KAAP 400- Lecture 1

What is research, and what are its key characteristics?

Research is a systematic, logical, empirical, reductive, and replicable process used to collect and analyze information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. It involves 3 steps: (1) pose a question, (2) collect data to answer it, and (3) present an answer

What is NOT research?

Opinions/personal reflections, routine activities or tasks, and casual observations.

What is the origin and evolution of the word “research”?

1577: First used, from French recherche (“to seek for”), ultimately from Latin circare (“to go about, wander, traverse”)—originally meaning “the act of searching closely.” 1590s: Evolved to “investigate or study a matter closely” with continued care. 1630s: Evolved to “diligent scientific inquiry” directed toward discovering a fact, connecting research specifically to science.

How do we define research?

Research is gathering and analyzing information/data to create new meaning, knowledge, or solutions. It can be viewed as knowledge creation, formalized curiosity, observation, and a process of thinking—building upon what others have discovered and established.

What exactly is research?

Research is a systematic investigation that generates new knowledge or validates existing knowledge. It follows planned, evidence-based methods, is repeatable, and is driven by curiosity, observation, and critical thinking. It can answer questions across many fields (e.g., health sciences, marketing, anthropology, space travel) and must be conducted ethically, considering participants, data, and its impact on people, communities, and policies.

What ISN’T research?

Opinions/personal reflections, routine activities or tasks, casual observations without systematic study, and anecdotes or one-time experiences. Research requires a controlled, systematic study.

Who needs research, and why?

Everyone! Research provides scientific evidence for effective decisions and guidelines. Healthcare professionals use it to treat patients; scientists/researchers discover how the body works; policymakers/public health officials create guidelines and community decisions; educators/trainers identify effective teaching, exercise, and rehabilitation methods; patients/the public make evidence-based treatment, nutrition, and lifestyle choices; students learn to evaluate information and apply evidence; and society uses it to shape laws, health recommendations, and safety standards. Without research, we cannot establish reliable guidelines or evidence-based knowledge, making accurate communication of research especially important.

What is Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), and what is its goal?

EBP is the process of reviewing, analyzing, and translating the best available research evidence into patient- or population-centered healthcare decisions. It combines the best scientific information, clinical experience, and patient perspectives/preferences to determine what is effective, feasible, and appropriate in practice.

How do best practices (EBP) change over time?

Best practices evolve as new research and evidence become available. For example, Parkinson’s disease treatment progressed from destructive brain lesions (1930s) → more targeted stereotaxic surgery (1950s) → L-Dopa medication (1960s–80s) → Deep Brain Stimulation (1990s–present). Similarly, heart-surgery recovery shifted from days of bed rest to early mobility on the first day, improving circulation, lung function, and recovery while reducing complications like blood clots and pneumonia.

What are the key characteristics of research?

Research is systematic (follows a clear plan/method), objective (minimizes personal bias), evidence-based (relies on data rather than opinions), and replicable (can be repeated by others to verify results). Because research can be manipulated or data falsified to fit a narrative, it is important to distinguish evidence-based facts from personal opinions or claims.

What are the main types of research?

Research can be classified as:

• Basic: Expands knowledge without immediate practical application.

  • Example: Examining changes in brain activity after concussive impacts in NFL player

• Applied: Solves real-world problems.

  •  Designing a new gait training program to reduce fall risk in people with Parkinson’s disease

• Quantitative: Uses numbers and statistics.

• Qualitative: Explores perceptions, behaviors, or experiences.

• Experimental: Researchers manipulate a variable to test its effect.

• Observational: Researchers observe and record without interfering.

• Lab: Conducted in controlled, replicable settings.

• Field: Conducted in natural, real-world settings without interference.

Which scenario is a lab vs. field study, and observational vs. experimental?

• Group A: They follow a group of athletes over a sports season, recording their warm-up routines and tracking injuries without telling them to change anything

• Group B: They bring participants into a biomechanics lab and assign one group a dynamic warm-up and another a static warm-up, then measure muscle strength, flexibility, and fatigue using motion capture and EMG

Group A: Field study + observational research (athletes are observed in a natural setting without changing anything). Group B: Lab study + experimental research (researchers control the setting and manipulate the warm-up routine).

What is mixed-methods research, and why is it useful?

Mixed-methods research combines multiple research methodologies (e.g., experimental, qualitative, and applied) within one study to provide a more comprehensive understanding of complex problems. Using only one method may reveal only the “tip of the iceberg” and cause researchers to miss important details.

What is the cyclical nature of the research process?

Research is a cyclical process where researchers observe, review existing literature, collect and analyze data, draw conclusions, and generate new questions, continuously building and refining knowledge.

What are the independent and dependent variables (IV and DV) in experimental studies?

The Independent Variable (IV) is what the researcher changes/manipulates (“What do I change?”), while the Dependent Variable (DV) is what the researcher measures/observes in response (“What do I measure?”). The simplest studies have one IV and one DV.

Why do ethics matter in research?

Research ethics are important for accountability and trust, scientific quality, and compliance. Ethical practices keep researchers accountable and maintain public confidence, prevent issues like data fabrication that can produce invalid results, and ensure researchers follow ethical and legal requirements, often required for funding.