Following the long tradition which I have only just now created, and given that it is the end of the term here at the Palmer Davenport campus, I have decided that this last post of the term shall be dedicated to a series of fun and interesting video clips rather than to a discrete educational topic. It has, in reality, been a long and difficult term for those of us here, so as we get set for break- and as those at Palmer West and Palmer Florida do not- here are a collection of completely unrelated, funny, or novel clips from youtube. They are of no educational import whatsoever, but are just some serious fun. When I return to this blog in a couple of weeks, I’ll be back to posting on education, scholarship and research, but for today, enjoy!
1. This first clip is from the late and lamented comedy show “Whose Line is It? The show often featured a skit where the comedic improvisers had to riff on some outlandish occupation, and in this one they skewer chiropractic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFeHC3q8PHw
2. This second clip features one of the most incredible musical engineering machines I have ever seen. I thought it was real, but recently learned it is a computer animation. Nonetheless, it still inspires awe in me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjBDfZZQz54
3. This clip is entitled “little girl catches big fish.” Boy, does she ever. Who doesn’t love a little girl catching a big fish, especially when she just picks it up out of the water?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLxxm9neHEc
4. And who doesn’t love crazy basketball shots. These guys are masters at this game, and no one has ever shown these are not real. This is their “summer camp” version. You will see why, and I am guessing at the camp they are seen as kings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaX4njk5noA&feature=related
5. I have an interest in extreme musical instruments. I figure you should as well. Here is something you have never seen before, a subcontrabass flute; in fact, this is the world’s largest flute.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9Nz0UGuQyc
6. And here is a contrabass saxophone. I’ve actually seen one played in concert, by the jazz musician Anthony Braxton, and all I can say is it sounds like an elephant. In heat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXBeu7o9uUM&feature=related
7. As long as our current theme is music, I also find appealing people who find new ways to play their instrument. Working in a traditional medium, the guitarist Stanley Jordan uses two-hand tapping to create interlocking counterpoint, as he does here on the jazz standard “Autumn Leaves.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baDM3_6w8-E
8. And here is another guitarist, with a different method of doing two-hand tapping, here to create percussion counterpoint. This is Preston Reed, performing “Rainmaker.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPoeOBEs4uQ
9. No amount of humor can ever get enough of Monty Python. I consider this clip the funniest clip the Pythons ever did, and it features John Cleese as the Minister of Silly Walks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqhlQfXUk7w
10. Hey, it’s my blog, so we get a Buffy clip; this time, of outtakes. Watch carefully for the one where Charisma Carpenter forgets she is supposed to be in character as Cordelia Chase and actually introduces herself as… herself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO7YFRerU40&feature=related
And that's all folks. For now. PCCD, enjoy the break. PCCW and PCCF, enjoy the work. Soon enough, it'll be your turn again. Best wishes to all of you!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Belmont Report
In the annals of research ethics within the United States, the importance of the Belmont Report (http://ohsr.od.nih.gov/guidelines/belmont.html) cannot be overstated. It was an outgrowth of the National Research Act of 1974, which came about because of a series of events that had occurred in the 30 years leading up to the implementation of the Act. While the initial impetus came from the discovery of the Nazi atrocities in World War II, the fact was that even in the US there were research ethics violations, including the Willowbrook hepatitis study (involving retarded children), the Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital study (involving chronically ill but demented patients), the Tuskegee syphilis study (involving elderly Black sharecroppers), the thalidomide crisis, and other events. The Belmont Committee was charged with developing a framework for the ethical conduct of research, protecting those people who would be willing to participate as research subjects. Three principles emerged from the conference: (1) Respect for persons; (2) Beneficence; and (3) Justice.
