Good Research Design Research Articles

Unlimited Surrounding: A Scoping Review on the Impact of the Built Environment on Health, Behavior, and Quality of Life of Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities in Long-Term Care

To identify available literature on the impact of built environments on health, behavior, and quality of life of individuals with intellectual disabilities in long-term care. Additionally, we aimed to map the available literature, (re)frame the overall research situation in this area, and formulate recommendations. Long-term care facilities in the Netherlands are planned without using knowledge from research regarding evidence-based design because it is unclear what evidence is available about the impact of long-term care built environments on individuals with intellectual disabilities receiving 24/7 care. Twelve scientific databases were searched for keyword combinations. After systematically screening 3,095 documents, 276 were included in the analysis. There is an underrepresentation of research and publications in intellectual disabilities, compared to other user groups living in long-term care facilities. A total of 26 design components were found in all groups; as for intellectual disabilities, research was available on only seven of them. Community care, home-likeness, and variety seem to have a positive effect on health, behavior, and quality of life. There are conflicting results regarding the effects of house size. Although individuals with intellectual disabilities live in long-term care facilities, sometimes for life, little research has been conducted on the impact of the built environment on them. In the future, more empirical research should be conducted, addressing all aspects of quality of life and specific design components, with hypotheses based on needs assessments and the use of good research designs. This requires an investment of time and funding.

An Overview of Systematic Reviews of Using Chinese Medicine to Treat Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Objective This review sought to evaluate the strength and validity of the existing evidence for the use of Chinese medicine for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods We retrieved systematic evaluations and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating Chinese herbal interventions in polycystic ovaries, including the use of decoctions or Chinese patent medicines. The quality of these systematic evaluations was assessed using AMSTAR2 tools, and ovulation rate, pregnancy rate, effective rate, serum hormones (testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone), and adverse reactions were recorded. Finally, the reliability of each result was evaluated according to the GRADE system. Data Sources. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, CQVIP, and SINOMED databases were searched up to January 1, 2021. Outcomes. A total of 18 publications were included, all of which showed that PCOS symptoms were improved with Chinese medicine compared with control groups. However, most of the evaluations did not have good research designs and had issues with the analysis of their results. The reliability of most outcome measures was rated low or very low, and it is presumed that the reliability of the results was low due to the poor quality of the RCTs. Conclusions At present, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that improved efficacy is achieved by the combined use of Chinese and Western medicine compared with Western medicine alone in treating PCOS. Therefore, it is recommended that multicenter, large-sample RCTs adopting standard designs and rigorous methods be carried out in the future while introducing standardized assessment plans for the systematic review of clinical trials so as to improve the quality of the resulting clinical evidence.

Exploratory Research Design in Management Sciences: An X-Ray of Literature

This study investigated exploratory research design (ERD) in management sciences. ERD is conducted when enough information is unavailable about a phenomenon. Though, ERD is employed by researchers to gain background information and is used to clarify research problems and hypotheses in order to establish research priorities. Meanwhile, in management sciences today, a research that is been qualified to be a good research design is considered as appropriate, efficient and economical, because it minimises bias in data collection (Jamia, 2016). Therefore, ERD emphasis on the main stage of research in order to achieve new insights into a phenomenon. The study exposed researchers in management sciences to exploratory research design as a means of making new discoveries due to the less rigorous methodological limits. The study thus, recommends for management sciences researchers to adopt multiple methods approach for data collection when conducing exploratory research. That is, the use of these three approaches for data collection, namely: interview, observation and survey, in order to meet the doctrine of ERD and to satisfy the researcher’s curiosity as well as desire for better understanding of a phenomenon.

Application of Acupuncture to Attenuate Immune Responses and Oxidative Stress in Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction: What Do We Know So Far?

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common sequela following surgery and hospitalization. The prevention and management of POCD are important during clinical practice. POCD more commonly affects elderly patients who have undergone major surgery and can result in major decline in quality of life for both patients and their families. Acupuncture has been suggested as an effective intervention for many neurological disorders. In recent years, there are increasing interest in the use of acupuncture to prevent and treat POCD. In this review, we summarized the clinical and preclinical evidence of acupuncture on POCD using a narrative approach and discussed the potential mechanisms involved. The experimental details and findings of studies were summarized in tables and analyzed. Most of the clinical studies suggested that acupuncture before surgery could reduce the incidence of POCD and reduce the levels of systematic inflammatory markers. However, their reliability is limited by methodological flaws. Animal studies showed that acupuncture reduced cognitive impairment and the associated pathology after various types of surgery. It is possible that acupuncture modulates inflammation, oxidative stress, synaptic changes, and other cellular events to mitigate POCD. In conclusion, acupuncture is a potential intervention for POCD. More clinical studies with good research design are required to confirm its effectiveness. At the same time, findings from animal studies will help reveal the protective mechanisms, in which systematic inflammation is likely to play a major role.

