FAQs 1.What are the basic outlines while writing a research paper? An outline of a scientific research paper includes: Introduction Materials and Methods Results Discussion Conclusion References Note: Limitations of the research paper can also be mentioned as a subheading Some journals prefer the subheading Literature Review.
FAQs 2. How to select a topic for a research project and formulate a concise problem statement? While selecting the topic for a research project, one should choose a topic that is familiar or matches an area of interest. Read the available literature and narrow down the planned broad topic to one which is more focused and specific. The next step would be to decide the methodology for the study and its feasibility. Getting an ethics committee approval would end your quest for a research topic for your future scientific research. 3. Is it necessary to take Institution Ethics Committee approval prior to each and every Research? Yes. It is absolutely necessary for all the biomedical, social and behavioural science research proposals involving human participants, their biological material and data to be reviewed and approved by the Ethics committee to safeguard the dignity and well-being of the research participants.
FAQs 4. What is the most important thing that is to be kept in view when looking for a topic? The most important thing to be kept in mind while conducting research can be very subjective and differ from person to person. However, that said, make sure that you are passionate about the subject and the topic of research you are conducting. Doing research is a tedious process and it'll be easier to work with something that you have fun with. Apart from that, the ethical considerations of research and whether the topic is ethically correct, are something that is of utmost importance and something every researcher needs to keep in mind.
FAQs 5. What are the personal benefits of doing Research? The personal advantages of Research are: Self-learning and growth. A deeper understanding of the subject. Finding out important things connected to the topic of research. Finding out the fallacies that exist related to the topic of research, understanding the media biases surrounding the subject, false claims around the subject. Research gives you the ability to form a stance on the subject and take sides. It helps one find flaws in other people's research (secondary sources) so that you can add to it and makes us better observers and learners as a whole. Expands our views about individuals and other sectors related to the subject being researched. Brownie Points on your CV!
FAQs 6. How can we pursue Research after M.B.B.S ? There are few avenues to pursue research post MBBS 1) Ph.D- Doctor of Philosophy (3-5 years) •Ph.D after MD/MS: Ph.D normally admits applicants who are through with their masters degree and hence, a decent option is to apply for this after you complete your threeyear medical post-graduate programme in the field your choice •Ph.D after MBBS: ICMR offers integrated MD/MS-Ph.D course which can be pursued right after you pass your MBBS. •Ph.D after master’s degree: M.Phil MPH( Master in Public Health) M.Sc in clinical research(Master+Ph.D integrated course offered by BR Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi 2) DIRECT RESEARCH after MBBS: • One can join a laboratory and work under a principal investigator as a co-author for a research project. The lack of Ph.D degree is a major drawback when it comes to seeking funds for personal research projects • Research programmes: ICMR, CCMB, CIMAP, St. John’s Research Institute, WHO
FAQs 7. What is the Difference between Research and Review Article? Technically speaking, review articles are a type of research. However, when people usually say “research”, they mean original research articles, where you pursue a research question, formulate a study, collect and organize data, and ultimately publish your results. Review articles on the other hand summarize the current state of understanding about a particular topic within the medical community. It could be a comparison or collection of different published papers about a topic that sheds some new light on it. Another way of looking at it is that original research is a form of primary medical literature, while review articles are a form of secondary medical literature as they are derived from original research articles or other forms of primary literature.
FAQs 8) Does it really matter in which journal your Research Paper is published? Yes, it does! You should always aim for high impact factor, PubMed indexed journals. That’s the sweet spot. However, don’t sway away from publishing in a journal just because it has a low impact factor. Anything is better than nothing. That being said, please never publish in predatory journals (journals that have no quality control and steal papers from other journals to increase their visibility). It is a fraud, and you should never have any part in it. So please ensure the journal you intend to publish in is not predatory. 9) Is there a streamlined pathway to follow in a broad way, to enable an easier time with research? To ensure a smooth pathway, the first step is to find a mentor. A good and informed mentor is the one who can kickstart your research career. After that depends on what kind of research career you are interested in.
FAQs 10) In how many journals can we publish a single Research Paper? We are allowed to submit a manuscript only to a particular indexed, peer-reviewed journal at a time and if the Research Paper is accepted and published, we are not supposed to send it to another journal. If we submit the same paper to more than one journal at the same time, it is known as simultaneous or concurrent submission and is considered as an unethical practice. The principal considerations that have led to this convention are: The potential for disagreement when two (or more) journals claim the right to publish a manuscript that has been submitted simultaneously to more than one; and The possibility that two or more journals will unknowingly and unnecessarily undertake the work of peer review and editing of the same manuscript, and publish the same article. Multiple publications is only permissible under certain, extremely specific circumstances.
