Research Methods in Pharmaceutical Health Services, Outcomes, and Policy
PHRM 8640
3 hours
Research Methods in Pharmaceutical Health Services, Outcomes, and Policy
Course Description
Research methodology, including formulation of research questions and research hypotheses, selection of the research design, sampling, internal and external validity, data collection, data analysis, results presentation and discussion.
Athena Title
Res in Pharm Health Serv
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
• Would understand and use “scientific language” and approach; know the criteria of “good” problem and problem statements; and be able to formulate a valid, credible and testable research hypothesis based on a research problem.
• Would understand and be able to distinguish between "constructs," “concepts”, “variables,” and “definitions.” Would be able to identify and classify the types of variables.
• Would understand Ethical Consideration in research, the principles of research design and design criteria.
• Would understand and apply the general designs of research and research design applications.
• Would understand different types of research:
o Quasi-experimental
o Nonexperimental
o Field experiments/field studies
o Survey research
• Would understand the foundation of measurements and the concepts of reliability and validity.
•Would understand and apply different methods of observation and collection of data; be aware of strengths, weakness and threats to validity and reliability for each methodology; and understand how to conduct research using these methodologies:
o Interviews
o Objective tests and scales
o Observation of behavior
• Would understand and apply set-theory; and understand and differentiate between correlation and causation in the context of research methods. They would also understand the concept of “variance/covariance” and their implications on empirical testing.
• Would understand the concepts of probability, including application of Bayes’ Theorem and the concept of sampling, random sampling and representativeness.
• Would understand and apply the principles of data analysis and interpretation; analysis of frequencies and hypothesis testing.
• Would understand and apply analysis of variance and factor analysis of variance.
• Would be able to conduct multivariate regression and factor analysis.
• Would produce a research proposal in the area of significance and interest.
Topical Outline
- Concepts and constructs: What is the Scientific Approach?
- Designs of research: ethics, purpose and principle, and design criteria
- Conceptual foundations of research design & applications: research design applications: Randomized & correlated groups
- Types of research: Quasi-experimental, Non-experimental, Field experiments/ field studies
- Types of research: Survey Design
- Foundations of measurement, reliability and validity
- Methods of observation and data collection: Interviews, objective tests and scales
- Methods of observation and data collection: Observation of Behavior
- Sets, relation and variance
- Introduction to statistical probability, sampling and random sample
- Application of principles of data analysis and interpretation; analysis of frequencies and hypothesis testing