Application of experimental animals in medical scientific research design

At present, experimental animals have an irreplaceable important role in scientific research and design, more new drug research and development and surgical technique innovation are carried out in experimental animal models. The preparation of experimental animal models is inseparable from good medical research design. Selecting standardized experimental animals can reduce experimental errors and ensure the reliability, accuracy and repeatability of experimental results. Therefore, this article will summarize the application of experimental animals in medical scientific research design. Key words: Models, animal; Mice; Standardization; Research design

High-impact teaching practices in higher education: a best evidence review

ABSTRACT In this paper, we report on an attempt to systematically discover reliable and high-quality evidence on teaching practices that have an impact on student learning. We adopted an innovative approach that was modelled on some of the practices of a systematic review. Papers that met certain quality criteria (population generalisability, ecological validity, measurement validity, logical clarity and design justification) were examined and a weighted-average score for each paper was calculated. These were then ranked to derive lists of best-evidenced and most impactful teaching and curriculum strategies. The results reveal that this method provides a reasonable approach to distilling the available literature into a concise representation of the most effective practices that are backed by good research design attributes. The results will be useful for curriculum designers, university leaders and policy makers, and have already informed policy at one Australian university.

Patient and public involvement in dementia research in the European Union: a scoping review

BackgroundInternationally, there is a drive to involve patients and the public in health research, due to recognition that patient and public involvement (PPI) may increase the impact and relevance of health research. This scoping review describes the extent and nature of PPI in dementia research in the European Union (EU) and summarises: (i) how PPI is carried out; and (ii) the impact of PPI on people living with dementia and the public, researchers, and the research process.MethodsRelevant studies were identified by searches in electronic reference databases and then filtered by two reviewers independently. Eligibility criteria for included studies were: (i) people living with dementia and/or care partners; (ii) PPI activity in dementia research conducted in the European Union (EU); and (iii) published between 2000 and 2018. An adapted version of the Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public (GRIPP2 SF) was used to collate the data. There was no language restriction other than the abstract needed to be available in English.ResultsWe found 19 studies from the UK and one from the Netherlands meeting inclusion criteria. No studies from other EU countries met inclusion criteria. Studies reported various methods of PPI including workshops, drop-in sessions, meetings, consensus conference, reader consultation and participatory approach. The reported aims of PPI included identifying and prioritising research questions (n = 4), research design (n = 5), undertaking and managing research (n = 8), and data analysis and interpretation (n = 3). All PPI related to design and implementation of non-pharmacological studies. One study described two pharmacological studies as case studies incorporating PPI. Seventeen studies reported anecdotal impacts of PPI.ConclusionsFurther development of PPI in dementia research in the EU and in pharmacological dementia research is required. Given the wide range of objectives of PPI in dementia research, PPI methods should be flexible and appropriate for the research context. Researchers should also formally evaluate and report the impacts of PPI for researchers, patients and the general public using good quality research designs to foster development of the field and enable the benefits and challenges of PPI to be better understood.Trial registrationPROSPERO 2017: CRD42017053260.

The Case for Measuring Legal Actor Contributions in Court Proceedings

The importance of legal actor contributions has been highlighted in recent international guidelines proposed for the evaluation of court programs and is evident when reviewing the literature on good research design. However, attempts to measure legal actor contributions from an objective and therapeutic perspective as part of the ongoing therapeutic jurisprudence movement are scarce in the literature. To date, no court evaluation programs have included an objective measurement of legal actor contributions as a feature of their research design. However, several programs have attempted to measure this variable via self-report or the perceptions of other legal actors. This article highlights the necessity and usefulness for both the mainstreaming therapeutic jurisprudence movement and problem-solving courts to find a way to measure legal actor contributions effectively and objectively when evaluating court processes, impacts and outcomes. The proposed measurement tool could also function as a respectful mechanism to give feedback for magistrates wishing to embed therapeutic jurisprudence practices into their work in mainstream courts and could potentially be used in judicial training.

Perceived Statistical Knowledge Level and Self-Reported Statistical Practice Among Academic Psychologists.

