A Brief Overview of the Research Process

Research begins with an attitude of skepticism and an acknowledgement that we can no longer depend so heavily on tradition and authority in the health care marketplace. Evidence-based health care is becoming widely recognized as the most rational approach. We want to convince ourselves and others that our methods work and we want to improve those methods. In order to improve them, we need better understanding of when and how our methods work.

The first step in the research process is just to evaluate what is currently known about the subject. You have to sift through the information, judging its quality and applicability to your question. Literature searching tools can help, but it takes time to become familiar with the terminology and concepts of research. Gradually you can begin to narrow down your quest to a specific answerable question. If the information is already available, then you're done. If not enough is known, then the quest for knowledge continues in an experimental setting, where you can collect more information.

The process of collecting new information begins with a clear understanding of the question you want to ask. You have to find ways to measure the state and responses of the system under study. Often those measures already exist, but you may have to bring several methods together and practice working with them on patients. When your methods are in place, you can then write them up in the form of a proposal.

At this point, you may want to find a mentor; present your ideas to a fellow faculty member with research experience. Feedback can help you refine the ideas and polish the proposal. You might also need help with some aspects of the project, such as training with equipment or data analysis. Consider enlisting a team of helpers.

In your proposed feasibility or pilot study you further work out your methods and procedures until you have a good handle on the most efficient way to identify patients for your study, screen them, assess them, apply the treatment and measure the outcome. When you can efficiently collect the data you need and know how to analyze it, you can begin a more formal experimental project.

The formal study needs another proposal, which is presented to the research council for review. If funds are needed for equipment or release time, you make your case in the proposal, based on the experience from the pilot study.

Finally, you get your team together and carry out the study over a period of weeks or months, depending on the extent of the study. Collect your data and analyze it (or have it analyzed by a statistician). With results in hand, you can combine them with elements of your proposal into a manuscript for publication or submit an abstract for presentation at a conference.

One study never answers the broad sweeping questions we need answered in chiropractic. Your study will help you develop new ideas and information on which to base further study. So, the process begins again.