Research IV: Seminar

Catalog description

DPTN 665 is the final course in a series of four research courses in which students continue the collaborative work with faculty research advisors on important and significant clinical problems of common interest that can contribute to the body of knowledge in physical therapy and improve clinical practice. DPT 665 is designed to both accommodate and encourage student interest in independent research. In DPT 665, the 4–6-member research groups continue their participation in unique learning experiences related to the research process in which students plan, organize and carry out independent and original research projects under the supervision of a faculty research advisor. Following completion of data collection and data analysis, student research groups prepare a final written research report similar in format to a typical journal article that includes an Abstract, the Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion and Conclusions. In addition, student research groups prepare formal 30-minute power-point presentations of their research studies similar in format to a platform presentation at a professional conference that includes a brief introduction and methodology followed by a more detailed discussion of results and conclusions. While students have the major responsibility for the power-point research presentations, they are prepared in collaboration with their faculty research advisors. Presentations of research studies take place at the Research Forum as a culminating activity of DPT 665, which other students/faculty attend. Following each presentation, students and faculty participate in a critical evaluation of the study’s design and research findings in a question/answer, comment and discussion session. Student presenters are expected to actively participate in the comment session, answer questions and compare their research findings with those reported in the…