FAQs For example, a journal may publish a translation of an article it considers particularly relevant to its readers that would otherwise be inaccessible because it is first published in another language. However, such multiple publications must always be clearly referenced to the first publication and acknowledge the original source. 11) How many times can we present a research paper in different conferences? Is there a limit? Well, it purely depends on the conferences to which the paper is submitted. Some conferences accept papers that are previously published or presented in other conferences, but most of the reputed conferences expect the submission of papers that aren’t published/presented elsewhere. Ethically speaking, it is not allowed and would point to self-plagiarism. In many cases, the pool of reviewers is limited and there’s a fair chance that the same person could end up reviewing both versions. The likely result then is that the paper would be rejected.
FAQs Also, it is not advisable to present the same paper multiple times as it would reflect a couple of negatives about the person doing so: The same paper should ideally be not published twice and it will look like we are trying to inflate our publication list. Some researchers may even begin to wonder about your capacity to do fresh research. 12) How do I draft a proposal to the ethics committee? The ethics committee approval is the most crucial step in developing your protocol and study. Without approval, you cannot begin your study. The ethics committee comprises faculty from various departments, a legal advisor and a layperson to remove any sort of bias. The committee may also have expert consultants for projects pertaining to their field. The first step is to draft a protocol along with your guide and fill out the necessary forms which will be given by the institutional ethics committee.
FAQs The protocol has to be submitted to the ethics committee with a project summary and a cover letter plus the forms. Students might also be told to make a brief presentation describing the methods and aims of the project. The proposals have to be thorough and have to be very clear so that every member of the ethics committee approves of the project. If any doubts are raised, the student will be asked to answer and will be advised to modify the protocol accordingly. As the Principal Investigator, please ensure that you do not include any method or term that you do not understand in the protocol. 13) How to convince the concerned authorities for funding a research project? Research fundings are sometimes called grants. Convincing authorities to fund your project can be time-consuming, tedious and stressful. Nevertheless, you can always give it a shot and believe in your project! There are various institutions that provide grants for research.
FAQs While applying for research grants, there are some points to be kept in mind: 1. Familiarise yourself with the procedure completely. 2. Write about the reason for funding very clearly and also mention the amount you require or at least give an estimate in brief. 3. Decide what you will be using the money for and draft a crystal clear proposal. 4. Make tabular expense data and mention your required funding amount. 5. Mention the benefits that the funder would receive. 6. Also, include what good it may do for society. 7. Be honest about the risks and hazards if any. 8. Avoid being over-ambitious and have reasonable expectations from the authorities. 9. Be confident and positive. 10. If rejected, try again!
FAQs 14) What is pursuing a career in healthcare research like? What are the general prospects? The most important is probably the fact that with healthcare research experience, you can work and live in several places, you'll be in high demand. For instance, the pharmaceutical sector has clinical trials happening for the development of new medicines. This way you can make a difference in people's lives along with a rewarding career. It is a varied job, and you can expect to encounter a new challenge daily. Even if there are no immediate breakthroughs, you are contributing to the development of scientific databases for future work. Eg how gene therapy became established through the years. You can work in organisations like the NHS and NIMHANS in India, and get a research position, wherein you are a part of a large group. Other such investment options also open up.
FAQs You can pursue a PhD in the field of your interest. You can get into the field of medical device production.
15) What are the ethical issues which one may face during research? Informed consent: It is one of the means by which the participants right to autonomy is protected. It is a written permission given by participants or guardians after knowing the details of the study. Privacy, anonymity and confidentiality: Invasion of privacy happens when private information is shared with others, without the patient’s knowledge or consent. Confidentiality and anonymity are closely connected with the rights of beneficence. Investigators must bear in mind the psychological and social impact that a violation of confidentiality may have on their subjects
FAQs Vulnerable groups: The different opinions about their participation in research can be attributed to their inability to give informed consent and also to their need for further protection and sensitivity from the researcher as they are at a greater risk of being deceived, threatened or forced to participate Protection of all participants from harm Risk-benefit ratio - a favourable ratio should be strived for by reducing potential risks and increasing potential benefits.
