healthcare research methods: more on reviewing the literature
TRANSCRIPT
PHC215
By Dr. Khaled Ouanes Ph.D.
E-mail: [email protected]
Twitter: @khaled_ouanes
INTRODUCTION TO
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH
METHODS
More on reviewing the
literature…
How should you read Research
literature in general?
1. Locate and read a few articles from within a field you are comfortable with.
2. Read studies that are of interest to you.
3. Read the abstract first.
4. Identify the research question and objectives.
5. Why did the researcher(s) choose a particular setting or sample?
How should you read Research
literature in general?
6. What were the methods chosen to collect data?
7. What were the most important findings?
8. Do not be over-concerned with statistical
analysis.
9. Be critical but objective.
Once you have a good idea about
the existing literature in general (Gather as many articles, reports and books as possible),
You can start digging into individual
articles.
How should you read an Article?
1. Re-read the abstract
2. Judiciously examine the tables and figures to have a quick idea about the important methods and results
3. Read the entire text of the article Take notes about which exposures, diseases, and populations the study examined …how they
might relate to a new research project, how can we base a new research the found results?
4. Review of the references lists for related papers
5. Repeat the previous steps with the chosen articles from the references
REMEMBER?THE CRITERIA FOR DEVELOPING A GOOD
RESEARCH QUESTION
Feasible Interesting Novel / Original Ethical Relevant
REMEMBER?THE CRITERIA FOR DEVELOPING A GOOD
RESEARCH QUESTION
Feasible Interesting Novel / Original Ethical Relevant
Original
In relation to previous results & findings: Confirm or refute?
New setting, new population, new
techniques…
A CENTRAL QUESTION:
What Exactly Makes
Research Original?
Just keep in mind that Originality
does not require the discovery of a
newly emergent disease in a
previously unrecognized people
group on a remote island
Just keep in mind that Originality
does not require the discovery of a
newly emergent disease in a
previously unrecognized people
group on a remote island
Originality often
consists in linking
up ideas whose
connection was
not previously
suspected.
Originality requires at least one
substantive difference from
previous works:
• a new exposure of interest
• a new disease of interest
• a new source population
• a new time period under study
• a new perspective on a field of exploration
IDEA
S F
OR
NE
W S
TUD
IES
Example: A literature review finds several studies that have
shown that older adults (the population) who take
30-minute walks several times a week (the
exposure) score higher on memory tests (the
disease or outcome) than adults who do not
routinely walk for exercise.
So What would a proposed new study
could examine?
Ideas?
- Is playing table tennis (a new exposure) equally effective
at improving memory in older adults (the same disease and population)?
- Do older adults who walk several times a week (the
same exposure and population) improve their balance
(a new disease or outcome)?
- Does walking improves memory (the same exposure and
disease) in children (a new population)?
The real challenge in reviewing the literature
and selecting a study question is not finding
a previously unexplored topic.
The main challenge is to limit the research
project to one solid idea out of the many
possibilities.
The aim of a research project is usually
to find and address gaps in the
literature (missing pieces of information
that a new study could fill) and to build
on previous work.
The balance between originality
and conformity
Sometimes, it may be difficult for the outside
examiners to appreciate the originality of your
research if it is too original.
This will be clear when you try to publish the results
as the rejection rate of highly original articles is
known to be unexpectedly high since the referees
are seemingly not ready yet to understand
comprehend the “shocking” new findings.
PHC215
By Dr. Khaled Ouanes Ph.D.
E-mail: [email protected]
Twitter: @khaled_ouanes
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH METHODS
Based on the textbook of introduction to health research methods – K.H. Jacobsen