Understanding and Evaluating Research in Applied and Clinical Settings

by Morgan; George A.

• ISBN13: 9780805853315
• ISBN10: 0805853316
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-08-10
• Publisher: Psychology Pres

Summary

Clinically oriented professionals and students need to understand and evaluate the research and statistics in professional articles, especially given today's emphasis on evidence-based practice. This book demonstrates how the research approach and design help determine the appropriate statistical analysis. Understanding and Evaluating Research in Applied and Clinical Settingsfeatures: *short, independent, chapters that do not have to be read in order; *a guide to understanding why a particular statistic was selected; *an emphasis on effects sizes including measures of risk potency; *numerous cross-disciplinary examples to illustrate the material; and *methods to help determine practical and clinical significance and their relation to meta-analysis and evidence-based practice. This book is intended for practitioners and students in psychology, education, counseling, mental and allied health, nursing, and medicine, and as a text for courses on understanding research methods and statistics.

Author Biography

George A. Morgan is a Professor Emeritus of Education and Human Development at Colorado State University in Fort Collins and an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Acknowledgments	xiii
I. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS
1 Framework and Sample Studies	3	(6)
2 Definition, Purposes, and Dimensions of Research	9	(5)
3 A Tale of Two Paradigms: Quantitative and Qualitative	14	(4)
4 Ethical Problems and Principles in Human Research	18	(6)
5 Ethical Issues Related to Publishing and Reviewing	24	(7)
II. VARIABLES AND THEIR MEASUREMENT
6 Research Problems and Variables	31	(5)
7 Measurement and Descriptive Statistics	36	(8)
8 Measurement Reliability	44	(6)
9 Measurement Validity	50	(9)
10 Data Collection Techniques	59	(10)
III. RESEARCH APPROACHES, QUESTIONS, AND DESIGNS
11 Quantitative Research Approaches	69	(7)
12 Research Questions and Hypotheses	76	(5)
13 Quasi-Experimental Designs	81	(8)
14 Randomized Experimental Designs	89	(6)
15 Single-Subject Designs	95	(8)
16 General Design Classifications	103	(10)
IV. INTRODUCTION TO THE EVALUATION OF METHODS AND DESIGN
17 Internal Validity	113	(9)
18 Sampling and Population External Validity	122	(7)
19 Evaluating the Validity of a Research Study: An Introduction	129	(14)
V. INTRODUCTION TO INFERENTIAL STATISTICS AND THEIR INTERPRETATION
20 Introduction to Inferential Statistics and Hypothesis Testing	143	(9)
21 Problems With Null Hypothesis Significance Testing (NHST)	152	(7)
22 Using Effect Sizes and Confidence Intervals to Interpret the Results of a Statistical Test	159	(14)
VI. SELECTION AND INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFIC STATISTICS
23 Selection of Inferential Statistics: An Overview	173	(7)
24 Single-Factor Between-Groups Designs: Analysis and Interpretation	180	(8)
25 Single-Factor Repeated-Measures Designs: Analysis and Interpretation	188	(7)
26 Basic Associational Designs: Analysis and Interpretation	195	(6)
27 The Chi-Square Test and Accompanying Effect Size Indices	201	(7)
28 Between-Groups Factorial Designs: Analysis and Interpretation	208	(7)
29 Pretest–Posttest Comparison Group Designs: Analysis and Interpretation	215	(8)
30 Use and Interpretation of Multiple Regression	223	(6)
31 Logistic Regression and Discriminant Analysis: Use and Interpretation	229	(7)
32 Selection and Use of Inferential Statistics: A Summary	236	(10)
33 Interpretation of Alpha, Factor Analysis, and Principal Components Analysis	246	(11)
VII. APPLICATION CHAPTERS
34 Levels of Evidence for Evidence-Based Practice	257	(8)
35 Meta-Analysis: Formulation and Interpretation	265	(7)
36 Effect Sizes and Clinical Significance	272	(13)
VIII. EVALUATION OF RESEARCH VALIDITY
37 Framework for a Comprehensive Evaluation of the Research Validity of a Study	285	(25)
38 Evaluations of Four Sample Articles	310	(12)
Appendix A: Research Validity Evaluation Form	322	(7)
Appendix B: Completed Research Validity Evaluation Form	329	(8)
Appendix C: Comparative Numerical Evaluations of the Four Sample Studies	337	(2)
Appendix D: Confusing Terms	339	(5)
References	344	(7)
Author Index	351	(6)
Subject Index	357