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USAHS Evidence Informed Practice > Unit 2 Research & Professional Writing Skills > Flashcards

Unit 2 Research & Professional Writing Skills Flashcards

1
Q

Why do we read scientific literature?

A

In the current healthcare environment, reading the scientific literature is imperative for clinicians to stay informed about the progress and trends in their profession. Staying current with the scientific literature enables you to provide optimal healthcare for your clients.

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2
Q

Searching the Literature

A

Requires that you find and gather a manageable amount of relevant literature using a wide range of contemporary tools and resources.

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3
Q

Reviewing the Literature

A

Requires that you analyze information for effectiveness and efficacy of interventions. It requires that you review the clinical application of the ideas to ensure evidence-based practice.

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4
Q

The goal of reviewing the literature is to find out what is known about the topic based on these four things:

A

(1) Theory, (2) Facts, (3) Opinions, and (4) Methods.

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5
Q

Developing a research. Question and key word (searching or reviewing)

A

Searching Literature

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6
Q

Evaluating the type and source of information for the most current information (searching or reviewing)

A

Reviewing Literature

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7
Q

Comparing the outcomes of more than one treatment (searching or reviewing)

A

Reviewing Literature

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8
Q

Using Google Scholar to locate journal articles or book chapters on a topic (searching or reviewing)

A

Searching Literature

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9
Q

Locating relevant literature on an electric database such as PubMed (searching or reviewing)

A

Searching Literature

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10
Q

Determining Parameters to limit the type and amount of information found (searching or reviewing)

A

Searching Literature

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11
Q

Identifying the quality and relevance of the information (searching or reviewing)

A

Reviewing Literature

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12
Q

Understanding Research Design and Statistical Analysis (searching or reviewing)

A

Reviewing Literature

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13
Q

To quickly analyze a research article, you must first…

A

Understand the basic components of a published study; Scholarly literature presents information in an organized and systematic manner. Articles generally contain the following components:

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14
Q

Basic Components of a Scientific Research Article

A
  • Title
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • References
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15
Q

Title (Basic Components of a Scientific Research Article)

A

A succinct description of the study topic

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16
Q

Abstract (Basic Components of a Scientific Research Article)

A

A concise summary of the study

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17
Q

Introduction (Basic Components of a Scientific Research Article)

A

A statement of purpose and rationale for the study with relevant background information including a concise literature review of the topic. The hypothesis and/or research questions are stated at the end of this section

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18
Q

Methods (Basic Components of a Scientific Research Article)

A

A detailed outline of the procedures and evaluation instruments used as well as the variables measured

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19
Q

Results (Basic Components of a Scientific Research Article)

A

A succinct and organized statement of the data and analysis, which includes pertinent figures, tables, and graphs

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20
Q

Discussion (Basic Components of a Scientific Research Article)

A

A discussion that includes an analysis and interpretation of the results and the implications and limitations of the study

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21
Q

References (Basic Components of a Scientific Research Article)

A

A discussion that includes an analysis and interpretation of the results and the implications and limitations of the study

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22
Q

Steps to analyzing a research article

A

Reading an article from beginning to end is not an efficient use of your time. The best way to analyze a research article is to break down the article. There are 5 steps for analyzing an article in order to rapidly evaluate and understand the article’s contents.

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23
Q

5 steps for analyzing an article in order to rapidly evaluate and understand the article’s contents.

A
  • Identify the Conclusions
  • Determine the Purpose and Rationale
  • Understand Methods and Materials
  • Understand Results and Data Analysis
  • Interpret Outcomes and Draw Conclusions
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24
Q

Identify the Conclusions

A

Read the article’s title, abstract and conclusion sections first to understand the basic conclusions of the study. Then determine, based on the conclusions, if the study is relevant and appropriate for a more thorough review.

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25
Q

Questions to Answer: Identify the Conclusions

A
  • What are the key conclusions of the study?
  • Do the conclusions help answer my research question(s)?
  • Is this article relevant and should I read and analyze the full article?
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26
Q

Determine the Purpose and Rationale

A

Read the article’s introduction section to gain an understanding of the basic purpose of the study and the rationale that supported conducting this study. Read the summary of the background knowledge and identify gaps in the literature that justified this study. This section also contains the study’s hypothesis and/or research question(s).

