The purpose of this course is to introduce students to basic research methods in the Medical Laboratory Science field, including familiarization with both quantitative and qualitative methods. Students will be introduced to topics on how to write a research proposal, and how to analyze quantitative and qualitative results. Students will observe the ten principals of research and conduct a small scale research project as a thesis/culminating project within the disciplines of the medical laboratory science field.
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Keep these tips and questions in mind when conducting your research. They'll help you decide if the resources you're looking at are appropriate to use for your research.
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Tip: Look for pages titled About Us, History, FAQ, etc. to find information about the creator(s) of the content or the admin who manages the website. Make sure that you scroll all the way to the bottom of the page, as these links can sometimes be hidden or tucked away in a footer.
If you can't find information on who the author or website creator/admin is, then don't use that resource!
Questions to Consider
Tip: If you can't figure out when the page was created or last updated (usually located at the bottom of the page), then don't use the information. If the content is historical in nature and the author/content manager is reliable, then you can use it.
Questions to Consider
Questions to Consider
Tip: Look for misspellings and casual language.
Questions to Consider
| Criteria | Scholarly Journal | Popular Magazine |
|---|---|---|
| Example |
 |
 |
| Content | In-depth, primary account of original findings written by the researcher(s); very specific information, with the goal of scholarly communication. | Secondary discussion of someone else's research; may include personal narrative or opinion; general information, purpose is to entertain or inform. |
| Author | Author's credentials are provided; usually a scholar or specialist with subject expertise. | Author is frequently a journalist paid to write articles, may or may not have subject expertise. |
| Audience | Scholars, researchers, and students. | General public; the interested non-specialist. |
| Language | Specialized terminology or jargon of the field; requires expertise in subject area. | Vocabulary in general usage; easily understandable to most readers. |
| Graphics | Graphs, charts, and tables; very few advertisements and photographs. | Graphs, charts and tables; lots of glossy advertisements and photographs. |
| Layout & Organization | Structured; includes the article abstract, goals and objectives, methodology, results (evidence), discussion, conclusion, and bibliography. | Informal; may include non-standard formatting. May not present supporting evidence or a conclusion. |
| Accountability | Articles are evaluated by peer-reviewers* or referees who are experts in the field; edited for content, format, and style. | Articles are evaluated by editorial staff, not experts in the field; edited for format and style. |
| References | Required. Quotes and facts are verifiable. | Rare. Little, if any, information about source materials is given. |
| Other Examples | Annals of Mathematics, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, History of Education Quarterly, Almost anything with Journal in the title. |
Time, Newsweek, The Nation, The Economist |
(Modified table from Tufts)