Respect for Persons: Two issues arise with regard to respect to persons. One is that individuals are to be treated as autonomous agents, and the second is that those with diminished autonomy would require additional protection. This makes sense in that some of the most egregious violations that had occurred involved vulnerable populations- the poor, children, the elderly. Thus, the issue here is autonomy, or the right of people to self-determination. Embedded in this precept is the concept of informed consent. That is, no one should consent to being a research participant without being informed about the risks and benefits of that involvement. For a competent person, this requires disclosure of information and then an ability to make a decision to participate free from any force or coercion. In the case of someone with diminished competency or who is not competent (such as children, who are not legally competent), a surrogate (such as a parent) must make that decision.
Beneficence: This means more than simply do no harm; it means that efforts must be taken to reduce the risks for participation while doing what you can to enhance the benefits, if any are there. Today, the leading ethical framework for bioethics (1)- principlism- has broken the harm aspect out from the benefit aspect, so that one might talk about beneficence and nonmaleficence, to do good and to do no harm, but they are obviously different sides of the same coin. One of the issues that arises in clinical research is known as the therapeutic misconception, which occurs when patients confuse the goals of research (generalizable knowledge) with the goals of clinical practice (doing all you can to help the patient). Researchers are constrained by research protocols which they must follow, meaning that they cannot do all they can for a specific patient, something most patients initially do not grasp.
Justice: This relates to more than simply how we disburse health care resources. In the context of research, it also addresses the need that everyone share equally in risk if everyone will end up sharing in the benefit. Thus, we should not always look to local impoverished populations as research subjects because we know they are easily available and likely to find a small enticement more desirable than a wealthier potential research base. Our research should not systematically select specific classes or types of individuals because they have a compromised position in society.
The Belmont Report was an influential development in research ethics, and one that is very much a part of today’s research environment. Anyone considering conducting research should familiarize themselves with its precepts.
References
1. Beauchamp TL, Childress JF. Pricniples of biomedical ethics, 6th edition. New York, NY; Oxford University Press, 2009
Respect for Persons: Two issues arise with regard to respect to persons. One is that individuals are to be treated as autonomous agents, and the second is that those with diminished autonomy would require additional protection. This makes sense in that some of the most egregious violations that had occurred involved vulnerable populations- the poor, children, the elderly. Thus, the issue here is autonomy, or the right of people to self-determination. Embedded in this precept is the concept of informed consent. That is, no one should consent to being a research participant without being informed about the risks and benefits of that involvement. For a competent person, this requires disclosure of information and then an ability to make a decision to participate free from any force or coercion. In the case of someone with diminished competency or who is not competent (such as children, who are not legally competent), a surrogate (such as a parent) must make that decision.
Beneficence: This means more than simply do no harm; it means that efforts must be taken to reduce the risks for participation while doing what you can to enhance the benefits, if any are there. Today, the leading ethical framework for bioethics (1)- principlism- has broken the harm aspect out from the benefit aspect, so that one might talk about beneficence and nonmaleficence, to do good and to do no harm, but they are obviously different sides of the same coin. One of the issues that arises in clinical research is known as the therapeutic misconception, which occurs when patients confuse the goals of research (generalizable knowledge) with the goals of clinical practice (doing all you can to help the patient). Researchers are constrained by research protocols which they must follow, meaning that they cannot do all they can for a specific patient, something most patients initially do not grasp.
Justice: This relates to more than simply how we disburse health care resources. In the context of research, it also addresses the need that everyone share equally in risk if everyone will end up sharing in the benefit. Thus, we should not always look to local impoverished populations as research subjects because we know they are easily available and likely to find a small enticement more desirable than a wealthier potential research base. Our research should not systematically select specific classes or types of individuals because they have a compromised position in society.
The Belmont Report was an influential development in research ethics, and one that is very much a part of today’s research environment. Anyone considering conducting research should familiarize themselves with its precepts.