27
Q

Questions to Answer: Determine the Purpose and Rationale

A
  • What is the research problem?
  • What is the research question(s) or hypothesis?
  • What is the background information presented?
  • What are the gaps in the literature?
  • Do the aims of this study address a gap in previous knowledge or a problem in current practice?
28
Q

Understand Methods and Materials

A

Read the methods section of the article to understand the basic details about procedures and materials used in the study. Determine who the study participants were and how they were selected. Identify the design of the study and how the data were collected, including what variables were measured.

29
Q

Questions to Answer: Understand Methods and Materials

A
  • What procedures were followed?
  • How were participants selected and is the population appropriate?
  • What variables are being measured?
  • Do measurement tools accurately measure selected outcomes?
  • Do statistical methods/tests selected appropriately analyze data to answer the question(s)?
30
Q

Understand Results and Data Analysis

A

Read the results section of the article to get a succinct view of the data and the statistical analysis. This section does not include interpretation of the data; therefore, it is an opportunity to make an objective analysis of the results without the author’s interpretation of the outcomes.

31
Q

Questions to Answer: Understand Results and Data Analysis

A
  • Do the results make sense?
  • What are the important outcomes?
  • Do the results support or negate the hypothesis?
  • Do the results answer the research question(s)?
  • What do the statistical results mean?
  • Are the results valid and reliable?
  • Are the results statistically and/or clinically significant?
32
Q

Interpret Outcomes and Draw Conclusions

A

Read the discussion and conclusion sections of the article to understand the author’s interpretation of the data and the key conclusions of the study. This is arguably the most important step of the process. Ponder how the author answers the research question(s) and analyzes and interprets the data to determine if your analysis from the previous step matches or is in sync with the authors. Also, note the shortcomings, limitations, clinical implications, and need for future research stated in this section.

33
Q

Questions to Answer: Interpret Outcomes and Draw Conclusions

A
  • Do you accept/agree with the conclusions?
  • Was the study worth doing?
  • Are the outcomes reasonable and logical?
  • Are the results useful in clinical practice?
  • What are the strengths and limitations of this study?
  • What are the potential benefits and risks of implementing the findings into practice?
34
Q

Grammar and Usage

A

Grammar is the system and structure of language that has set rules for proper usage. These rules can help you put words in the correct order and form in your writing. There are many grammatical errors you can make when writing, so it is imperative that you utilize the appropriate tools available to help you fix those errors.

35
Q

When writing, use verb tenses consistently because…

A

Shifting between verb tenses within your writing may distract the reader

36
Q

Past Tense

A

Professional writing must be consistent and accurate. In other words, professional writing avoids unnecessary shifts in verb tense in order to help ensure smooth expression.

  • Use the past tense or the present perfect for the literature review and the description of the procedure if discussing past events.
  • Use the past tense to describe the results.
  • Use the present tense to discuss implications of the results and to present conclusions.
37
Q

Present Perfect

A
  • Formed by: Subject + has/have + past participle of verb
  • Used to express actions of duration that occurred in the past (before now) from an unspecified time
  • Used to express actions that started in the past but continue to the present
  • Used to express actions that started in the past but stopped recently
38
Q

Present Tense

A

Expresses an action that is currently going on or habitually performed, or a state that currently or generally exists. To preview what is coming in the document or to explain what is happening at that moment in the document, use the present or future tense.

39
Q

The English language has two voices:

A

Active and Passive.

40
Q

Active Voice

A
  • Stresses who did an action

- Simple and direct.

41
Q

Passive Voice

A
  • Stresses to whom or to what an act was done
  • The subject of the sentence is acted on by the verb
  • The subject is placed at the end of the sentence and your reader has to search for it.
  • A key phrase that often indicates use of passive is: a form of “to be” + past participle + “by” and then the subject.
42
Q

Subject-Verb Agreement

A

Involves matching the subject with the correct form of a verb. The subject and verb must agree in case and number. When you use a singular noun, you must also use a singular verb. Also, when you use a plural noun, you must use a plural verb.

