Stephen B. Hulley

Research methods are important to almost all graduate students in the sciences. Design in particular can make or break the funding of a project – not to mention the implementation of the project itself! The stakes are rarely higher than in clinical, biomedical research where large dollars, impactful results, and ethical aspects of live patients are constantly at play. This book, written by a collaboration of highly successful biomedical researchers, teaches how to design research to a newer generation of inquirers.

Topics include developing a research question, planning the measurements, study designs, ethical issues, data management, survey design, community and international studies, and grant proposals. In short, it teaches almost every concept you need to get started in research. Of course, a mentor or a panel of mentors are crucial, but reading this book can take away some of their burden and allow conversations to turn towards more interesting and pressing topics.

Numerous appendices fill the book by appearing after many chapters. These guides help readers to get started with specific issues. Exercises to jump-start activity are at the end. So much of the barrier to research lies in conceptual vocabulary, so a twenty-three-page glossary sits at the end. Of course, knowledge cannot replace a lack of tenacity, but tenacity must still possess knowledge in order to be effective.

The writing is clear, and the diagrams are interesting. Real-world examples from various clinical studies bring the text to life. All but one of the authors have a degree in public health, and the focus on making a difference in patients’ lives is evident from start to finish. Certain sections are apt for review at various stages of the research process and highlight important concepts (and potential missteps) to anticipate successful implementation of the design.

This book is appropriate for researchers. It is not meant for a general audience. However, particularly beginners and particularly graduate students would benefit from these pages. It’s hard to imagine someone starting a career in clinical research without some degree of understanding of the concepts in these pages. Why not read them all in one place here? Opportunities for further exploration can be found in references so that ambitious, curious, and/or over-achieving readers can satisfy their interests.… (mehr)