Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Research Methodology
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
Professors:
David Blanco de Tena-Dávila (dblanco@uic.es)
Introduction
Physiotherapy studies are aimed at the training of professionals in Physiotherapy, for which reason, the curriculum places great emphasis on the acquisition of skills and attitudes that serve as a guide for performing Physiotherapy intervention. Although traditionally the clinical practice of Physiotherapy is based on the opinion generated from clinical experience and basic research, today as discipline in the process of scientific basis, it is necessary to bring scientific evidence to clinical practice.
From a scientific perspective, Physiotherapy has been considered to offer a personalized service of high quality, the physical therapist should be able to interpret the scientific contributions that generate new prospects for intervention and research, and should be able to apply various scientific methodologies in building their knowledge. On the other hand, in response to the growing social demand for efficiency and effectiveness in health care, physical therapists must not only be able to translate the results of scientific research to professional practice, but should also actively and usefully intervene during the different stages of the processes of scientific research. The education in the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya is also directed, therefore, to provide the future physiotherapist with the skills needed to incorporate the practice of Evidence-Based Physiotherapy to professional practice and to be part of the scientific evolution of this discipline. That is why we have proposed the subject "Design and project tools in Physiotherapy based on evidence" with a significant weight within the curriculum path to be based on a methodological level as well as the final projects at the end of the degree program. The current subject, "Research Methodology", is the first subject matter in "Design and project tools in Physiotherapy based on evidence" that students will study in the Physiotherapy Degree at UIC.
Pre-course requirements
There are no requirements. However, students need to have been enrolled in this subject before enrolling in the subject Biostatistics.
Objectives
- Understand the concept of Evidence-Based Physiotherapy
- Understand the concept of research and research stages.
- Know the basics of general epidemiology and the main types of designs of epidemiological studies.
- Understand the difference between observational and experimental studies, as well as the practical implications of this difference.
- Know the structure and approach of a research project.
- Know the different types of scientific publications.
- Know the structure of the original scientific articles and reviews.
- Identify the information contained in each of the sections of the scientific article and its parallels with the phases of the research process.
- Acquire sufficient knowledge and skills to complete a search of scientific papers in Physiotherapy.
- Know fundamental bibliographic database search strategies.
- Know the different sources of information where students can find scientific information on Physiotherapy
- Obtain the basic criteria for a reading and critical evaluation of scientific papers in Physiotherapy.
- Develop the skills to make clinical decisions based on the critical evaluation of scientific papers in Physiotherapy.
- Use the rules of style appropriately when drafting scientific and academic papers.
- Familiarize themselves with the Vancouver styles and use bibliographic citation.
- Understand and become familiar with the different tools for planning and developing a research project
- Understand and become familiar with the different tools for editing scientific texts.
- Introduce the new 2.0 internet tools in the knowledge management of scientific communities.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 01 - The ability to analysis and synthesis.
- 02 - The ability to organise and synthesize
- 04 - To have computing skills within the field of study.
- 05 - The ability to manage information.
- 06 - To have comprehensive problem-solving skills.
- 07 - Demonstrate decision-making skills.
- 09 - Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
- 10 - Develop autonomous learning skills.
- 14 - Demonstrate initiative and an entrepreneurial spirit.
- 15 - Demonstrate a concern for quality.
- 28.1 - Capacity for oral and written communication in the native language.
- 28.2 - Demonstrate Interpersonal skills.
- 29.1 - Demonstrate a committment to ongoing learning and self-improvement.
- 30.1 - Teamwork skills.
- 37 - Knowledge of ethics, legal and professional issues in physiotherapy practice.
- 44 - Knowledge of research and assessment methodology that integrates theory and research in the design and implementation of effective physiotherapy.
- 45 - Knowledge of problem-solving and critical thinking theories.
- 55 - Capacity to incorporate scientific research and an evidence-based practice within the professional culture.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students
- Understand key concepts related to Evidence-Based Physiotherapy.
- Perform bibliographic searches to find relevant scientific evidence in Physiotherapy.
- Reads, understands and evaluates critically scientific articles in Physiotherapy that use different types of study designs.
- Have the behaviors and attitudes expect with respect to the professional code of ethics.
- Use specific software tools and applications
Syllabus
THEORETICAL CONTENT
- Evidence-based Physiotherapy.
- Bibliographic searches of scientific evidence in biomedical databases.
- Scientific journals and articles.
- Citations and bibliographic references.
- The scientific method and its phases.
- Types of study designs: observational, experimental, and systematic reviews.
- Design of Randomized Controlled Trials and development of their protocols.
- Critical evaluation of articles.
- Clinical decision-making according to the bibliographic searches and the critical evaluation of articles.
