Research Basics for Clerks & Residents:Finding and appraising evidence

Erin Menzies – erin.menzies@ubc.ca

Lisa Gysel - lisa.gysel@interiorhealth.ca

10 September 2014

Evidence. What is it?A - Using Google to find answers

B - Making decisions based on what has worked in the past

C - Using current research to support decision

making

D - I have no idea

“Evidence-based health care is the “intentional use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients or the delivery of health services.” (Cochrane)

How do we find evidence anyway?

The Literature Review!

Core Skills demonstrated by the Literature Review:

•Research and Subject Expertise: You can locate and have read the full range of accredited sources relevant to your topic.

•Critical Analysis: You can summarize, synthesize and evaluate those sources within a coherent, organized document.

Steps to a Great Literature Review:

Research CyclePrepare

Search

Evaluate

Scan and Review

Overview of Writing Steps:

1. Take summary notes on each article, synthesize and evaluate.

2. Organize the literature review, keeping in mind your thesis and how the structure will prepare the way for your research.

3. Write the first draft.4. Revise for tone, analysis, clarity, writing

style.

Research Cycle: Prepare

• Define your topic (though doing some research will help you tighten your focus, so be flexible)

• Develop search terms

• Identify key resources

Define your topic• Read background information

– Reference materials– Websites– Textbooks

• Talk to your supervisor, classmates, and colleagues

• Be flexible

Developing search termsTopic: Use and preservation of indigenous knowledge in First Nations’ communities in Northern British Columbia

Developing search terms• Indigenous knowledge:

• Traditional knowledge• Local knowledge• Aboriginal knowledge

• First Nations: • Aboriginal • Indigenous• Native• “Indian”

To find other search terms:

• Think about different variations of the words/phrases

• Search online• Use a thesaurus

IDENTIFY KEY RESOURCES

Journals & Articles

Primary Documents

Books & eBooks

Government publications

Statistics

Indexes & Databases

Good places to start?

UBC Library website

IH Library Services (onsite or offsite)

Identify Key Resources• UBC Library Research Guides:

guides.library.ubc.ca

•

Finding IH Library Key Resources

Within IH Offsite

Research Cycle: Search• Indexes & Databases • Library Catalogue

Search • Boolean searching

• Truncated searches *i.e. toxic* finds toxicant, toxicity, toxicology, toxicologist(s), etc.

• Applying limitersi.e. date, age, language, type of publication, etc.

• PICO

Designing Research Questions using PICO

P Patient or Problem

I Intervention

C Comparative Intervention

O Outcome

Scenario

Your 40 year old patient is interested in a tubal ligation. She’s heard that this procedure could reduce her chances of ovarian cancer.

PICO: Scenario

Your 40 year old female patient is interested in a tubal

ligation. She’s heard that this procedure could reduce

Her chances of ovarian cancer.

P ______________________________

I ______________________________

C ______________________________

O ______________________________

PICO Research Questions

Search Terms

P I O

Adult Females Tubal ligation Ovarian cancer

Adult Women Tubal sterilization

Ovarian neoplasm

Middle Aged Females

Middle Aged Women

Research Question = Among P Does I

(Versus C) affect O?

Evaluate

• Crucial step in the research process

• Evaluate all resources (print and online)

Finding Great Proof

Evaluation Criteria

Authority & Bias

Purpose & Audience

Currency/Date

Academic & Peer Review

Relevancy

Evaluate• Authority & Bias

– Who produced this source?– What is the author’s background/credentials? – Is there any conflict of interest?– Does the article take a specific stance? Is it fair?

• Purpose & Audience– Why was this source created?– Who is it intended for? Academics? Genearal public?– Is it scholarly? Popular? Technical?

• Currency/Date– When was this source produced? – Is it relevant now?

• Academic & Peer Review– Is the resource applicable for academic use? – Is it peer reviewed?– Check the journal or Ulrich's Periodical Directory

• Relevancy• Is the source suitable for your purposes?• Is this the best source you could find?

Scan and Review

Helpful Tip: Check the bibliography of useful articles and resources to find other resources

• Take breaks in the search process to review your progress

• Ask: Do I have enough information?• You will need to read A LOT• You may have to go back for more research after

you’ve started writing

APPRAISING EVIDENCE IN BIOMEDICAL/PHYSICAL SCIENCES

RefWorks• Online citation management database: • Store, organize, and share citations• Import citations from databases• Format citations in a wide variety of citation

styles• Easily create a bibliography

Sign up for an account: http://resources.library.ubc.ca/page.php?id=497