Getting started in research can be intimidating, here are a few tips and useful links.
Research projects can take several different forms from audit and service evaluation all the way through to large randomised controlled trials.
Research can be conducted using quantitative methods, qualitative methods, or both.
There are several stages to conducting a research study, these are;
- Conceptualising the Study
- Planning the Study
- Conducting the Study
- Communicating Results
Details are summarised in the flow chart to the right. Further information can be found at the national research register and the Research governance Framework for Health and Social Care. When applying for ethics the National Research Ethics Service (NRES) and online application system are easily accessible.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the former National Physiotherapy Research Network (now AHPRN) have put together a pocket book guide to research (click on link). The book is in two parts; 1) guidance on various aspects of research 2) how to embark on a research career.
There are a number of local and national resources available to those who are interested in conducting research. These include;
- the University of Southampton’s Clinical Trials Unit (CTU).
- the Research Design Service (RDS)
- the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
- NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC) is home to a growing number of research programmes and is part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). It is based at the University of Southampton Science Park and was established in April 2008
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