RESEARCH DESIGN KNR 164

THE GOAL

1. To learn how to select, read, understand, and critically review a research article

a. What is (should be) in one b. Types of research c. What are variables d. Research Methods

A good test – can you read, understand and critically review the research article you selected?

As we go through the components of an article – read and apply this knowledge to your own article to “decipher” it’s content

ATTITUDE IS ALTITUDE LIFE LONG LEARNING = SUCCESS

Allied health careers Evidence Based Medicine

Why are you doing this and is there proof it works?

Can you prove what YOU are doing works? The “size” of Medical Knowledge doubles every

5 years!

Exercise science careers Merit based pay for performance outcomes

Why are you doing this and is there proof it works? can you prove what YOU are doing works?

FINDING RESEARCH ARTICLESGoal is to find “primary references” from

peer-reviewed academic journals

1. identify key journals in a specific subdiscipline and look through table of contents

2. conduct keyword searches using common databases available through Milner library

- Pubmed- Google scholar

3. ask ES professors and/or using class reading lists

Source: Reading and interpreting literature in exercise science (Cramer & Beck, 2008)

Peer Reviewed Articles vs. Non-Peer Reviewed• The Peer Review process infers rigor = ensures

higher quality• Who is a “peer”?• Expert in the field and in this specific area

• Stated in Journal’s bylaws and operating procedures• go to home page of journal and read it’s

procedures

• This process is time consuming

Is your article “peer reviewed”…how do you know?

Peer Reviewed Journals: Structure

Editorial Board – Group who sets scientific mission, process, outlets and price (Governance – top people in field)

Editors – usually 1 – 2 people (Final decisions/disputes)

Associate Editors – depends of size and breadth of journal (10-30); assigned articles and are charged with administering the process; makes recommendation of reject/accept decision to Editors

Reviewers – general assembly; all qualified people selected by Assoc. Editors to read and critique the manuscript.

Blinded process – Only Associate Editors know who is involved

No one gets paid = service

Peer Reviewed Journals: Process

1. Manuscript submitted to Journal (electronically)

2. Editors read abstract and assigns Associate Editor

3. Associate Editors assign 3-5 reviewers to read and review- make comments on content, validity, writing/grammar- suggest improvements, add data, change

analysis- make recommendation to accept, revise or

reject

4. Associate Editor collects reviewer recommendations- synthesizes/summarizes/checks reviewer’s comments

- sends recommendation to Editors

5. Final Decision sent to Authors

COMPONENTS OF (MOST) RESEARCH ARTICLES

1. Abstract

2. Introduction a. Purposeb. Hypothesis

3. Methodsa. Subjectsb. Equipment/toolsc. Statistical procedures

4. Resultsa. Significant differencesb. Graphs and tables

5. Discussiona. Interpretation –

a. What does this mean b. How does it helpc. How does it compared. What are the limitations

Does YOUR article have thesecomponents?

Is your article one of these? Why?

Where and how is your study’s sample taken

Can you categorize your

study into one of these areas?

If your article does not fall into one of these;please find another one that does.

BASIC ELEMENTS: VARIABLES Variable: what is measured or varied. An

attribute or characteristic of a person (or object) that can change from person to person. IndependentDependentControl Intervening (mediator)Moderator

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CLASSIFICATION OF VARIABLES Independent Variable: a variable that is manipulated,

measured or selected by the researcher in order to observe its relation to the subject's "response” on another variable.

Dependent Variable: the variable that is observed and measured in response to an independent variable.

EXAMPLE: What is the effect of increasing treadmill grade on heart rate during running? - What is IV?- What is DV? Can you explain why for each case? Is

this an example of a experimental or non-experimental study?

BASIC ELEMENTS: PURPOSE & HYPOTHESES Purpose: succinct statement of goal; based on

introduction Hypothesis: a tentative statement about the

expected relationship between two or more variables.State expected relationship or difference

between 2 variablesBe testableBe brief and clear

What is the purpose of your study?What is the stated hypothesis?

HYPOTHESES types of hypotheses

alternative vs. null one-tailed vs. two-tailed

• Alternative hypothesis (HA)…• what you predict• what you think will happen

• Null hypothesis (HO) …• all remaining possible outcomes

Conclusion: Reject the null and retain the Alternate (p<.05)

Hypotheses: alternative vs. null

Hypotheses: one-tailed vs. two-tailed

• Two-tailed is non-directional – hypothesis does not state direction of outcome; just differences to occur

• One tailed gives a predicted directional response – hypothesis gives directional response of the outcome; • Less room for error, makes the hypothesis “tighter”• probability of being “right” is higher

If you were receiving this drug - would you want the data to be based any response; or, a directional response?

Why does this even matter?

In many studies it doesn’t

But what if the “stakes” of being wrong were very high?

Purpose: to determine the benefit of angiostatin on reducing blood clotting in heart

tissue immediately following heart attack symptoms

HYPOTHESES: ONE-TAILED VS. TWO-TAILED