Research
MINAZ SHAIKH
Learning outcomes
Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah
What
Where
Why
who
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Research is a method of asking and answering question
as well as the method of extracting answers from
observation.
Research is the studying of a problem in pursuit of a
definite objective so it is a search for new knowledge.
Clinical research
What is clinical research
 Clinical research is a structured process of
investigating facts and theories and exploring
connections.
 It proceeds in a systematic way to examine:
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Clinical conditions and outcomes,
To establish relationships among clinical phenomena,
To generate evidence for decision making,
And to provide the moving force for improving
methods of practice.
Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah

Physical therapists members of the profession are likely
to be the best researchers for building the body of
knowledge for the profession.
Qualifications of a researcher:
Curiosity
Technical skill
Imagination
Knowledge of mathematics
Critical judgment
Observational abilities
Honest
Good memory
Variety of experiences
Patience
Ability to write clearly
Humanity
Reason for doing research in PT
To establish a body of knowledge.
 developing systematic ways of testing the
means by which we meet the physical therapy
needs of our clients.
 Research is a foundation for decision making
 We need to document what we do; how we do
it; what effect it has on our clients; and what
effect it has compared with no treatment, other
physical therapy techniques, or other health care
approaches.
1.
Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah
Reason for doing research
2.
Te determine the efficacy of your
treatment or techniques.
To view PT as a independent profession by other
profession
 To obtain appropriate reimbursement for our
services.
 To validate and defend your practice.
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Using US vs. hot pack or combined.
Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah
Research serve goals through
Description (What is the nature of the
phenomenon, and the key characters)
 Explanation (why the phenomenon occur )
 Prediction (When and how it occurs)
 Control (what will be the outcome)
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Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah
Reason for doing research
3.
To provide development opportunities for PT
 to provide intellectual challenges and professional
development for physical therapists.
 Too many PT and less jobs
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Only bright and motivated PT will get the job.
Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah
Reason for doing research
4.
To improve patient care
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5.
the most important one.
Decide which treatment has or has not been
supported by research.
For example, Wessling and coworkers found that a
combined program of static stretch and ultrasound
produced greater range-of-motion gains than did
static stretch alone.
To promote your profession.
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All of the above will enhance your practice and
advance your profession
Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah
BARRIERS TO RESEARCH IN
PHYSICAL THERAPY
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Lack of Familiarity with the Research
Process.
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The language of research and data analysis is
specialized.
Student must do, critical analysis, group research..
Lack of Statistical Support for Research.
 Lack of Funds for Research.
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research is not a revenue-producing activity like
patient care or teaching, administrators.
Lack of Time.
Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah
Obstacles of doing research in PT
Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah
RESEARCH QUESTION
Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah
How do you get a topic
Literature.
 Practice.
 Conversation with colleagues,
 Conferences.
 Accidentally.
 Informal (anecdotal) observation.
 From on going research.
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Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah
1.
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9.
Identify a topic.
Search and review the literature.
Define a topic.
State a general question or problem.
Phrase an operationally defined hypothesis.
Plan the methods to test the hypothesis.
Collect data.
Analyze data and interpret the results.
Write about the findings.
Foundational decisions and elements
Research problem
Is the subject or the focus of the study
 Research purpose
Is an explicit statement of the goals of a study.
It identifies the variables that will be
investigated
 d analysis
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Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah
Research sub-problems
 Definitions of key terms
 Literature review
Review related articles which serves to explore
the research problem and variables
 Organizing framework
 Study design
 Data collection and analysis
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Research MU 1435
Dr. Salameh Al
Dajah
New Questions Arise
Question Identified
Results Interpreted
Hypotheses Formed
Data Collected
Research Plan
Closed-loop conceptualization of the research process (Drew, Hardman,
and Hart, 1996)
Research question
The first step in a research process is to define
the problem that is to be studied.
 Define the area you want to study.
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Then ask the research question:
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I want to do a study about the knee joint.
"What is the relationship between hamstring strength
and knee stability in patients with anterior cruciate
ligament tears?"