References
1. Beauchamp TL, Childress JF. Pricniples of biomedical ethics, 6th edition. New York, NY; Oxford University Press, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Epidemiological and Clinical Research Strategies and Designs
As a reminder, note that the single most important hallmark of a scientific theory is that its hypotheses are capable of being disproved. Experimental studies, when done, can be excellent tests of hypotheses that we could not otherwise examine were we to simply try to observe naturally occurring events. But it is equally important to note that the kind of questions we ask in research cannot all be answered using the same exact research design; the design we use when trying to understand the factors that lead to, say, low back pain is very different from the design we use when trying to see which of two interventions is more effective at decreasing the pain seen with that same low back pain. Thus, knowing a bit about design is very helpful when you read journal articles, because the design of the study is a key to looking at what the study is about.
Generally speaking, we can classify research designs into two broad categories: descriptive (or analytic) designs and experimental. This is a broad classification, because there are also quasi-experimental designs, and non-experimental designs which can be used in clinical research, but this larger classification breaks the study designs down nicely. Descriptive studies are done when for whatever reason we cannot have control over the independent variable. For example, we might look to see if vibration from driving a truck leads to a higher incidence of low back pain- but the interval to do so here might run into years between exposure and outcome, and we would not want to set this up as a clinical trial where we expose some people to vibration over the course of a year and compare them to controls who were not exposed. In experimental designs, the intervention is under the control of the researcher, and this helps limits threats to validity.
The following is by no means all-inclusive, but is an introduction to common research designs. Descriptive designs include cross-sectional studies, case-control studies and cohort studies. Experimental designs include randomized clinical trials and cross-over designs.
Cross-Sectional: This assesses health status and exposure levels of individuals within a population at one point in time. By this, I mean that we are collecting this from each person at one point in time, not that we gather all the data at a single point in time. The classic example of a cross-sectional study is a survey. What we are looking for is a potential association between some causal factor and a condition of interest. For example, we might ask to see if people who have more than 3 drinks per day have higher rates of liver disease than those who do not. We cannot say if one causes the other, only that they are associated with one another.
Case-Control: In a case-control study, we look backward in time (retrospectively) to examine exposure factors between a group of people with the condition of interest (the cases) and those without (the controls). So we are likely looking at patient records in doing so, and we are trying, as much as possible, to ensure our populations are matched on all factors save for the presence of the condition of interest. These kinds of studies cannot determine the risk of developing a disease, but can determine the odds of doing so. An odds ratio can be calculated providing this information- this was discussed in an earlier blog post. Here, the OR is simply the ratio of odds of the cases being exposed divided by the odds of the controls being exposed to some factor.
Cohort: In a cohort study we follow patients forward in time and compare outcomes after one group is exposed to some suspected factor of disease while the other group is not. Such studies can last for many years, and the benefit of this design is that it is capable of detecting whether an exposure precedes an outcome; that is, does drinking 3 glasses of alcohol per day lead to a higher rate of liver disease? Thus, in a cohort study, we can determine a risk level, in this case a relative risk of developing the condition of interest between the group exposed and the group not so exposed. This is a particularly strong epidemiological design to use.
Randomized Clinical Trial: This is the classic pre-test/post-test randomized experimental design used in clinical trial research. It begins with two groups that are as similar in all important demographics as possible, and then subjects one to an intervention the other does not get, and finally compares the outcomes between the two groups. This design permits the statistical comparison of the two groups. It can be set as a factorial design when there are several explanatory variables involved.
Cross-Over: This design provides a treatment to one group while the other receives either a placebo or alternative treatment, and then switches those assignments at some specified point in time. There is usually a wash-out period involved to allow for time so that the initial treatment does not influence the alternative treatment. This is a complicated design that carries a high risk for drop-outs due to the time necessary to conduct the study.
As always, the idea is to use the proper design to answer the question, the best tool for the job, so to say. This is but an overview of the topic, but may help you as you read journal articles.
Generally speaking, we can classify research designs into two broad categories: descriptive (or analytic) designs and experimental. This is a broad classification, because there are also quasi-experimental designs, and non-experimental designs which can be used in clinical research, but this larger classification breaks the study designs down nicely. Descriptive studies are done when for whatever reason we cannot have control over the independent variable. For example, we might look to see if vibration from driving a truck leads to a higher incidence of low back pain- but the interval to do so here might run into years between exposure and outcome, and we would not want to set this up as a clinical trial where we expose some people to vibration over the course of a year and compare them to controls who were not exposed. In experimental designs, the intervention is under the control of the researcher, and this helps limits threats to validity.
