutions to overcome the issue.

Test your knowledge on essential components of research methodology. This quiz covers planning, piloting, Boolean operators, and various types of clinical research. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their understanding of research principles.