OC TH 7302 - Evidence-Based Practice and Research I

This is the first of two courses that emphasize integrating research and practice. This course is designed to refine student skills with identifying key worlds and accessing appropriate databases for carrying out an evidence-based inquiry. Throughout the course, students will read and critically evaluate peer-reviewed qualitative and quantitative articles, in terms of research design, trustworthiness, validity, and reliability respectively. Throughout this process, students will gain and apply their knowledge of interpreting statistics as well. Students will develop more skills with conducting critically appraised topic (CAT) analyses and will demonstrate basic proficiency with synthesizing the best evidence from both qualitative and quantitative studies. These appraisal skills will also be applied to systematic reviews and evaluating their relative strengths and limitations. The importance of outcome measures in practice and in efficacy studies will be explored. Students will be expected to demonstrate an ability, frame their findings from evidence-based inquiry in terms that clients and lay persons can understand. In addition, students will also develop strategies to integrate their evidence-based practice findings into their clinical work setting.