Main description:

This book addresses essential principles of research according to the scientific method for medical imaging technology research. The scope of this book covers the nature of scientific research; quantitative and qualitative approaches essentials; research planning; literature review fundamentals; research methods; data collection, analysis, and interpretation; and communicating research findings. The book meets the educational requirements on Research Principles and Concepts (for entry to practice) of the following professional radiologic technology associations: the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT), the College of Radiographers in the United Kingdom, and radiography societies and associations in Asia, Australia, Europe, and Africa.

This is an ideal book for radiologic technologists, nuclear medicine technologists, and radiation therapists seeking to get started in research in their profession. Additionally, biomedical imaging engineering technologists, radiologists, and medical imaging physicists may use this as a "guiding principles" textbook.

Contents:

Chapter 1: The Nature and Scope of Research (Dr Euclid Seeram)

* What is Research?

* Medical Radiation Sciences Research: AN Overview

* The Importance of Research

* Steps in Conducting Research

The Research Process Cycle

Identifying a Research Problem

Literature Review

Purpose of Research

Data Collection

Data Analysis and Interpretation

Reporting and Evaluating Research

Use of Statistics

* Research Ethics

* The Research Proposal

* Examples of Research in Medical Radiation Sciences

* References

Chapter 2: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches to Research-An Overview of Approaches (Dr Euclid Seeram)* What is Quantitative Research?

* What is Qualitative Research?

* Characteristics of Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches

* Research Designs-Overview

* Selection of the Research Approach

* Two Examples of Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Chapter 3: Planning Your Research (Dr Rob Davidson) * Formulating a Research Question

* Justifying a research question

* Formulating a Hypothesis

* Research Ethics

* The Research Proposal

Chapter 4: The Literature Review (Dr Rob Davidson) * What is a literature review compared to an annotated bibliography?

* Searching the literature

* Critical Reading and Analysis

* Writing the Review

* Acknowledgement of Sources

Chapter 5: Quantitative Research Methods (Dr Andrew England-Contributor)

* Quantitative Research Methods

o Descriptive Research

o Correlational Research

o Quasi-Experimental Research

o Experimental Research

Chapter 6: Qualitative Research Methods (Dr Chandra Makanjee-Contributor)

o Phenomenological Research

o Grounded Theory Research

o Ethnographic Research

o Explanatory - Descriptive Qualitative Research

o Historical Research

Chapter 7: Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation (Dr Mark McEntee-Contributor)

* Data Collection

* Descriptive Statistics

o Presentation of Data

o Measure of central tendency

o Standard deviation

o Variance

o Correlation

* Inferential statistics

o Hypothesis testing

o Sampling Distributions: Parametric and non-parametric

o Using Parametric statistics

Dependent samples

Independent samples

o Using Non Parametric statistics

Dependent samples

Independent samples

* Observer performance tests

o ROC methods

o sensitivity

o specificity

o PPV and NPV

o Accuracy

* Interpreting the outcomes of statistical tests

Chapter 8: Communicating Research Findings (Dr Rob Davidson) * Method of Communicating Your Research Findings* Audience and Conference / Journal Selection

* Poster / Conference Presentations

* Journal Articles

* Understanding the journal's requirements

* The review process

* Alteration / rejection? What to do

* Where to from Here

Chapter 9: Research Examples in Medical Imaging-A Selected Review (Dr Euclid Seeram)