For two decades, Understanding Clinical Papers has been helping students and professionals understand the research that supports evidence-based practice. Now in its fourth edition, this popular introductory textbook covers every major aspect of reading and evaluating clinical research literature, from identifying the aims and objectives of a paper to analysing the data with different multivariable methods. Numerous excerpts from actual clinical research papers make learning real and immediate, supported by a unique visual approach that reinforces key points and connects examples with the chapter material.
The fourth edition includes extensively revised content throughout, including four brand-new chapters covering qualitative studies, Poisson regression, studies of complex interventions, and research using previously collected data. New and updated material discusses the difference between clinical and statistical significance, the consequences of multiple testing and methods of correction, how topic guides are used to explore and explain participants' experiences, standardised guidelines for writing trials and reviews, and much more. Offering clear explanations of important research-related topics, this reader-friendly resource:
- Offers a clear, concise, and accessible approach to learning how to read and analyse clinical research literature
- Features new coverage of qualitative research, including descriptive studies, sampling and populations, and identifying, summarising, and measuring qualitative characteristics
- Provides new material on missing data, sub-group analysis, feasibility and pilot studies, cluster randomised trials, and adaptive trial designs
- Includes new tables, abstracts, and excerpts from recent clinical research literature
Understanding Clinical Papers is essential reading for all healthcare professionals and students, particularly those involved in clinical work and medical research, as well as general readers wanting to improve their understanding of research literature.
Table of Contents
Preface to the First Edition vii
Preface to the Second Edition ix
Preface to the Third Edition xi
Preface to the Fourth Edition xii
Part I Setting the Scene: Who Did What, and Why 1
1 Some Preliminaries 3
2 The Abstract and Introduction 8
3 The Aims and Objectives 15
Part II Design Matters: What Type of Study Is It? 21
4 Descriptive Studies: Qualitative 23
5 Descriptive Studies: Quantitative 29
6 Analytic Studies 36
7 Intervention Studies 45
8 Mixed Methods Research 57
9 Studies of Complex Interventions 60
10 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis 65
11 Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies 75
Part III The Cast: Finding Out About the Subjects of the Research 79
12 The Research Setting 81
13 Populations and Samples in Quantitative Research 85
14 Research Using Already-Collected Data 90
15 The Sample in Qualitative Research 95
16 Identifying and Defining Cases 99
17 Controls and Comparisons 102
Part IV Establishing The Facts: Starting With Basic Observations 107
18 Identifying the Characteristics of Quantitative Data 109
19 Summarizing the Characteristics of Quantitative Data 116
20 Identifying and Summarising the Characteristics of Qualitative Data 121
21 Measuring the Characteristics of Participants: Quantitative 124
22 Measuring the Characteristics of Participants: Qualitative 130
23 Diagnostic Tests: Measuring the Characteristics of Measures 133
24 Measurement Scales 138
25 Exploring and Explaining: Topic Guides 150
Part V Establishing More of the Facts: Some Common Ways of Describing Results 153
26 Fractions, Proportions, and Rates 155
27 Risks and Odds 157
28 Ratios of Risks and Odds 160
Part VI Analysing the Data: Estimation and Hypothesis Testing 167
29 Confidence Intervals for Means, Proportions, and Medians 169
30 Confidence Intervals for Ratios 176
31 Testing Hypotheses - The p-value 181
Part VII Analysing the Data: Multivariable Methods 197
32 Measuring Association 199
33 Measuring Agreement 206
34 Linear Regression 211
35 Logistic Regression 222
36 Poisson Regression 228
37 Measuring Survival 237
38 Analysing Qualitative Data 244
Part VIII Reading Between the Lines: How Authors Use Text, Tables, and Pictures to Tell You the Story 249
39 Results in Text and Tables 251
40 Results in Pictures 260
41 The Discussion and Conclusions 270
References 274
Index 282
