Help Needed from Research Guru's...Please!

[marianne202]

Ok, so my new class started in my MHA program and it is an evaluation research for healthcare class. I'm supposed to be analyzing and critiquing research articles. I'm not into research at all and I tested out of the research methods in Psych. class at EC, so I'm totally lost when trying to interpret these articles. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good book or resource that will help to explain these research methods? I have my research methods in psychology study materials (thank goodness, I save things!) but some of the methods are different.

I need something basic that will help me look at the article and the study itself and determine which type of research model was used and critique the effectivness of the model and study. I have no desire to get into a research field or clinical research, so I just want to be able to understand the basics. I guess this is the deciding class to tell me I can't or shouldn't do a doctoral program! :ack: I'm hoping someone here has some suggestions. Thanks in advance!

[bricabrac]

You've just given me confirmation that my next goal, masters in clin trial mgmt, is correct. Protocols, fda submissions, etc is something I've had practical work experience doing and is not something I could describe how to do here. It's extremely technical. Your university must give access to scholarly writings, those are your best writing samples (LexisNexis, PubMed...etc). Choose a drug or research article of which means something to you personally and read it. You will be surprised how you will begin to internalize stats, methodology, all the medical terminology once it actually means something to you. Also I keep on hand a good medical dictionary (stedmans) but there are now many online dictionaries. Another good reference book is the AMA Manual of Style.

Research medical writing guides. Lean on your schools online library and also search out as much free stuff online as possible (ie Clinical Research, Clinical Protocols, Regulatory Submissions, Medical writing).


Hopefully some of this stuff will be of use to you. Good luck!

Purdue OWL:
Purdue OWL: Medical Writing

Here is an online book you could review for guidance.
The complete guide to medical writing - Google Books

NIH
NIH - NIH Library and Literature Resources
NIH & Clinical Research. How does clinical research work?

[marianne202]

Thanks so much! I use OWL, but didn't know they had a medical writing area. My brain just isn't right brain enough to do all this technical stuff! LOL! These resources look great. I understand how to read the charts and graphs, but it's the idea of being able to critique a published article when I'm just starting out. I'm just hoping the teacher is understanding that this is new to most of us. Our OL library isn't that great, in fact EC has a better alumni access than Bellevue. It is really sad, but I guess since they are a B&M school, they expect most of their students to use the actual library. They even charge to access Medline articles and such. I wish you the best of luck in your Master's. I'm sure your passion will carry you through any tough material. I just would get too frustrated trying to make my brain work that way! Thanks again!