Preface

Chapter 1

Empirical and Nonempirical Research: An Overview

Systematic Inquiry

Some Roles for Research

Types of Research

Variables

Getting Started with Research

Summary

Chapter 2

Ethical Considerations

Protection of Human Participants

Special Protections

Historical Perspective

Institutional Review Boards

Research Integrity

Avoiding Conflicts of Interest

Credit for Intellectual Effort

Attribution of Ideas

Accuracy in Reporting Information

Data Management

Confidentiality and Privacy

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

Summary

Appendix 2-1

Research Scenario

Chapter 3

Identifying and Formulating Research Questions

Identifying Important Questions

Formulating Research Questions

Ways to Formulate a Research Problem

Evidence-Based Practice Questions

Criteria for Well-Formed Questions

Establishing Validity and Reliability

Summary

Chapter 4

Completing a Literature Search

Purposes of a Literature Search

Planning and Conducting a Search

Search Tools

Designing a Search Strategy

Organizing and Documenting Your Literature Search

Summary

Appendix 4-1

Electronic Literature Search

Chapter 5

Nonexperimental Research Design

Nonexperimental Research Designs

Survey Research

Case Studies

Longitudinal Research

Correlation and Regression

Group Comparisons

Causal-Comparative Research

Qualitative Research

Ethnography

Grounded Theory

Case Study

Phenomenology

Conversation Analysis

Scientific Rigor in Qualitative Research

Summary

Chapter 6

Experimental Research and Levels of Evidence

Experimental Research Designs

Posttest-Only Designs

Pretest-Posttest Randomized Control Group Design

Solomon Randomized Four-Group Design

Switching Replications Design

Factorial Designs

Importance of Experimental Control

History

Maturation

Statistical Regression

Instrumentation

Selection

Mortality

Quasi-Experimental Approaches

Nonequivalent Control Group Designs

Repeated Measures Group Design

Single Subject Designs

Experimental Designs and Levels of Evidence

Summary

Appendix 6-1

Research Scenario

Chapter 7

Research Participants and Sampling

Populations and Samples

Sample Characteristics

Sampling Methods

Simple Random Sampling

Systematic Sampling

Stratified Random Sampling

Cluster Sampling

Purposive Sampling

Random Assignment

Sample Size

Summary

Chapter 8

Data Analysis: Describing Different Types of Data

Levels of Measurement

Visual Representation of Data

Descriptive Statistics

Frequencies and Percentages

Measures of Central Tendency

Measures of Variability

Shapes of Distributions

Summary

Chapter 9

Data Analysis: Inferential Statistics

Inferential Statistics

Measures of Association

Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient

Coefficient of Determination

Spearman Rank-Order Correlation

Chi Square and Contingency Coefficient

Simple Regression and Multiple Regression

Testing for Differences Between Two Samples

Independent and Paired t-Tests

Mann-Whitney U

Sign Test and Wilcoxin Matched-Pairs Signed-Ranks Test

Testing for Differences among Three or More Samples

Statistical Analysis for Factorial Designs

Additional Tools for Analyzing Clinical Data

Caution in the Use and Reporting of Statistics

Summary

Chapter 10

Research Outcomes: Clinical Guidance, Research Reports

Knowledge Base for Evaluating Clinical Research

Critical Appraisal

How Applicable Are the Findings

Reporting Research Findings

Components of a Research Report

More on the Review of Literature

Writing Guidelines and Writing Style

Disseminating Research Findings

Summary

Index