PRACTICAL CONTENT
- Implications of evidence-based Physiotherapy.
- Search for scientific evidence with PubMed.
- Use of the Mendeley reference manager.
- Use of Word to produce scientific texts in which citations and bibliographical references are included.
- Use of the CONSORT guide.
- Use of the PEDro scale.
- Choosing the most appropriate study design for each research question.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | METHODOLOGY | COMPETENCES |
| theory classes | problem-based learning presentation method / lecture | 29.1 37 44 45 55 |
| autonomous learning activities | problem-based learning cooperative learning project-based learning problem-solving exercises | 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 10 12 14 15 29.1 30.1 44 55 |
| tutorials | 01 02 05 06 07 09 14 15 28.1 28.2 29.1 30.1 44 55 | |
| tutorials | 02 05 10 12 14 15 29.1 44 |
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The evaluation is broken down into three parts:
- Final Assignment (40%): The students will have to deliver an assignment on the practical contents of the subject.
- Questionnaires on the practical sessions (20%): At the end of some practical sessions, students will have to complete a short questionnaire on the contents covered during the class. In order to complete these questionnaires, it will be necessary to have attended the practical sessions.
- Final exam (40%): There will be a final exam with multiple choice questions.
In order to pass the subject, each of the parts described above must be passed independently, obtaining at least a score of 5 out of 10 in each of them.
For the second call, the note of each of the previously approved parts will be respected. Regarding the parts that the student has not passed, they can be passed independently (maximum mark: 5 out of 10) with an assignment, a questionnaire or an exam, respectively. Each failed part must be passed in its entirety if it consists of different subparts. For example, if there are two questionnaires on the practical sessions and the average mark of both is below 5, the practical part will have to be taken in full, regardless of whether one of the questionnaires is approved or not.
Bibliography and resources
General references:
- Carlos Ochoa Sangrador (2019). Diseño y análisis en investigación. IMC, International Marketing & Comunication, S.A.
Specific references:
- Veras M, Kairy D, Paquet N. What Is Evidence-Based Physiotherapy? Physiother Can. 2016;68(2):95-98. doi: 10.3138/ptc.68.2.GEE.
- Valera Garrido, JF; Medina i Mirapeix, F; Montilla Herrador, J; Meseguer Henarejos, AB. Fisioterapia basada en la evidencia: un reto para acercar la evidencia científica a la práctica clínica / Evidence-based Physiotherapy: a challenge to approach the scientific evidence the clinical practice. Fisioterapia (Madr., Ed. impr.);22(3):158-164, jul. 2000. tab.
- Richter RR, Austin TM. Using MeSH (medical subject headings) to enhance PubMed search strategies for evidence-based practice in physical therapy. Phys Ther. 2012 Jan;92(1):124-32. doi: 10.2522/ptj.20100178.
- Siddaway AP, Wood AM, Hedges LV. How to Do a Systematic Review: A Best Practice Guide for Conducting and Reporting Narrative Reviews, Meta-Analyses, and Meta-Syntheses. Annu Rev Psychol. 2019 Jan 4;70:747-770. doi: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102803.
- Moher D, Hopewell S, Schulz KF, Montori V, Gøtzsche PC, Devereaux PJ, Elbourne D, Egger M, Altman DG; CONSORT. CONSORT 2010 explanation and elaboration: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trials. Int J Surg. 2012;10(1):28-55. doi: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2011.10.001
- Chan AW, Tetzlaff JM, Altman DG, Laupacis A, Gøtzsche PC, Krleža-Jerić K, Hróbjartsson A, Mann H, Dickersin K, Berlin JA, Doré CJ, Parulekar WR, Summerskill WS, Groves T, Schulz KF, Sox HC, Rockhold FW, Rennie D, Moher D. SPIRIT 2013 statement: defining standard protocol items for clinical trials. Ann Intern Med. 2013 Feb 5;158(3):200-7. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-158-3-201302050-00583.
- PEDro scale (1999). https://pedro.org.au/wp-content/uploads/PEDro_scale.pdf
- Aggarwal R, Ranganathan P. Study designs: Part 4 - Interventional studies. Perspect Clin Res. 2019 Jul-Sep;10(3):137-139. doi: 10.4103/picr.PICR_91_19. PMID: 31404185; PMCID: PMC6647894.
- Imperial College London. Citing and Referencing: Vancouver Style. https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-services/library/public/Vancouver-guide-2022.pdf [Accessed 11th January 2023]
Evaluation period
- E1 24/05/2023 I2 12:00h
- E1 24/05/2023 I1 12:00h
- E1 24/05/2023 I3 12:00h
- E2 28/06/2023 I2 10:00h
- E2 28/06/2023 I1 10:00h