16) What should be one's attitude while considering research? Open-minded and updating knowledge attending conferences, exchanging ideas with peers, reading literature. Critical thinking. Constant lookout for research question ideas in a field that interests you. Curiosity, patience and commitment.
FAQs 17) How to get a guide for a research project? Once you’ve chosen the subject you want to do research in, approach any professor in the department you think will be willing to mentor you through the research process. ASK them if they’d be willing to be your guide, if not, to direct you to someone else. Be keen, show interest and make sure you follow through. If you have a good enough rapport with a particular professor and you’re new to research, you could approach them to lay some groundwork, and ask them which subject and professor to pursue. The process of getting a guide may seem difficult but if you actively make an effort and find yourself a good one the entire process of research projects becomes a lot less tedious and a whole lot more fun.
FAQs 18) Can First Years/ Freshers start working on research? Simply put, of course, you can. There’s no written rule against it. But considering Medical schools start in June (and the ICMR applications open in November) it takes first years a little while to gather their bearings and get used to the environment and academic load. Besides, some knowledge about at least the basic sciences will enable you to choose appropriate research topics (with the help of your guides) and understand the purpose and methodology of your research better thus allowing you to actually understand what you’re doing and why. Finding a guide would also be slightly easier in the 2nd year as by then you would have a working relationship with some of your professors, they’d be more familiar with you too which would all be conducive to working together on a research project.
FAQs 19) How to efficiently carry out the statistics/analytics part by a medical UG student? For the statistics of any research paper, there are few software and online platforms but I think for the beginner one can carry out statistical analysis using MS Excel under the guidance of his guide or teachers from dept of Community Medicine and Instead of MS Excel there are various online platforms like SPSS, INNOVA one can do their study stats using this also And the test of significance depends on the form of data in which our research guide can definitely help us.
FAQs 20)How do you go about collecting the data for a project? Is there a basic method to analyse it? The data collection is dependent on the study design and would vary depending on the type of study you are conducting whether crosssectional/descriptive/retrospective etc. Similarly, the methods of analysis would vary depending on the aim of your study, the data collected and what you are trying to analyse. The simplest way to analyse data would be using Microsoft Excel or sheets or the SPSS software. But as the analysis gets more detailed the methods would get a tad bit more technical and intricate too.
FAQs 21)What are the basic skills one should have while presenting a research paper? Presenting at an academic conference is an important part of a researcher's life, and is an opportunity that most young researchers look forward to. The key to an effective conference presentation lies in being wellprepared. Here are a few tips that will make the process smoother for you: Make your presentation/poster with the audience in mind. Please follow time limits Rehearse in front of friends Start confidently Maintain eye contact with the audience Use transition Encourage questions and discussions Answer the questions of judges in a decent manner.
FAQs 22)What is ICMR? The Indian Council of Medical Research, the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, is one of the oldest and largest medical research bodies in the world. ICMR under the initiative of ICMR STS Program provides the research grant to the medical undergraduate students and help to promote research 23)My Project was not approved by ICMR, has my efforts gone to waste? No. Your efforts are not a waste. Though your paper was not approved by ICMR, you can continue your research study and after completion, you can present it in academic conferences as well as you can publish them in a good indexed journal.
FAQs 24)How do I meet Researchers placed internationally and collaborate with them for a project? Social Media: Keep an up-to-date LinkedIn profile that describes who you are and what you have to offer. There are also academic resources like ResearchGate, Google Scholar, Academic Edu and Vitae.ac.uk. which are useful for finding people who have similar research interests. It's important to maintain the connections you already have. If you're an undergraduate researcher, you'll have a guide, so ask them to introduce you to people in similar research areas. International conferences can give you a wonderful opportunity to meet and interact with fellow researchers, attendees and experts from the same or similar areas across the world. When you connect with scientists and academicians, you can share views, create new relationships, learn new things and enhance your existing knowledge.
FAQs It also seeds the link for scientific cooperation by meeting researchers from various countries. These connections can help you with your work to progress your research. Make sure to look out for the Scientific Paper/Poster competitions which are the crux of International Conferences and try approaching those individuals whose research interests align with yours! Approach professors and researchers from universities and fields of your interest by sending them a formal email to work alongside them or contribute to any existing research of theirs which you can get to know by checking out their official university website/faculty page. 25)What are the different types of research publications one can have under their name? Original Research, Review Articles, Short reports or Letters, Case Studies, Methodologies.
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