Research Skills Website

Developing a Protocol for Observational Comparative Effectiveness Research: A User's Guide

Researchers from the Effective Health Care Program’s DEcIDE Network authored this 11-chapter guide that aims to serve as a resource for researchers when developing observational comparative effectiveness research (CER) studies. The user's guide identifies best practices for designing observational CER studies and standardizes the review of study protocols with checklists in each chapter. Topics in this user's guide include developing study objectives and questions, study design, data sources, and analysis.

Nurse Author & Editor

Each issue of Nurse Author & Editor consists of articles offering advice on writing quality manuscripts, avoiding rejection, finding publishing opportunities, editing and reviewing. Each issue also has a section containing short articles to update readers on new developments in nursing journals and journal publishing.

Institute for Work & Health: randomized controlled trial

In a researcher’s toolkit, the randomized controlled trial (RCT) is one of the best ways to produce valid evidence on the effectiveness of interventions, from prevention programs to treatment options. According to the established hierarchy of evidence, the most valid evidence from original research comes from RCTs, followed by cohort studies and then case control studies (see At Work, Fall 2005: www.iwh.on.ca/wrmb/cohort-studies-case-control-studies-and-rcts).

Here’s how RCTs work. Study participants are deemed eligible through a recruitment process that involves specific criteria for inclusion and an informed consent process.

A Brief Introduction to Probability & Statistics

I’ve studied probability and statistics without experiencing them. What’s the difference? What are they trying to do?

This analogy helped:

  • Probability is starting with an animal, and figuring out what footprints it will make
  • Statistics is seeing a footprint, and guessing the animal

Probability is straightforward: you have the bear. Measure the foot size, the leg length, and you can deduce the footprints. “Oh, Mr. Bubbles weighs 400lbs and has 3-foot legs, and will make tracks like this.” More academically: “We have a fair coin. After 10 flips, here are the possible outcomes.”

Critiquing research

Start thinking critically

  • Understanding and critiquing qualitative research papers
  • Understanding and critiquing quantitative research papers
  • Guide to critical, analytical thinking
  • Critical writing - useful phrases

National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools

We are pleased to announce the creation of our new NCCMT Learning Centre where you can easily track your progress through our online learning modules.

Log in. Track your progress. Check out the additional opportunities available from NCCMT.
 

University of New South Wales: Getting Started on your Literature Review

A General Guide for Postgraduate Research Students

There is no one single correct method to writing a literature review. Therefore, this resource is a guide only. Check with your supervisor/lecturer/school to ascertain whether there are any specific requirements for your literature review before proceeding.

What is a Literature Review?

A literature review is an examination of the research that has been conducted in a particular field of study. Hart (1998) defines it as:

Conducting & Publishing Research in the Health Sciences

Qualitative Research Design & Methods

Consortium for Healthcare Informatics Research: An Introductory Look at Statistical Text Mining for Health Services Researchers

Consortium for Healthcare Informatics Research (CHIR) - The Consortium for Healthcare Informatics Research (CHIR) is a multi-disciplinary group of collaborating investigators affiliated with VA sites from across the US. The mission of CHIR is to improve the health of Veterans through foundational and applied informatics research. The primary purpose of CHIR is to advance the effective use of unstructured text and other types of clinical data in the electronic health record using natural language processing and other cutting edge technology. This series of cyber seminars highlights the tools, methods, and results of multiple CHIR research projects.

Health Evidence - Glossary of Research Terms

health-evidence.ca aims to support evidence-informed decision making (EIDM) in public health organizations across Canada by providing:

  • easy access to current review-level research evidence through a searchable online registry
  • organizational assessments of readiness for using research to guide decision making
  • customized knowledge broker consultation and support for individuals, teams, and organizations to incorporate EIDM into routine organizational practices
  • professional development and education related to EIDM
  • tools to guide and support all stages of the EIDM process
     
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