The following is by no means all-inclusive, but is an introduction to common research designs. Descriptive designs include cross-sectional studies, case-control studies and cohort studies. Experimental designs include randomized clinical trials and cross-over designs.
Cross-Sectional: This assesses health status and exposure levels of individuals within a population at one point in time. By this, I mean that we are collecting this from each person at one point in time, not that we gather all the data at a single point in time. The classic example of a cross-sectional study is a survey. What we are looking for is a potential association between some causal factor and a condition of interest. For example, we might ask to see if people who have more than 3 drinks per day have higher rates of liver disease than those who do not. We cannot say if one causes the other, only that they are associated with one another.
Case-Control: In a case-control study, we look backward in time (retrospectively) to examine exposure factors between a group of people with the condition of interest (the cases) and those without (the controls). So we are likely looking at patient records in doing so, and we are trying, as much as possible, to ensure our populations are matched on all factors save for the presence of the condition of interest. These kinds of studies cannot determine the risk of developing a disease, but can determine the odds of doing so. An odds ratio can be calculated providing this information- this was discussed in an earlier blog post. Here, the OR is simply the ratio of odds of the cases being exposed divided by the odds of the controls being exposed to some factor.
Cohort: In a cohort study we follow patients forward in time and compare outcomes after one group is exposed to some suspected factor of disease while the other group is not. Such studies can last for many years, and the benefit of this design is that it is capable of detecting whether an exposure precedes an outcome; that is, does drinking 3 glasses of alcohol per day lead to a higher rate of liver disease? Thus, in a cohort study, we can determine a risk level, in this case a relative risk of developing the condition of interest between the group exposed and the group not so exposed. This is a particularly strong epidemiological design to use.
Randomized Clinical Trial: This is the classic pre-test/post-test randomized experimental design used in clinical trial research. It begins with two groups that are as similar in all important demographics as possible, and then subjects one to an intervention the other does not get, and finally compares the outcomes between the two groups. This design permits the statistical comparison of the two groups. It can be set as a factorial design when there are several explanatory variables involved.
Cross-Over: This design provides a treatment to one group while the other receives either a placebo or alternative treatment, and then switches those assignments at some specified point in time. There is usually a wash-out period involved to allow for time so that the initial treatment does not influence the alternative treatment. This is a complicated design that carries a high risk for drop-outs due to the time necessary to conduct the study.
As always, the idea is to use the proper design to answer the question, the best tool for the job, so to say. This is but an overview of the topic, but may help you as you read journal articles.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Establishing the Positive Classroom Climate
I often find myself wondering how it is that we’ve come to where we are. By which I mean, I contrast my own experiences as a student in chiropractic college (1976-1979), my experiences in 2 master’s program taught by distance education (one using course packets, and one online), and that of my students in my 9th trimester course in Evidence-Based Chiropractic. Certainly, the world has changed; the technology is vastly different now. When I began teaching, in 1980, to project something to the class required me to first make a copy of the image, then transfer it using a copier onto a transparency sheet. It was a time heavy process, and I still have my originals acetates that I used back then. Today, of course, we can use PowerPoint to the same effect, and we have invested heavily in the infrastructure to host a variety of technological advances in our classrooms. But this simply affects the means of delivery; we still need to take learning style and expectation into account.
One of the ways we can help begin to do so is to set a classroom climate. According to Linda Hilsen (1), “connecting learning and living is the purpose of education. Establishing and sustaining a positive classroom climate will result in more effective teaching” as well as a more satisfying experience for students. To that end, she has produced information to help aid in setting that climate. Some of these suggestions are common sense, but all are designed to help set the stage for how you will conduct your class and what your expectations are. I offer but a few and refer you to the chapter for the full detail.
