This paper arose in response to a gap in the literature and a need on the part of health science researchers for a standard reproducible criteria for simultaneously critically appraising the quality of a wide range of studies. The paper is meant to stimulate discussion about how to further advance the capacity of researchers to effectively conduct the critical appraisals. It is hoped that researchers will continue to test the validity of and refine the "Qualsyst" tool which is described in this paper.
Healthcare decision makers in search of reliable information that compares health interventions increasingly turn to systematic reviews for the best summary of the evidence. Systematic reviews identify, select, assess, and synthesize the findings of similar but separate studies, and can help clarify what is known and not known about the potential benefits and harms of drugs, devices, and other healthcare services. Systematic reviews can be helpful for clinicians who want to integrate research findings into their daily practices, for patients to make well-informed choices about their own care, for professional medical societies and other organizations that develop clinical practice guidelines. Too often systematic reviews are of uncertain or poor quality. There are no universally accepted standards for developing systematic reviews leading to variability in how conflicts of interest and biases are handled, how evidence is appraised, and the overall scientific rigor of the process. In Finding What Works in Health Care the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends 21 standards for developing high-quality systematic reviews of comparative effectiveness research. The standards address the entire systematic review process from the initial steps of formulating the topic and building the review team to producing a detailed final report that synthesizes what the evidence shows and where knowledge gaps remain. Finding What Works in Health Care also proposes a framework for improving the quality of the science underpinning systematic reviews. This book will serve as a vital resource for both sponsors and producers of systematic reviews of comparative effectiveness research.
Reviewing research evidence for nursing practice: systematic reviews highlights the key issues involved in conducting different types of systematic reviews - encompassing qualitative studies, quantitative studies and combining quantitative and qualitative studies. It enables nurses and researchers to understand the key principles involved in preparing systematic reviews and to critically appraise the reviews they read and evaluate their usefulness in developing their own practice. Each section starts with an overview of the methodology, followed by a selection of systematic reviews carried out in specialist areas of nursing practice. Part 1 explores systematic reviews and meta-analysis of quantitative research, part 2 explores meta-synthesis and meta-study of qualitative research and part 3 addresses integrative reviews that combine both qualitative and quantitative evidence. The final part explores the use of systematic reviews in service and practice development.
Whether you are new to literature reviews or working with new types of data, this book takes the guesswork out of writing your literature review. From deciding how much literature to include to managing your data, assessing your sources, and writing results, it outlines a step-by-step process that works with any data. To help you choose best approach for your research, this book includes: · Worksheets and decision aids to help you plan and organise your literature review · Worked examples and case studies to show you what – and what not – to do in practice · Troubleshooting tips and answers to all your frequently asked questions · Online access to a literature review starter template, an exercise workbook, project diary template, and a source credibility checklist. The perfect project support for any social sciences student, this edition also includes a new chapter on analysing mixed methods research.
This Handbook expertly instructs the reader on how to conduct applied health research across a number of disciplines. Particularly aimed at postgraduate health researchers and students of applied health research, it presents and explains a wide range of research designs and other contemporary issues in applied health research.
A practical guide to the methodologies used in language teaching and learning research, providing expert advice and real-life examples from leading TESOL researchers Research Methods in Language Teaching and Learning provides practical guidance on the primary research methods used in second language teaching, learning, and education. Designed to support researchers and students in language education and learning, this highly accessible book covers a wide range of research methodologies in the context of actual practice to help readers fully understand the process of conducting research. Organized into three parts, the book covers qualitative studies, quantitative studies, and systematic reviews. Contributions by an international team of distinguished researchers and practitioners explain and demonstrate narrative inquiry, discourse analysis, ethnography, heuristic inquiry, mixed methods, experimental and quasi-experimental studies, and more. Each chapter presents an overview of a method of research, an in-depth description of the research framework or data analysis process, and a meta-analysis of choices made and challenges encountered. Offering invaluable insights and hands-on research knowledge to students and early-career practitioners alike, this book: Focuses on the research methods, techniques, tools, and practical aspects of performing research Provides firsthand narratives and case studies to explain the decisions researchers make Compares the relative strengths and weaknesses of different research methods Includes real-world examples for each research method and framework to highlight the context of the study Includes extensive references, further reading suggestions, and end-of-chapter review questions Part of the Guides to Research Methods in Language and Linguistics series, Research Methods in Language Teaching and Learning is essential reading for students, educators, and researchers in all related fields, including TESOL, second language acquisition, English language teaching, and applied linguistics.
The world of Research Methods is always changing and becoming ever more complex. Now completely up to date with the latest innovations, this book engages with recent controversies to give you the best start with your research. In each chapter you will find: · Key concept boxes to help you stay on track and focus on what’s most important · Real life examples which make the theory easier to understand · Exercises to check you’ve understood the chapter · Questions to help you develop your critical thinking. Also available online are: · Multiple choice questions to test your understanding · Datasets to allow you to practice your skills · A flashcard glossary to help with revision. Offering a complete package to anyone taking a research methods course as part of their degree.
Extensively updated with the latest evidence-based approaches, engaging learning features, and detailed, high-quality photographs, Taylor’s Clinical Nursing Skills, 6th Edition, gives students the confidence and clinical judgment to effectively incorporate cognitive, technical, interpersonal, and ethical/legal skills for exceptional patient care. This robust text guides students step-by-step through the full continuum of clinical nursing skills and complements Fundamentals of Nursing: The Art and Science of Person-Centered Care, 10th Edition to create a seamless, superior learning experience throughout the nursing curriculum and equip students for successful nursing practice.
With research showing that clients from diverse racial and ethnic groups disproportionately experience barriers in their interactions with social services and that providers recognize the need to be better prepared to work with these groups, this book invites us to rethink current approaches to social work practice with multicultural communities. We begin with a synthesis of the current evidence on the provision of care to multicultural communities that provides an in-depth look at both client and provider experiences. The following chapters offer tangible, research-based approaches to engaging with multicultural clients and reveal often unrecognized problems with current models of social work practice. A unique compilation of rigorous qualitative, experimental, and community-based studies demonstrate the effectiveness of culturally grounded interventions and identify the specific factors associated with positive outcomes. Areas covered include disability, marriage and couple relationship problems, domestic violence, and mental illness within Latinx, African American, First Nations, and South Asian communities. As the authors in this book show, the stories of multicultural communities are narratives of unprecedented resourcefulness and reinvention. Yet, social work underutilizes rich family and community cultural resources. By not facilitating their involvement, social service systems compromise these vital resources which social services cannot replace. In arguing that we need to expand professional boundaries to encompass indigenous practices, family and extended kin, and therapeutic relationships that make sense to different cultural groups, this book will be of interest to those studying the ways in which social work practice can be improved to better suit the needs of a racially and ethnically diverse population. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work.