"Does use of ice massage improve hip range of
motion in children with spastic diplegia?“
The researchers need to focus on problems within
the profession, not on questions they want to answer.
Research question
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The process of moving from a general topic to a
specific research question involves four sets of
ideas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Topic identification and selection,
Problem identification and selection,
Theoretical framework identification and selection,
Question identification and selection.
At each step in the process, researchers must
generate many ideas and then select and focus on
an idea and keep the other for further study.
3
Types
◦ Descriptive questions
◦ Difference questions
◦ Relationship questions
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Hypothesis
◦ A belief or prediction of the eventual outcome of the
research
◦ A concrete, specific statement about the relationships
between phenomena
◦ Based on deductive reasoning
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Theory
◦ A belief or assumption about how things relate to each
other
◦ A theory establishes a cause-and-effect relationship
between variables with a purpose of explaining and
predicting phenomena
◦ Based on inductive reasoning
Hypotheses
In an ideal
world…
Theories
Laws
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Hypotheses:
◦ ‘a predicted answer to a research question’, in
which the predicted effect of the intervention to be
tested is defined.
◦ A statement of a relationship between
characteristics that vary (variables).
Hypotheses:
◦ 2 types of hypotheses:
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 Null hypothesis (HO)
 All is equal; no differences exist.
 the results of an experiment can be interpreted
only in terms of an intervention has no effect on
the outcome under study. For example, there
would be no difference between the test group and
the control group.
 Alternative (research) hypothesis (HA)
 Usually specific and opposite to the null.
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Search and review existing literature to:
◦ provide perspective on how similar questions or problems have
been examined in the past
◦ help in planning the methods to test the hypothesis of the current
study (discussions, limitations, and suggestions for future
research)
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The methods must focus on the variables of interest and
how these variables will be measured or evaluated so as
to best answer the research question.
Research questions drive the research methods … and
the methods need to be flexible, broad, and available for
clinic use (i.e., practical).
Literature Review
"the literature" means the works you
consulted in order to understand and
investigate your research problem.
 discusses published information in a particular
subject area.
 A literature review is an essential part of the
proposal writing process.
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Importance of literature review
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The platform on which you will build your argument.
It places your research in context within your
discipline
Demonstrates how your research improves your
discipline.
Tell your reader what other researchers have done
and what is need to be done.
Help you to develop a research question.
To know what is valid and what is not.
Which of the questions does this literature review
answer? And which is not?
Importance of literature review
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What do we already know in the immediate area
concerned?
What are the existing theories?
Where are the inconsistencies or other shortcomings
in our knowledge and understanding?
What evidence is lacking, inconclusive, contradictory or
too limited?
What contribution can the present study be expected
to make?
What research designs or methods seem
unsatisfactory?
Literature Sources
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Journal articles
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Conference
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Helpful as providers of information about recent trends, discoveries or
changes. Not count as a reference for subject
Theses and dissertations
Internet
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Helpful in providing information on which people are currently involved in
which research areas proceedings government and corporate reports.
Newspapers and magazines
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How to do a research.
If your idea has been investigated before.
Books
Official and e-journal sites
Data base (Medline, pub med, EBISCO, Elsevier,….)
CD-ROM
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Bibliographies are being put onto CD-ROM.
Type of literature
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Primary source:
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The original resource, article, theses,…..
Secondary sources:
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Review article and books
Conducting a literature review
Based on your question, determine the area you
intend to search.
 Choose a key word (exist in each article).
 Narrow you search.
 Summarize each study related to your question.
 Evaluate each study,
 Compare and contrast the finding.
 Refine your question if necessary.
 State your purpose of your study.
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Writing
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Make a summery of each study,
What is the purpose of the study.
 Briefly describe Sample and population.
 What is the main result of the study.
 What is the main conclusion of the study.
 What your evaluation of the study (criticize the
research)
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Organizing your body of
literature review
How will present the sources within the body of
your paper.
 Start with an introduction related to your topic
 start to focus on the research subject
present sources and argument:
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Chronological or publication
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Thematic
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according to when they were published
organized around a topic or issue
Methodological
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it focuses on the "methods" of the researcher or writer