Ateneo - UPO

Introduction to research and scientific method.Bibliographic research and critical revision of the literature.Planning a research study: choice of the research design, variables, data collection, analysis, and interpretation, and dissemination of results.Approaches for controlling artifacts and bias.

Title: Essentials of Research Design and MethodologyAuthors: Marczyk G, DeMatteo D, Festinger DEditor: WileyISBN: 978-0-471-47053-3

The aim of the course is to provide the tools to critically analyze scientific literature and the basis for engaging in scientific research.

Basic English to read scientific papers.

Lectures with the aid of slides; guided exercises; remote lessons supported by videos and scientific articles.

Students with physical disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or Special Educational Needs (SEN) can request specific services and tools dedicated to them by contacting the Student Development and Career Coordination Staff and the Student Services team, and by consulting the dedicated page on the university's website: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilitiesStudents with disabilities, DSA, BES, once they have contacted the University Staff, can reach out to the course instructor regarding the exam procedures and didactic aspects.

The course "Evidence-Based Practice and Implementation Methodologies" is divided into the following modules: Evidence-Based Practice, Research Methodology, Statistics for Research, and Implementation of Evidence in Practice.The exam consists of a written test and an oral exam.The written test consists of 21 questions (7 on research methodology and 14 on statistics for research, mostly multiple-choice, for a maximum score of 21 points) designed to assess:students' knowledge of the research process, the structure of a scientific article, the scientific publication process, main study designs, and the fundamental concepts of statistics applied to research;the ability to read, understand, and interpret the results of a scientific article. The text of the article will be made available before the exam, allowing students adequate time for reading and critical analysis.Students will be admitted to the oral exam only after achieving at least 60% of the maximum score required for the written exam.The written exam lasts 30 minutes.The oral exam is designed to deepen students' knowledge of evidence-based practice and implementation science. The ability to apply this knowledge through the critical reading of a scientific article relevant to nursing (primary and/or secondary resource) will also be assessed.Specifically, the following abilities will be assessed:to identify the research question and study objectives;to recognize the study design and key methodological characteristics;to correctly interpret the results reported in tables, graphs, forest plots, or other data representations;to critically discuss the validity of the results, the quality of the evidence, and its transferability to clinical practice.The oral exam will also assess students' ability to apply the main strategies and models for implementing evidence in healthcare settings.The oral exam is considered passed if the candidate demonstrates sufficient mastery of the theoretical concepts and adequate critical analysis and application of scientific evidence to professional practice.Failure to pass the oral exam requires the candidate to retake the entire exam (written and oral), regardless of whether they pass the written exam.To achieve a grade of 30/30 with honors, the candidate must demonstrate excellent and integrated knowledge of all topics covered in the course, as well as a strong ability to critically read scientific literature, interpret data, and apply the principles of Evidence-Based Practice and methodologies for implementing evidence in professional practice.

Characteristics of the scientific methodThe research process and its stepsBibliographical research and literature revision; the publication process; bibliographical indexesAdvancing the hypothesis and selecting the variablesTypes of variables and consequent limitations in their analysisMain types of research designsApproaches for controlling artifacts and biasSamplingInternal and external validityDiffusion of the results (oral presentation, poster, paper)

At the end of the course, students are expected to have acquired familiarity with the methodological approach of scientific research, identification of the variables, data collection, analysis, and interpretation of the results in order to both critically evaluate scientific literature and engage in their own research.