LibGuides: Physician Assistant: Research methods

Research methods

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This page offers you resources describing different research methods. In other words, literature describing ways that you can approach the research question you have defined.

There are multiple standard methods of conducting research -- conducting a survey, holding one or more focus groups, etc. These two examples respectively employ a survey methodology and a focus group methodology. What's more, there are thousands of individual variations on these standard forms of methodology. Each survey will have its own individual characteristics, and occur in its own contextual manner. Thus, the process through which researchers design the survey and gather responses will have its own individual characteristics in comparison to other surveys. Mixed methods -- the combining of two or more methodologies to explore a research question -- complicates the big picture of what methodology is even further.

The literature presented in the resources below can help you get oriented to the different forms of methodology, and select the most appropriate methods (including mixed methods) to address your research question.

SAGE Research Methods This link opens in a new window
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A tool allowing researchers to explore methods concepts in over 175,000 pages of SAGE's book, journal and reference content. This can help with designing research projects, understanding particular methods or identifying a new methods, conducting research, and writing up findings. It can be used as a cross-disciplinary source across the social sciences, health sciences, and more.
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SAGE Research Methods Cases This link opens in a new window
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A collection of case studies of real social research. They are designed to complement your theoretical understanding, at all levels, by exploring the difficulties, nuances and real-life decisions that researchers face. It is developed for use in class teaching or by students and researchers seeking applied understanding of research methods. Each case is equipped with learning outcomes and discussion questions.
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Books on methodology in the health sciences

Health Science Research by Jennifer Peat
ISBN: 9780761974024
Publication Date: 2002-03-28
For research to be effective, it is essential that every aspect of the study is well planned. Health Science Research has been written to help researchers from all disciplines conduct their studies with this kind of integrity. Each chapter covers a specific area fo conducting a study, including: - formulating the research question - preparing a grant application - subject recruitment - data collection and analysis - interpreting the results of the study This informative text is designed to be a user friendly research, reference and study tool. It has been organised into eight chapters, each of which covers a specific area of conducting a research study. This book will be of particular value to scientists, research assistants, qualified or trainee physicians, nurses and allied health workers. The book will also be an essential companion for students in all disciplines who want to learn more about how to do good research.
Laboratory Statistics by Anders Kallner
ISBN: 9780128143490
Publication Date: 2017-10-23
Laboratory Statistics: Methods in Chemistry and Health Science, Second Edition, presents common strategies for comparing and evaluating numerical laboratory data. In particular, the text deals with the type of data and problems that laboratory scientists and students in analytical chemistry, clinical chemistry, epidemiology, and clinical research face on a daily basis. This book takes the mystery out of statistics and provides simple, hands-on instructions in the format of everyday formulas. Spreadsheet shortcuts and functions are included, along with many simple worked examples. This book is a must-have guide to applied statistics in the lab that will result in improved experimental design and analysis. This thoroughly revised second edition includes several new sections, more examples, and all formulas in Excel code. Provides comprehensive coverage of simple statistical concepts Familiarizes the reader with formatted statistical expression Presents simple, worked examples that make formulas easy to apply Includes spreadsheet functions that demonstrate how to find immediate solutions to common problems
Biostatistics and Computer-Based Analysis of Health Data Using Stata by Mounir Mesbah; Christophe Lalanne
ISBN: 9780081010846
Publication Date: 2016-09-06
This volume of the Biostatistics and Health Sciences Set focuses on statistics applied to clinical research. The use of Stata for data management and statistical modeling is illustrated using various examples. Many aspects of data processing and statistical analysis of cross-sectional and experimental medical data are covered, including regression models commonly found in medical statistics. This practical book is primarily intended for health researchers with basic knowledge of statistical methodology. Assuming basic concepts, the authors focus on the practice of biostatistical methods essential to clinical research, epidemiology and analysis of biomedical data (including comparison of two groups, analysis of categorical data, ANOVA, linear and logistic regression, and survival analysis). The use of examples from clinical trials and epideomological studies provide the basis for a series of practical exercises, which provide instruction and familiarize the reader with essential Stata packages and commands. Provides detailed examples of the use of Stata for common biostatistical tasks in medical research Features a work program structured around the four previous chapters and a series of practical exercises with commented corrections Includes an appendix to help the reader familiarize themselves with additional packages and commands Focuses on the practice of biostatistical methods that are essential to clinical research, epidemiology, and analysis of biomedical data
Introductory Statistics for Health and Nursing Using SPSS by Louise Marston
Call Number: R853.S7 M37 2010
ISBN: 9781847874825
Publication Date: 2010-01-20
Introductory Statistics for Health and Nursing Using SPSS is a highly applied introductory statistics text ideal for all health science and nursing students. Health and nursing students can be anxious and lacking in confidence when it comes to handling statistics. This book has been developed with this readership in mind. This accessible text avoids using long and off-putting statistical formulae in favor of non-daunting practical and SPSS-based examples. What's more, its content will fit ideally with the common course content of stats courses in the field.Introductory Statistics for Health and Nursing Using SPSS is also accompanied by a companion website containing data-sets and examples for use by lecturers with their students.The inclusion of real-world data and a host of health-related examples should make this an ideal core text for any introductory statistics course in the field.