- Get to class early and speak with your students as they arrive. I do this every class.
- The first 15 minutes of your first class session is critically important in helping students decide what kind of teacher you are and what they will experience in your class. It is important here to demonstrate enthusiasm about your course. Be prepared and carefully structure that first session. I use a lot of humor in this first 15 minutes, in order to release tension, demonstrate that I know they work hard, and that I share their concerns and understand them.
- A small amount of self-disclosure can help humanize you in your students eyes. I do this by noting a few comments about my kids (who are the same age as my students now), and by noting my interest in cultural benchmarks such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Yes, this seems silly, but what it does is show that I exist outside the classroom, that I have interests and am interesting and that I am willing to make fun of myself.
- Let your students know you are available. You can discuss your office hours, but also note that you are free at other times and are always willing to meet with them. Be flexible, and work out times for meetings.
- Describe your goals for the course and your expectations for your students. I do this, and I also spend some time with certain expectations regarding issues such as attendance, phones in the classroom, bringing children, needing to leave early, etc.
- Learn student names. This is a problem I have had because I have only a single session with my students each week, early on Thursday morning. But I work hard at attempting to link names with faces, and then address students by name. And it never hurts to ask a name.
- Hang around when class ends for those students who want to follow up on an issue. I simply do this each class session.
- Look students in the eye in the classroom as you lecture or as you discuss issues. Be positive.
As I said, this is all common sense, but is often forgotten. I can remember fondly those instructors I have had who took the time to know me, to treat me with respect, and to care about what I was learning. We have all been there, and even now, we are all still there. Keep up all the good work.
References
1. Hilsen LR. A helpful handout: establishing and maintaining a positive classroom climate. In: Gillespie KH, editor. A guide to faculty development: practical advices, examples and resources. San Francisco, CA; Anker Publishing, 2002:146-155
One of the ways we can help begin to do so is to set a classroom climate. According to Linda Hilsen (1), “connecting learning and living is the purpose of education. Establishing and sustaining a positive classroom climate will result in more effective teaching” as well as a more satisfying experience for students. To that end, she has produced information to help aid in setting that climate. Some of these suggestions are common sense, but all are designed to help set the stage for how you will conduct your class and what your expectations are. I offer but a few and refer you to the chapter for the full detail.
- Get to class early and speak with your students as they arrive. I do this every class.
- The first 15 minutes of your first class session is critically important in helping students decide what kind of teacher you are and what they will experience in your class. It is important here to demonstrate enthusiasm about your course. Be prepared and carefully structure that first session. I use a lot of humor in this first 15 minutes, in order to release tension, demonstrate that I know they work hard, and that I share their concerns and understand them.
- A small amount of self-disclosure can help humanize you in your students eyes. I do this by noting a few comments about my kids (who are the same age as my students now), and by noting my interest in cultural benchmarks such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Yes, this seems silly, but what it does is show that I exist outside the classroom, that I have interests and am interesting and that I am willing to make fun of myself.
- Let your students know you are available. You can discuss your office hours, but also note that you are free at other times and are always willing to meet with them. Be flexible, and work out times for meetings.
- Describe your goals for the course and your expectations for your students. I do this, and I also spend some time with certain expectations regarding issues such as attendance, phones in the classroom, bringing children, needing to leave early, etc.
- Learn student names. This is a problem I have had because I have only a single session with my students each week, early on Thursday morning. But I work hard at attempting to link names with faces, and then address students by name. And it never hurts to ask a name.
- Hang around when class ends for those students who want to follow up on an issue. I simply do this each class session.
- Look students in the eye in the classroom as you lecture or as you discuss issues. Be positive.
As I said, this is all common sense, but is often forgotten. I can remember fondly those instructors I have had who took the time to know me, to treat me with respect, and to care about what I was learning. We have all been there, and even now, we are all still there. Keep up all the good work.