43
Q

Continuity & Flow

A

Professional writing is organized and flows in a logical manner with a smooth rhythm of words, sentences, and thoughts. Professional writing should not demonstrate inconsistencies, contradictions, omissions, or irrelevancies.

44
Q

Conciseness & Clarity

A

Writing that is succinct, precise, and clear communicates effectively to the reader. Written communication should avoid wordiness, redundant terms, overuse of passive voice, being overly descriptive, convoluted wording, and awkward prose.

45
Q

Contractions

A

the combination of two words to form a new word that uses an apostrophe to replace the missing letters. In professional writing, words should be spelled out. Spelling out words adds formality and credibility to your writing.

46
Q

Colloquialism

A

Everyday expressions. Avoid the use of colloquialisms in your writing because it weakens your message.

47
Q

Jargon

A

Using technical terminology that is unfamiliar or not easily understood by others outside the profession. Although there are times when certain terms are appropriate, overuse of jargon hinders comprehension.

48
Q

Anthropomorphism/Personification

A

the attribution of human characteristics to nonhuman entities, objects, or concepts. It results in ambiguity or misleading communication and should be avoided in academic writing.

49
Q

Citation Styles

A

A set of rules on how to cite sources in academic writing. Each discipline uses a specific citation style. It is important to know your discipline’s citation style.

50
Q

APA Citation

A

The American Psychological Association’s citation style is the foundation for effective scholarly communication for the field of Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology. Click the button to view a sample student paper using APA style.

51
Q

AMA Citation

A

The American Medical Association’s citation style is the foundation for effective scholarly communication for the field of Physical Therapy. Click the button to view a sample student paper using AMA style.

52
Q

References

A

All references, regardless of citation style, have a combination of the following components: Author, Date, Title, Source

53
Q

Author (References)

A

The author, other contributing authors, or groups who contributed to the published work
bullet

54
Q

Date (References)

A

The date the work was published

bullet

55
Q

Title (References)

A

The title of the publication or work

bullet

56
Q

Source (References)

A

The location in which the publication or work can be retrieved

57
Q

Journal (APA Citation Style)

A

Author, A.A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Name of the Periodical, volume (issue), #-#. https://doi.org/XXXX(s). Date. Title. Source.
(name of periodical, volume in italics)
In-Text Citation: (Grady et al., 2019)

58
Q

Book (APA Citation Style)

A

Author, A. A., & Author, B.B. (Copyright Year). Title of the book (7th ed.). Publisher. DOI or URL.
(title of the book in italics)
In-text Citation: (Sapolsky, 2017)

59
Q

Chapter in Book (APA Citation Style)

A

Author, A. A., & Author, B.B. (Copyright Year). Title of the book chapter. In A.A. Editor & B.B. Editor (Eds.), Title of the book (2nd ed., pp. #-#). Publisher. DOI or URL.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0000120-016.
(title of the book in italics)
In-text Citation: two or more works in a paragraph (Aron et al., 2019; Dillard, 2020)

60
Q

Report (APA Citation Style)

A

Organization Name. (Year). Title of report. URL.

In-text Citation: (National Cancer Institute, 2019)

61
Q

Website (APA Citation Style)

A

Last name, F. M. (Year, Month Date). Title of page. Site name. URL
(title of the page in italics)
In-text Citation: (National Institute of Mental Health, 2018)

62
Q

Tables (APA Citation Style)

A

A table layout should be logical and comprehensible. Format tables consistently within a paper. Use similar formats, titles, headings, and terminology across tables when possible. Below are some basics associated with constructing tables in APA format:

  • Number all tables that are part of the main text
  • Label tables with a brief but clear title that explains its content
  • Place a centered heading above the columns and explain the content
  • Use words, numbers, or a combination of both for the body
63
Q

Figures (APA Citation Style)

A

Figure images should have a title that is brief, clear, and explanatory. In addition, figures should consist of the following:

  • An image containing the data
  • A legend explaining or defining the symbols, line styles, shadings, or patterns used in the image

USAHS Evidence Informed Practice (11 decks)

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