Lecture delivered at career point university national conference on Research on 30th April 2016

1. RESEARCH & MEDICINE
DR. VIJAY SARDANA
MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT
SENIOR PROFESSOR & HEAD
DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGY
MBS HOSPITAL, KOTA

2. WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE & FACT ??
• Knowledge is what is believed to be true about
something, what is believed to be a correct
understanding of something.
• Facts are just data. Knowledge is an expert’s best
interpretation of facts.

3. What is Research ?
Research is the search for or creation of (valid) knowledge.

4. • Defined as “the systematic approach to obtaining
new and reliable knowledge”.
• Critical thinking is an essential element for research.
Ethridge (1995)
What is Research ?

5. • It is the systematic investigation into and study of
materials, sources etc. in order to establish facts and
reach new conclusions.
• An endeavour to discover new or collate old facts
etc. by the scientific study of a subject or by a course
of critical investigation.
What is Research ?

6. In other words, it is the systematic :
- Collection, analysis and interpretation of data
AIM :- To answer a certain question or solve a
problem
What is Research ?

7. Health is a state of “complete physical, mental
and social wellbeing and not merely the absence
of disease or infirmity”
Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the
International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by
the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no.
2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948.
What is Health ?

8. DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH

9. What is Medicine ?
• The science or practice of the diagnosis,
treatment, and prevention of disease

10. • What people believe (God, past deeds,
planetary alignment, hot and cold, etc…)
• Actual cause of illness ?
• Pathway to cure/ wellbeing?
Beliefs about Health & Illness

11. • To discover what is normal
• To identify what is abnormal
• To find out what is associated with the abnormality
• To determine “causality”
• To test new interventions
• And finally “explore strange new phenomena, seek
out the truth & to boldly go where no one has gone
before”
Why should we do Research ?

12. Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) :-
conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of
current best evidence in making decisions about
the care of individual patients.
Evidence Based Practice (EBP) :-
integration of clinical expertise, patient values,
and the best research evidence into the decision
making process for patient care.
Clinical expertise refers to the clinician's cumulated
experience, education and clinical skills.

13. • Don’t know how to conduct Research
• Don’t have the time
• Don’t have adequate facilities
• Don’t see a need to conduct research
• Conduct research but don’t publish it
• Research evidence not taken up for action
• Very Important - No culture for “research”
Why don’t we conduct enough Research ?
Result – Lack of Research

14. Components of a Research
• Statement of the problem
• Literature review
• Aims
• Design of study
• Ethical issues
• Study setting
• Study population
• Study sample and sample size calculation
• Sampling Methods
• Data collection methods and study instruments
• Data collectors
• Analysis of data and presentation of results
• Discussion
• Conclusions

15. • Conducting a literature review
• Referencing and bibliography
• Calculating sample size
• Developing instruments
• Adhering to ethics
• Preparation of a research proposal
• Data base development
• Data quality assessment
• Performing simple analysis
• Writing a research report
A Researcher should be capable of

16. • Demands a clear statement of the problem.
• Requires clear objectives and a plan ( rather than
aimlessly looking for something in the hopes of
coming come across a solution).
• Builds on existing data, using both positive and
negative findings.
• New data should be systematically collected and
analyzed to answer the original research objectives.
Characteristics of Research

17. • First priority is to formulate your research question
• Then figure out how you are going to answer it
– How have others answered it?
– How does your proposal fit in with what others
have done?
– How will you know when you have answered it?
• Then you can present your answer
How should I begin ??

18. Steps of Scientific Research
Selection of area
Selection of topic
Crude research question
no answer
Refined research question
Research hypothesis, goals and objectives
Study design
Population & sampling
Variables confounding bias
Research tools
Pilot study
Work plan
Collection of data
Data management
Interpretation
Reporting
no need for study
answers found
Literature review
Ethical issues

20. 1. Relevance
2. Avoidance of duplication
3. Urgency of data need
4. Feasibility of the study
5. Applicability of results
6. Ethical considerations
Criteria for selecting a Research Topic

21. Problem Analysis

22. Literature Review
It should not end up
like this 

24. Identify researchable areas in the problem
State Objectives
General Objective Specific Objectives
To find Out Objectives ??

25. Research objectives should be
• S -Specific
• M -Measurable
• A -Achievable
• R -Realistic/reliable
• T -Time bound

26. Study Designs
Descriptive studies Analytical studies
Case report
Case series
reports
Cross-sectional
studies
Ecological
studies
Observational
studies
Experimental
studies
Case-control
studies
Cohort
studies
Prospective
Retrospective
(historical)
Randomized
Controlled Clinical
trials
Randomized
Controlled field
trials
Non-randomized
experiments

27. Different data collection techniques
• Using available information
• Observing
• Interviewing
• Administering questionnaires
• Observational check list
• Focus Group Discussions / In depth interview
• Other methods
Department of Research– NIHS : Inspiring Public Health through Innovative Research

28. The following needs to be thought of and decided upon……
1.Who is going to collect the data ?
2.From whom ?
3.Where ?
4.How ?
5.Using what?
6.How is information given to the participants?
7.How are they recruited to the study?
8.How is consent to be obtained?
9.How to conclude the data collection?
10.What to do with positive cases?
11.Checking for quality of the collected data? Who? When ?
Where ? How ?
12.Entering the data?
13.Analysis of the data
Data collection Flow

29. – Do no harm
– Do good
– Voluntary participation
– Informed consent
– Conflict of interest
– Scientific validity
Ethical Considerations

30. Item description MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Initial discussion X
Literature review X X
Finalizing methodology X X
Ethical clearance X
Pre testing X X
Data collection proper X X
Data entry X X
Initial analysis X X
Draft report X
Final report submission X
Presentation of findings X
Example of a Time Series chart

31. 1. Abstracts and key words
2. An introduction including a justification
3. Appropriate review of literature
4. Objectives and methodology
5. Results
6. Discussion
7. Conclusions and recommendations
8. References
9. Annexure
Report Writing

32. Importance of References
• Avoid accusations of Plagiarism
• Acknowledge others work
• Support academic arguments
• Prove that you have researched a topic

33. Research Team

34. • Conducting a literature review
• Referencing and bibliography
• Calculating of sample size
• Developing instruments
• Adhering to ethics and getting
• Preparation of a research proposal
• Data base development
• Data quality assessment
• Performing simple analysis
• Writing a research report
A Research team should be capable of

35. 1. Research reports
2. Abstract presentation: poster or oral
3. Journal articles
4. Advocacy briefs
5. Policy briefs
Disseminating Research into Policy & Practice

36. Together Everyone Achieves More

37. Example of a Team work Research

38. THANK YOU