Getting Started in Health Research

By the time you've read this book, you'll be ready to design your own research project

Not everyone in clinical research is a scientific investigator. In fact, a large proportion of health professionals undertaking a research project are working in clinical care, as junior doctors, nurses or allied health professionals. For them a book that begins with the basics of study design and takes them through all the stages to data collection, analysis, and submission for publication is vital. Getting Started in Health Research is the answer. It provides fundamental information on:
* Framing the research question
* Performing the literature search
* Choosing the study design
* Collecting data
* Getting funding
* Recruiting participants
* Writing your paper

Lively case studies provide a continuous narrative, addressing the pitfalls and problems that can occur.

Calling upon their vast experience of teaching health research methodology, these authors have turned a seemingly daunting task into a challenging and enjoyable prospect.

The companion of Understanding Clinical Papers www.wiley.com/buy/9780470091302

Reviews of Understanding Clinical Papers

"...an excellent basis for all who intend to write scientific texts as well as those reading, evaluating, and trying to understand the results..."
Clinical Chemistry, May 2007

"What makes this book unique is that each point presented is illustrated with excerpts from actual papers, often three or four per chapter...this is a very effective teaching device."
Journal of the American Medical Association, December 26, 2006

"What strikes the reader ... straight away is clarity ... promises to become a recommended text for undergraduate and postgraduate courses."
Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, September 2006

"This book should be an essential addition to the personal libraries of all health care workers . . . "
Oncology, 2002

The relatively recent big increase in funding by central government (both in the UK, as well as in other countries) of applied health research, has meant that many clinicians are having to engage in clinical research.  Many of them will have no previous experience of doing their own research, and are likely to find the process completely baffling.  How even to get started!  Moreover, there has been a rapid expansion in the number of clinicians doing Masters degrees in health areas, of which dissertations are a large part. Increasing numbers of these people need research skills to enable them to do the required research and write these dissertations. Additionally, the idea of EBM (Evidence-Based Medicine), is now widely accepted and is reasonably well established in the various disciplines of clinical practice.  The evidence for successful and appropriate clinical practice is most frequently gathered from the research efforts of clinicians.  One consequence of this is that it places a responsibility on all clinicians to, at the very least, understand research results. There is a huge potential audience for a book that meets these needs.

By the time you've read this book, you'll be ready to design your own research project Not everyone in clinical research is a scientific investigator. In fact, a large proportion of health professionals undertaking a research project are working in clinical care, as junior doctors, nurses or allied health professionals. For them a book that begins with the basics of study design and takes them through all the stages to data collection, analysis, and submission for publication is vital. Getting Started in Health Research is the answer. It provides fundamental information on: Framing the research question Performing the literature search Choosing the study design Collecting data Getting funding Recruiting participants Writing your paper Lively case studies provide a continuous narrative, addressing the pitfalls and problems that can occur. Calling upon their vast experience of teaching health research methodology, these authors have turned a seemingly daunting task into a challenging and enjoyable prospect. Reviews of Understanding Clinical Papers "...an excellent basis for all who intend to write scientific texts as well as those reading, evaluating, and trying to understand the results..." Clinical Chemistry, May 2007 "What makes this book unique is that each point presented is illustrated with excerpts from actual papers, often three or four per chapter...this is a very effective teaching device." Journal of the American Medical Association, December 26, 2006 "What strikes the reader ... straight away is clarity ... promises to become a recommended text for undergraduate and postgraduate courses." Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, September 2006 "This book should be an essential addition to the personal libraries of all health care workers . . . " Oncology, 2002