NUTR 305: Research Methods

Learning Outcomes • Understand different philosophical worldviews • Describe the scientific process and how if might be altered based on your research question • Differentiate between the medical model and the biopsychosocial model of research • Appreciate how the background of the researcher may impact the research being done

Learning Outcomes • Examine the criteria used for critical evaluation of a research paper • Discuss the implications of identifying problems in design and analysis of a given publication • Discuss the implications of critical evaluation of research for healthcare professionals

Learning Outcomes • Be familiar with TCPS2 and how it is used in research • Understand the role of the Research Ethics Board in overseeing research • Describe the responsibilities of the researcher when conducting, executing, and disseminating research

Learning Outcomes • Differentiate between a sample and a population • Define ‘sampling’ and ‘representative sample’ • Outline general advantages and disadvantages of common sampling techniques • Understand the relationship between sampling error and sample size

Learning Objectives 1. Critically discuss the strengths and limitations of qualitative research (compared to quantitative) 2. Develop a qualitative research question 3. Identify and describe various strategies of inquiry 4. Critically assess the quality of qualitative research (guest lecture)

Learning Outcomes • Define internal validity • Identify threats to internal validity • Understand the relationship between internal validity and causality • Describe strategies to improve internal validity in various research designs

Learning Outcomes • Understand the basic structure of experimental designs and randomized controlled trials (RCT) • Consider threats to validity of the results obtained from experimental research

Learning Outcomes • Examine the uses of naturalistic research designs • Discuss the use of surveys in health sciences research • Outline the characteristics of designs involving naturalistic comparisons, correlations, and quasi-experiments • Identify some of the limitations of these designs

1. Understand the role of nutrition surveys in evaluating population dietary patterns and health outcomes 2. Explore key examples of nutrition surveys 3. Discuss various methods used in nutrition descriptive research such as 24-hour recalls, food records, and diet histories 4. Investigate the connection between diet and disease through descriptive epidemiologic approaches 5. Develop familiarity with cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies in nutrition research

1. Understand the principles and application of single-subject (n=1) research designs in health and nutrition 2. Explore practical examples of n=1 designs in clinical and nutrition practice 3. Learn about different types of n=1 designs, such as AB and ABAB 4. Evaluate the strengths and limitations of single- subject designs for personalized care

• Describe different types of randomized trials • Understand the Importance of Human Experimentation in Medical Research • Explore Methods and Techniques Used in Human Experimentation • Discuss the Limitations of Human Experimentation

Learning Outcomes 1. Understanding how to write a research proposal with clarity and coherence. 2. Learning the key elements of a research proposal, such as formulating the research question, rationale, methodology, and significance of the study. 3. Gaining insight into how to create a compelling title, abstract, and literature review. 4. Exploring common pitfalls in proposal writing and how to avoid them

Learning Objectives: • Utility and limitations of model systems (animal and in vitro experiments) in human health research • Define a model system and explain why scientists use them • Differentiate between in vitro and in vivo models • Identify common cell and animal models used in research • Discuss ethical considerations and the 3Rs principle