Transcript Research Methodology

Research Methodology
Farzin Farahbakhsh
Medical Student
Research Fellow, Sports Medicine Research Center
Thanks to Kamyar Mollazadeh Moghaddam and
Fatemeh Adili-Aghdam for their wonderful slides
What is Research?
• Re ---------------- Search
• Re
means (once more, afresh, anew) OR
(back; with return to a previous state)
• Search means (look thorough or go over
thoroughly to look something) OR (examine to
find anything concealed)
What is Research?, Cont’d
• Research is an ORGANIZED and SYSTEMATIC way
of FINDING ANSWERS to QUESTIONS or FINDING
SOLUTION to PROBLEMS.
What is Research?: SYSTEMATIC
• SYSTEMATIC because there is a definite set of
procedures and steps which you will follow. There
are certain things in the research process which are
always done in order to get the most accurate
results.
What is Research?: ORGANIZED
• ORGANIZED in that there is a structure or method
in going about doing research. It is a planned
procedure, not a spontaneous one. It is focused
and limited to a specific scope.
What is Research?: FINDING ANSWERS
• FINDING ANSWERS is the end of all research.
Whether it is the answer to a hypothesis or even a
simple question, research is successful when we
find answers. Sometimes the answer is no, but it is
still an answer.
What is Research?: QUESTIONS/PROBLEM
• QUESTIONS are central to research. If there is no
question, then the answer is of no use. Research is
focused on relevant, useful, and important
questions. Without a question, research has no
focus, drive, or purpose.
• “A PROBLEM well-defined is half solved”
What is Research?:
What Makes a Good QUESTION
Feasible (answerable with a robust method)
Interesting
Novel
Ethical
Relevant
FINER criteria
Any Good QUESTIONS?
Why Do Research?
• Research allows you to pursue your interests
• Experience active vs. passive learning
• Advance career and graduate study options
• Apply learning to professional issues
• Prepare for a life-time of learning and a world of
change
• Enhance self-directed learning skills
• To hone your problem-solving skills
• CV
What is CV?
• Curriculum Vitae (or CV)
• Latin origin
• Means “the course of one’s life”
What is CV?: Why do this now?
• Time will go by quickly
• Helps you notice your progress over time
• Good for self assessment
• It will help you organize important things
for your future career
• Assists in setting goals for your future
• Helps when getting recommendation
letters and applying for positions
• Some grants and awards applications
require this
Resume vs. Vitae
• Length: Short
• Content: All-inclusive
summary of skills,
experiences and
education
• Purpose: to get an
interview or
employment
• Length: As long as it
takes
• Content: Area-specific
listing of education and
academic background
• Purpose: promotion and
tenure, grants, specialist
positions, awards, etc.
Types of Research
• Basic
• Applied
• Applied/Basic
Types of Research: Basic
• Driven purely by curiosity and a desire to expand
our knowledge
• not directly applicable to the real world in a direct
way
• Why bother?
• Basic research feeds applied research
• Example: Evaluations,
Types of Research: Applied
• To answer a specific question that has direct
applications to the world.
• Solves a problem
• Example: 'How should a student study?'
Types of Research: Applied/Basic
• More common
• Example: Different aspects of a disease
Source: NIH.gov
What is Research Process?
• Series of various actions, which are necessary to
effective research work.
• Research process consist of a number of closely
related activities.
• Various steps involved in a research process are
not mutually exclusive; nor they are separate &
distinct.
What is Research Process?: Steps
• 1ST STEP-Formation and Development of a Working
Title
• 2ND STEP-Literature Review
• 3RD STEP-Determining research design
• 4TH STEP-Writing a Proposal
• 5TH STEP-Data Collection
• 6TH STEP-Data Analysis
• 7TH STEP-Preparing and presenting final research report
• 8TH STEP-Dessimination
Research Protocol
• Protocol- “ …a complete written description of, and
scientific rationale for, a research activity …”
(Protomechanics NIH)
• Why?
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To check if the objectives can be achieved
To check the feasibility of the study
To estimate needed time and funds
Prevents failure to collect crucial information
Lays down the rules for all partners
To obtain approval of ethical committee(s)
Application for funds
Makes it much easier to write article
1st STEP -Formation and
Development of a Working Title
• The selection of a research title is often the result
of many factors
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Personal interests, experiences, values, and passions
The desire to satisfy scientific curiosity
Previous work -- or the lack of it -- on a topic
The current political, economic, and social climates
Being able to get access to data
Having a way to fund a study
What is a Good Title?
• Rationale
• Avoiding Duplication
• Feasibility
• Social and political acceptance
• Cost-effectiveness
• Urgent need for research evidence
• Ethical Issues
Avoid Duplication!
• If there’s a similar work
• Setting
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Time
Place
Subjects
Limitation of previous studies
• Inconsistency of previous results
• Try to make it better
• If there’s no similar work