References
1. Hilsen LR. A helpful handout: establishing and maintaining a positive classroom climate. In: Gillespie KH, editor. A guide to faculty development: practical advices, examples and resources. San Francisco, CA; Anker Publishing, 2002:146-155
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The New York Times and “Cracking the Spine of Libel”
I thought I would diverge from discussing educational issues to look at a new article just posted in the New York Times, on the 16 September, 2009. The article, which is actually an entry in the blog by scientist Dr. Olivia Judson reports on efforts by the British Chiropractic Association to sue scientist and author Simon Singh for libel. You can read the full article here: http://judson.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/cracking-the-spine-of-libel/?ref=opinion
Singh is a co-author, along with Dr. Edzard Ernst of the University of Exeter, of a book entitled “Trick or treatment: alternative medicine on trial.” Singh is a particle physicist by training, and Ernst is a research scientist and also the editor for the journal Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies (Disclosure: I am on the editorial board for that publication). The suit revolves around comments that Singh made about claims he found on the BCA website regarding chiropractic treatment for pediatric conditions. I think you can likely infer a potential bias after reading that title.
At issue is a statement that Singh made. He said this, in an article published in The Guardian, one of England’s most respected newspapers: “The British Chiropractic Association claims that their members can help treat children with colic, sleeping and feeding problems, frequent ear infections, asthma and prolonged crying, even though there is not a jot of evidence. This organisation is the respectable face of the chiropractic profession and yet it happily promotes bogus treatments” The BCA complained about this comment to the Guardian, and asked that the comment be retracted. After this was refused, the Guardian offered the BCA a chance to publish a counterpoint to Singh's comments, which they turned down. The suit then ensued, under Britain’s libel laws, which differ from those here in the United States. The use of the word “bogus” seems to imply that the BCA knowingly lied to the public in its comments, and in fact, happily did so. Necessarily, people are looking to see how this case plays out, since it has implications related to the normal scientific criticism that is part of the world we live in; some feel it will have a chilling effect. I disagree.
I think the BCA was correct in not accepting the offer from the Guardian. From my perspective, all that would do is (a) keep the case in the public eye, similar to what we saw two weeks ago with Rep. Joe Wilson yelling “You lie” to the President, and (b) confuse the public with a “he said, she said” argument that they cannot help but not completely understand. What is patently clear is that even though Singh says there “is not a jot of evidence,” that appears factually incorrect. I know; I was editor for the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics when it published articles examining the effectiveness of chiropractic manipulation for conditions such as otitis media, infantile colic, and other conditions. Now, this research might be criticized on methodological grounds- all research can be- but it does comprise evidence. Singh likely meant to be making a hyperbolic statement, but doing so in a public setting does not necessarily let him off on free speech grounds, not when he potentially damages an entire profession by his factually incorrect words- the ruling was that he was offering a statmement of fact, not an opinion. Or, to be clear, this is how I feel; I cannot speak to the legality of what he said as it might be interpreted by British law. I am offering only my opinion here.
It will also be illustrative to read the comments that follow. Initially, they start out generally negative toward chiropractic, but then switch to speak more in favor; however, the negative comments are really negative- one refers to “chiroquaxtery” and another to “chiropractry.” I commented under the screen name Dana5140, and others in our profession have added words as well. I would say “enjoy,” but that may be the wrong word here; however, please do read this and get a sense of the issues that arise.
Singh is a co-author, along with Dr. Edzard Ernst of the University of Exeter, of a book entitled “Trick or treatment: alternative medicine on trial.” Singh is a particle physicist by training, and Ernst is a research scientist and also the editor for the journal Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies (Disclosure: I am on the editorial board for that publication). The suit revolves around comments that Singh made about claims he found on the BCA website regarding chiropractic treatment for pediatric conditions. I think you can likely infer a potential bias after reading that title.