Introduction: Publications arguing against the null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) procedure and in favor of good statistical practices have increased. The most frequently mentioned alternatives to NHST are effect size statistics (ES), confidence intervals (CIs), and meta-analyses. A recent survey conducted in Spain found that academic psychologists have poor knowledge about effect size statistics, confidence intervals, and graphic displays for meta-analyses, which might lead to a misinterpretation of the results. In addition, it also found that, although the use of ES is becoming generalized, the same thing is not true for CIs. Finally, academics with greater knowledge about ES statistics presented a profile closer to good statistical practice and research design. Our main purpose was to analyze the extension of these results to a different geographical area through a replication study.Methods: For this purpose, we elaborated an on-line survey that included the same items as the original research, and we asked academic psychologists to indicate their level of knowledge about ES, their CIs, and meta-analyses, and how they use them. The sample consisted of 159 Italian academic psychologists (54.09% women, mean age of 47.65 years). The mean number of years in the position of professor was 12.90 (SD = 10.21).Results: As in the original research, the results showed that, although the use of effect size estimates is becoming generalized, an under-reporting of CIs for ES persists. The most frequent ES statistics mentioned were Cohen's d and R2/η2, which can have outliers or show non-normality or violate statistical assumptions. In addition, academics showed poor knowledge about meta-analytic displays (e.g., forest plot and funnel plot) and quality checklists for studies. Finally, academics with higher-level knowledge about ES statistics seem to have a profile closer to good statistical practices.Conclusions: Changing statistical practice is not easy.This change requires statistical training programs for academics, both graduate and undergraduate.

Measuring the Impact of Social Justice Teaching: Research Design and Oversight

Research and the production of scholarship is a fundamental part of being a legal academic. Such endeavors identify issues and answer questions that further understanding of the law, the profession, and the justice system itself. Research and scholarship in the legal academy traditionally meant the study of law and legal theory. A growing body of legal academics are focusing research and scholarship on legal education itself, as well as research that measures the impact of legal education on the development of students’ practical and professional skills. The impact of clinical legal education is an important aspect of this scholarship.[1] This article explores how thoughtfully designed research projects can measure the impact of social justice teaching, using examples and experience gleaned from the evaluation and research component of a medical legal partnership[2] and its affiliated law school clinic. The article examines principles of good research design, the art of formulating research questions, and the potential uses for resulting data. It also identifies critical steps and issues to consider when developing a research project.

Electronic Storybooks Among Children of Low SES: Critically Re-Evaluating the Evidence from 1997-2009

This critical synthesis re-evaluates a widely-cited sample of peer-reviewed empirical journal articles supporting electronic storybooks as a promising medium for literacy learning among preschoolers of low SES. From a critical re-assessment of these experimental studies across quality variables indicative of good research design (e.g., participant description, treatment detail, treatment fidelity, operationalized measures, measure reliability, internal and external validity, and clarity of causal inference), synthesis results indicate that all studies contained methodological weaknesses in one of more of these areas. The most serious flaws observed were failure to utilize proven instrumentation, inadequately described samples, small samples, and non-uniform treatment conditions. Evidence suggests that higher quality studies are needed before conclusive statements can be made on the efficacy of e-storybooks for vulnerable populations. Implications and recommendations for future e-storybook research are discussed.

Air Toxics Under the Big Sky: examining the effectiveness of authentic scientific research on high school students’ science skills and interest

ABSTRACTAir Toxics Under the Big Sky is an environmental science outreach/education program that incorporates the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) 8 Practices with the goal of promoting knowledge and understanding of authentic scientific research in high school classrooms through air quality research. This research explored: (1) how the program affects student understanding of scientific inquiry and research and (2) how the open-inquiry learning opportunities provided by the program increase student interest in science as a career path. Treatment students received instruction related to air pollution (airborne particulate matter), associated health concerns, and training on how to operate air quality testing equipment. They then participated in a yearlong scientific research project in which they developed and tested hypotheses through research of their own design regarding the sources and concentrations of air pollution in their homes and communities. Results from an external evaluation revealed that treatment students developed a deeper understanding of scientific research than did comparison students, as measured by their ability to generate good hypotheses and research designs, and equally expressed an increased interest in pursuing a career in science. These results emphasize the value of and need for authentic science learning opportunities in the modern science classroom.

Rethinking Managerial Reporting

Rethinking Managerial Reporting

Research Ethics on Oral Health Case Series Report

The case series is an accumulation of interesting cases for analysis. It is considered as a kind of descriptive study. As a research, there has to be a good research design, good methodology and ethical control. The ethics in researching is a big topic in the present. Several kinds of misconduct can be seen such as plagiarism, falsification and fabrication. In oral health care report, the ethical standard is set and the journal is against any kind of research misconduct. The approval of ethical clearance by local committee for any research is needed. In reporting, patient right and privacy have to be maintained.

An examination of the evidence in culturally adapted evidence-based or empirically supported interventions.

