What is a research proposal?

Plan to testhypothesis

using research

Write research Proposal (plan)

Carry out research

Clinicalhypothesis

Apply for grant/ethics

Start Here

The research question

“I wish I had put more effort into the initial proposal.”

The research question

Literature

Ongoing

research project

Conferences

Placements

“Where do

questions come

from?”

The literature review

“I didn’t realise this was my opportunity to persuade people why my research was

important.”

The literature review

Write persuasive argument why your research is necessary• Are you evaluating a new technique / regimen / piece of equipment / outcome tool?• Has anything been done like this before, if so, what were the outcomes?• Are you improving on a previous piece of research, if so, why was the previous

research inadequate?• Are you seeking the opinions/experiences of colleagues, if so, for what clinical or

professional benefit?• How will your work improve on that of others

A literature search must be repeatable (methodology)

Think of key words related to your question

•Search databases for related literature•Include past and latest research•Use related databases

Decide which articles to keepInclusion/exclusion criteria

Read articles!

The literature review

Don’t put…

“Crozo (1982) states that the current thinking in physiotherapy is …”

“The results from the study by Jones et al. (1999) should be ignored as their methodology was deeply flawed.”

The study

“ I wish I had known my original research question would change throughout the

process.”

The studyAim:

(Qualitative and Quantitative)What are you attempting to do?

“To investigate the presence of a relationship between trunk and shoulder stability in stroke patients”

Hypothesis:(Quantitative)

Relate to specific outcome measures

“H1 There is a relationship between trunk and shoulder stability

in stroke patients”

Objective:(Qualitative)

What do you want to know?

“The stroke patients’ perception of their shoulder

problems and sitting balance”

Research design Don’t put…

“The study will be an RCT as they are considered the most reliable form of scientific evidence (en.wikipedia.org).”

Do put…

“The study will be quantitative in design; it will be a single blind randomised controlled trial using unrelated subjects.” Then justify.

Research design

“I didn’t know I was writing the methodology so that someone else could copy it!”

“I didn’t know I had to do a pilot study – It’ll just be repeating the main methodology won’t it?”

Sample

• Outline exclusion criteria, explain whye.g. Those with co-morbidities

Those unable to walk 15 metres

• Describe your target populatione.g. Male inpatients with COPD in Yorkshire

• Outline inclusion criteria, explain why e.g. Males; 18+; in hospital in

Yorkshire; with COPD

Sample• From where are the participants recruited?

• From a clinic; from a consultant; from a ward

• How are the participants recruited?• Randomly from a list• Friends of friends

• Sample size – explain why• Feasibility!!!• “…because Ross et al (2006) found significant

differences with x participants.”

Sample

Inclusion/exclusion criteria:

Don’t put…

“Subjects will not be included if they do not provide their consent.”

“Subjects will be included if they provide their consent.”

Intervention• Operational Definitions:

• ambiguous terms (variables) – strength / function / health • terms that need specifying e.g. measurement• Ask a non-medical person! • Presume the reader doesn’t know!

• Describe the intervention adequately• Is it realistic/feasible?

Don’t put…“the participant will receive 6 hours of intensive physiotherapy

(with 1 hours break) 5 days per week on a one-to-one basis. The intervention will last for 4 weeks.”

Outcome measures

• Explain why you have chosen your measurement tools over alternatives.

• Describe their method of use.

• Comment on:-– Validity– Reliability– Responsiveness– Appropriate

Don’t put…“Improvement in Parkinsonian symptoms will be measured

using gait”

Data collection

• Describe the procedure in details (Flowchart?)

• Describe the interviewer training, or tester standardisation ensuring……..?

- Interrater / Intrarater reliability

• Who?

• How many times?

• When?

Confounding variables

• Identify areas for potential bias; i.e. threats to internal and external validity.

• Internal validity• Will your method / population change from one test

to the next?

• External validity• Can the results be generalised?• Does the sample reflect its general population?

Data analysis

“The p-value the computer recommended was 0.01.”

Questions to ask yourself….:-

1. How will I present my data?

2. What level of data will I obtain from my tests?

3. Will I use para- or nonparametric tests?

4. Which tests will I use?

5. On which data will I use each test?

6. What do I want to be able to tell the reader?

EthicsIf your research is to be ethically sound you will ensure that no

harm comes to the participant: how will you show this?

• Beneficence - a practitioner should act in the best interest of the patient.

• Non-maleficence - "first, do no harm“.

• Autonomy - the patient has the right to refuse or choose their treatment.

• Justice – all should be treated equally.

• Dignity - the patient (and the person treating the patient) have the right to dignity.

Ethics

Don’t put…

“…as it is a survey there are no ethical considerations.”

Or…

“Consent will be obtained and all data will be kept confidentially. All patients will be treated fairly not be treated harmfully.”

References

Check all the cited work appears in the list of references

Check that all articles, books etc in the list are cited somewhere in the text

Refer to page 60 in the Critical Thinking and Enquiry Study Pack 2007-2008

Don’t lose easy marks!!!