At issue is a statement that Singh made. He said this, in an article published in The Guardian, one of England’s most respected newspapers: “The British Chiropractic Association claims that their members can help treat children with colic, sleeping and feeding problems, frequent ear infections, asthma and prolonged crying, even though there is not a jot of evidence. This organisation is the respectable face of the chiropractic profession and yet it happily promotes bogus treatments” The BCA complained about this comment to the Guardian, and asked that the comment be retracted. After this was refused, the Guardian offered the BCA a chance to publish a counterpoint to Singh's comments, which they turned down. The suit then ensued, under Britain’s libel laws, which differ from those here in the United States. The use of the word “bogus” seems to imply that the BCA knowingly lied to the public in its comments, and in fact, happily did so. Necessarily, people are looking to see how this case plays out, since it has implications related to the normal scientific criticism that is part of the world we live in; some feel it will have a chilling effect. I disagree.
I think the BCA was correct in not accepting the offer from the Guardian. From my perspective, all that would do is (a) keep the case in the public eye, similar to what we saw two weeks ago with Rep. Joe Wilson yelling “You lie” to the President, and (b) confuse the public with a “he said, she said” argument that they cannot help but not completely understand. What is patently clear is that even though Singh says there “is not a jot of evidence,” that appears factually incorrect. I know; I was editor for the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics when it published articles examining the effectiveness of chiropractic manipulation for conditions such as otitis media, infantile colic, and other conditions. Now, this research might be criticized on methodological grounds- all research can be- but it does comprise evidence. Singh likely meant to be making a hyperbolic statement, but doing so in a public setting does not necessarily let him off on free speech grounds, not when he potentially damages an entire profession by his factually incorrect words- the ruling was that he was offering a statmement of fact, not an opinion. Or, to be clear, this is how I feel; I cannot speak to the legality of what he said as it might be interpreted by British law. I am offering only my opinion here.
It will also be illustrative to read the comments that follow. Initially, they start out generally negative toward chiropractic, but then switch to speak more in favor; however, the negative comments are really negative- one refers to “chiroquaxtery” and another to “chiropractry.” I commented under the screen name Dana5140, and others in our profession have added words as well. I would say “enjoy,” but that may be the wrong word here; however, please do read this and get a sense of the issues that arise.
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Palmer Institutional Review Board Website
Over the past few weeks, I have had a number of conversations designed to help faculty plan small-scale projects such as surveys, in preparation of the upcoming ACC-RAC conference in March 2010. Because of these interactions, I can see some areas where a little guidance can help you prepare IRB applications and plan for your projects. I wanted to therefore discuss what is present on our IRB website.
The website is located at http://w3.palmer.edu/irb, and as I write this I should note that the IRB is undergoing some change after its move from the Research Department to the Office of Strategic Development, where it is part of the overall college compliance function. Thus, some additional changes to the site may occur in the near future. When you log on to the home page, you will see a list of personnel to contact for information, as well as a set of links on the left side of the page. These links are to (1) IRB forms, (2) IRB meeting schedule, (3) IRB member’s toolkit, (4) Policies and procedures, and (5) Researcher’s Toolkit. In addition, there is a link to frequently asked questions (FAQs- this link has yet to be populated with information). Let me hold for a moment on the forms link, since that is the one you need for submitting an application. The meeting schedule will be useful for you in planning; you will need to submit your completed application 2 weeks ahead of a meeting for it to be included in that meeting. Plan accordingly. The IRB member’s toolkit provides some information for IRB members, including links to the CONSORT document, the online training program at NIH for IRB members, and a set of other links about proper IRB function and law. It is still under construction at present. Policies and procedures is a link to PCC policies about research, as well as a link to the Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP). The researcher’s toolkit provides a set of links that can be of help to the novice researcher, including a link to the NIH training program in clinical research that should take if you desire to conduct research.
But of main interest is the link to the IRB forms. If you wish to conduct a study on campus, such as survey of students in a course you teach, you must complete the IRB application form, which is listed as the first link in the material on this page. When you click that link, it will allow you download a form that makes it possible for you to input information. Take this form very seriously and think about the questions it asks you. You will need to provide some detail, and you will have to provide a thoughtful plan for what you plan to do. This includes information on how you will recruit your participants, how you will analyze data, how you will protect confidentiality and let people know they do not have to participate in what you are doing, what methods you are using, and so on. Each question must be answered on the form. Question 5 is critically important, and it has many sub-questions (5a-5i). Questions 8, 9 and 11 are also quite important. Note also that the final page requires your signature as well as that of your supervisor.