Measurement yields perhaps the most critical evidence influencing whether culturally adapted evidence- based practice (EBP) and empirically supported treatments (EST) are deemed more effective for African Americans, Latino/a Americans, Asian/Pacific Islander Americans, Native Americans, and related immigrant groups than standard treatments, as well as for determining the validity of results of surveys of health conditions in nondominant populations internationally. However, little attention has been given to measuring the effects of race and ethnic culture, as experiential constructs rather than sociodemographic categories, on diagnosis, the treatment process, and outcomes. Three meta-analyses of culturally adapted treatments and three studies cited in them were analyzed to determine the ways in which researchers incorporated measurement of racial and ethnic cultural dynamics as explicit factors in any phase of their interventions. The analysis revealed that researchers did not report adapting standard measures to address cultural influences, nor did they define symptoms from participants' cultural or racial experiences. The author concludes that although there are criteria for judging good research designs, which may or not be feasible for research on nondominant racial and ethnic groups, there are no paradigms for developing measures or for interpreting existing measures to incorporate ethnicity and racialized experiences. Some principles from cross-cultural assessment research (i.e., functional, conceptual, metric, and linguistic equivalence) are adapted to suggest how measures for investigating the effectiveness of culturally adapted interventions for nondominant ethnic and racialized groups might be developed and/or used more appropriately throughout the course of the intervention.

Which statistical tests should I use?

Statistical tests can be powerful tools for researchers. They provide valuable evidence from which we make decisions about the significance or robustness of research findings. Statistical tests are a critical...

Using a Pseudoscience Activity to Teach Critical Thinking

In two studies, we assessed the effectiveness of a classroom activity designed to increase students’ ability to think critically. This activity involved watching and discussing an infomercial that contained pseudoscientific claims, thus incorporating course material on good research design and critical thinking. In Study 1, we used a pretest–posttest design. After the activity, students were significantly more likely to correctly identify flaws in a series of claims. In Study 2, we compared the effectiveness of this activity to a traditional lecture. Participation in the activity was more effective at increasing students’ ability to critically evaluate claims than the lecture. These results suggest that short-term interventions to increase critical thinking can be successful and can be made interesting for students.

An effort to ‘leverage’ the effect of participation in a mass event on physical activity

Despite the considerable interest in community-based physical activity (PA) interventions, there is a lack of clarity on which strategies are most effective and most likely to work in different contexts. The purpose of this study was to use existing community resources to promote PA in a population sample of insufficiently active women using a cluster RCT design. Participants (n = 402) were grouped into 32 geographical-based clusters, which were randomly allocated into 16 intervention (n = 193) and 16 control (n = 209) regions. The intervention was delivered in conjunction with regional units of the Irish Sports Council; participants received a pack containing tailored information about local PA options in their community, training plans, stage-matched behaviour change booklets and a pedometer. Control participants received health promotion leaflets. Evaluation was conducted using the RE-AIM framework to assess both effectiveness and generalizability. Repeated measures ANOVAs with adjustment for clustering revealed that both groups displayed an approximate 39 min increase in PA, but decreases in sitting were greater in the intervention group than the control group (32.9 versus 1.2 min). Recall of materials was high ranging between 85 and 97% for the various intervention components. Finally, those who received higher doses of the intervention (three or more components) reported an approximate 50 min increase in PA compared with 18 min among those who did not use any aspect of the intervention. While no clear intervention effect was evident, this research was successful in linking and implementing good research design with PA promoting networks.

Reviewing research evidence and the case of participation in sport and physical recreation by black and minority ethnic communities

The paper addresses the implications of using the process of systematic review in the many areas of leisure where there is a dearth of material that would be admitted into conventional Cochrane Reviews. This raises important questions about what constitutes legitimate knowledge, questions that are of critical import not just to leisure scholars, but to the formulation of policy. The search for certainty in an area that lacks conceptual consensus results in an epistemological imperialism that takes a geocentric form. While clearly, there is a need for good research design whatever the style of research, we contend that the wholesale rejection of insightful research is profligate and foolhardy. A mechanism has to be found to capitalise on good quality research of whatever form. In that search, we draw upon our experience of conducting a review of the material available on participation in sport and physical recreation by people from Black and minority ethnic groups. The paper concludes with a proposal for a more productive review process that makes better use of the full panoply of good quality research available.

Research Design

ABSTRACTThe development of a good research design permits us to obtain the best research data possible. From the experimental question to the research hypothesis and data collection variables, we can begin to consider the optimal research design. Details pertaining to the selection of the research design are considered within and very much in relation with the knowledge of the researcher and the support of his research group.