RESEARCH 101: GETTING STARTED IN CLINICAL RESEARCH

Francine Miller, William C. Miller, and Jan Miller Polgar

 

 

Developed by Linda Peritz, Bill Miller and Ben Mortenson for Bridges 4, a research discussion day for Occupational Therapists. (January 16, 2001). © Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre, 2001.

A GOOD RESEARCH QUESTION IS VITAL

The starting point of clinical research is a clinical observation or irritation, something in your practice about which you want to know more. This workshop will focus on how to translate your observations or clinical irritations into a sound research question. Why is a good research question important? Why spend so much time thinking about and refining the research question?

A good research question is vital for a successful research project. First and foremost, it drives the research by providing a focus for the project, identifying the population and the variables of interest. Your initial question often is not very specific so must be refined in order to be answered. You need to consider your interest and motivation to answer the question, your target population and outcome variables.

The research question determines whether a quantitative or qualitative design is most appropriate. Usually, in rehabilitation research, the research question drives the method, not the opposite. Some areas of interest are best answered using qualitative designs because little is known and an in-depth investigation is desired.  Once the qualitative/quantitative determination is made, a specific design can be identified.  Data analysis also may be suggested by the question.

In the conduct of any research project, there are times when enthusiasm wanes.  A research question that is in an area that you find exciting will motivate you to continue.  A well-defined research question keeps you focused and on track during these times.  So, while it seems like a small part of the research, a well-designed question is the keystone that holds the project together.

 

CLINICAL OBSERVATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Clinical observations and experiences are the starting point in clinical research.  Your observations or experience may results in any of the following issues in your practice:

c                for which you don’t have an answer

c                that pique your interest

 

Answers to your questions:

c                may provide support for your practice

c                may help guide your decision making

 

 

DO A LITERATURE SEARCH

As you begin to clarify and define your question, the literature is an important source of information. It is important to discover what aspects of your observations or experiences have been investigated, and how well. In addition, you can identify the gaps in the information for the area in question.

 

c     locate relevant literature

 

•access your local library/librarian

•MeSH terms

•search databases and search widely

•utilize web-based resources (see suggested web sites below)

 

c        other sources of information

 

•conference proceedings

•colleagues

•product information

c        review the literature

 

•global review for a broad understanding of the area

•defined review for depth of understanding

•critically review the literature

•access both qualitative and quantitative studies

c                identify what is known about your general question

c                now, identify the gaps which then leads you to refining your research question

 

REFINE YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION:

The approach that we suggest is the FINER-O: F-feasible, I-interesting, N-novel, E-ethical, R-relevant and O-operationalized (Hulley & Cummings, 1988). The research question is what guides subsequent steps in the process. So, it is important, when defining the question, that it meets the following criteria to enhance the successful completion of the research project. 

Feasible:         Adequate number of subjects.

 

Adequate technical expertise

Affordable in time and money

Manageable in scope

Interesting:     To the investigators

Novel:             Confirms or refutes previous findings

            Extends previous findings         

            Provides new findings

 

Ethical

Relevant:         To scientific knowledge

 

            To clinical and health policy

            To future research directions

 

           

USE A CONSULTANT

Consultants should be used at any stage of the research process. For the content of this workshop, they are particularly useful when reviewing the literature and refining your question. It is important that the researcher or clinician does their homework prior to meeting with a consultant. Ensure that you have already read some of the literature, are able to articulate your area of interest, clinical concern etc. and that you have specific questions for the consultant. This individual may have particular expertise in research methods but may not have any expertise in the content area. It is the responsibility of the clinician to provide this content area, in sufficient depth, for the consultant to be able to guide the research.

 

References

 

  1. DePoy E, Gitlin L.N. Introduction to research: Understanding and Applying Multiple Strategies 2nd Ed. St. Louis: Mosby Inc, 1998.

 

  1. Hulley S, Cummings S. Designing Clinical Research. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1988.

 

  1. Portney L, Watkins M. Foundations of Clinical Research: Applications to Practice 2nd Ed. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc, 2000.

 

Web-Based Resources

 

The Cochrane Collaboration: Available at: Http://hiru.mcmaster.ca/cochrane/default.html

 

Framework for Research. Available at: Http://research.vhhsc.ca/framework/index.htm

 

Occupational Therapy Evidence-Based Practice Research Group. Available at: Http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/rehab/ebp/

 

Canadian Physiotherapy Research: www.physioresearchcanada.org

 

Notes: