RHSCI 7120 - Introduction to Research Methods

A survey of common research methods in health-related disciplines with a focus on the practical application of these research methods for graduate student research projects. The major goal of this course is to provide an examination of research methods. Specifically, research concepts, terminology, study designs, internal and external validity, methods for establishing causality and investigating associations, and application of designs to test hypotheses in research of health science. Examples will be drawn from numerous disciplines, with the primary emphasis placed on those dealing with topics directly related to health research. Students will be required to read, critically evaluate, and discuss research articles and conceptual papers. Issues unique to different research designs will be highlighted. The course will use lectures and class discussions. This course will provide students the skills to successfully design and evaluate a given research question/hypotheses for thesis or dissertation work. Students should have a basic understanding of statistics (e.g., variance, median, mean, etc.).