Focusing on clinical-practice research methods, this book has a problem-oriented and protocol-based approach and is written at an introductory level, emphasizing key principles and their applications. It includes a CD-ROM that contains the full text of the book to help the reader locate needed information.

Forming research questions -- Conducting systematic reviews -- Finding information about the burden of disease -- An introduction to performing therapeutic trials -- The tactics of performing therapeutic trials -- The principles behind the tactics of performing therapeutic trials -- Performing quality improvement studies -- Evaluating diagnostic tests -- Determining prognosis and creating clinical decision rules -- Assessing claims of causation -- Generating measurements, especially for the quality of life -- Becoming a successful clinician-investigator -- Preparing a research protocol to improve its chances for success -- Collecting data online -- Analyzing data -- Preparing reports for publication and responding to reviewers' comments -- Dealing with the media.