This popular textbook provides a concise, but comprehensive, overview of health research as an integrated, problem-solving process. It bridges the gap between health research methods and evidence-based clinical practice, making it an essential tool for students embarking on research. Practitioners also benefit from guidance on interpreting the ever-expanding published research in clinical and scientific journals, to ensure their practice is up to date and evidence-based and to help patients understand information obtained online.
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Log on to evolve.elsevier.com/Polgar/research and register to access the above assets. Section 1: The scientific method. 1 - Methods and health research Section 2: Research planning. 2 - Research planning. 3 - Sampling methods and external validity. Section 3: Research designs. 4 - Experimental designs and intervention studies. 5 - Surveys and quasi-experimental designs. 6 - Single case (n=1) designs. 7- Qualitative research. Discussion, questions and answers. Section 4: Data collection. 8 - Questionnaire design. 9 - Interview techniques and the analysis of interview data. 10 - Observation. 11 - Measurement. Discussion, questions and answers. Section 5: Descriptive statistics. 12 - Organisation and presentation of data. 13 - Measures of central tendency and variability. 14 - Standard scores and normal curve. 15 - Correlation. Discussion, questions and answers. Section 6: Inferential statistics. 16 - Probability and sampling distributions. 17 - Selection and use of statistical tests. 18 - The interpretation of research evidence. Discussion, questions and answers. Section 7: Dissemination and critical evaluation of research. 19 - Qualitative data analysis. 20 - Presentation of health science research. 21 - Critical evaluation of published research. 22 - Syntheses of research evidence. 23 - Transitional research 24 ? Safe and effective intervention criteria Glossary. References and further reading. Answers to questions. Appendices