I know that this seems burdensome, but it is not. It is designed to ensure that (1)all participants in research at Palmer College are properly protected, (2) Palmer College is in compliance with 45CFR46, the so-called “Common Rule” governing the use of human subjects in research, and (3) you have thought through your project and can complete it with success. It is part of the process of conducting research. As always I am ready to help you in this regard. Look over the material and let me know any questions you have.
The website is located at http://w3.palmer.edu/irb, and as I write this I should note that the IRB is undergoing some change after its move from the Research Department to the Office of Strategic Development, where it is part of the overall college compliance function. Thus, some additional changes to the site may occur in the near future. When you log on to the home page, you will see a list of personnel to contact for information, as well as a set of links on the left side of the page. These links are to (1) IRB forms, (2) IRB meeting schedule, (3) IRB member’s toolkit, (4) Policies and procedures, and (5) Researcher’s Toolkit. In addition, there is a link to frequently asked questions (FAQs- this link has yet to be populated with information). Let me hold for a moment on the forms link, since that is the one you need for submitting an application. The meeting schedule will be useful for you in planning; you will need to submit your completed application 2 weeks ahead of a meeting for it to be included in that meeting. Plan accordingly. The IRB member’s toolkit provides some information for IRB members, including links to the CONSORT document, the online training program at NIH for IRB members, and a set of other links about proper IRB function and law. It is still under construction at present. Policies and procedures is a link to PCC policies about research, as well as a link to the Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP). The researcher’s toolkit provides a set of links that can be of help to the novice researcher, including a link to the NIH training program in clinical research that should take if you desire to conduct research.
But of main interest is the link to the IRB forms. If you wish to conduct a study on campus, such as survey of students in a course you teach, you must complete the IRB application form, which is listed as the first link in the material on this page. When you click that link, it will allow you download a form that makes it possible for you to input information. Take this form very seriously and think about the questions it asks you. You will need to provide some detail, and you will have to provide a thoughtful plan for what you plan to do. This includes information on how you will recruit your participants, how you will analyze data, how you will protect confidentiality and let people know they do not have to participate in what you are doing, what methods you are using, and so on. Each question must be answered on the form. Question 5 is critically important, and it has many sub-questions (5a-5i). Questions 8, 9 and 11 are also quite important. Note also that the final page requires your signature as well as that of your supervisor.
I know that this seems burdensome, but it is not. It is designed to ensure that (1)all participants in research at Palmer College are properly protected, (2) Palmer College is in compliance with 45CFR46, the so-called “Common Rule” governing the use of human subjects in research, and (3) you have thought through your project and can complete it with success. It is part of the process of conducting research. As always I am ready to help you in this regard. Look over the material and let me know any questions you have.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Designing a Website
Few us working in academia are trained to be web designers. But most of us can visit a website and decide whether or not we feel that the site is designed intelligently or not. We may now even know what criteria we use to make that decision. And even there we know that many of these sites use professional designers to create the site. So what can we do?
Bell (1) starts with one thought in mind: content before design. By this he means that you should gather all the content you want to place on your site and use that to guide your design decisions. So if you are building a site for your class, consider the content first. What information do you want your students to have? Would you include your syllabus, background readings, links to pertinent websites, study guides, even your CV? All of this will guide how you design your site.
One suggestion offered by Bell is to visit sites that link to winners of web designer awards, to provide you new ideas you can incorporate into your own website. All of these will link you to sites that are creative and easy to use. He suggests you look at:
- Webby Awards: www.webbyawards.com
- Website Design awards: www.websitedesignawards.com
- LevelTen Interactive: www.leveltendesign.com
- Avenue A/Razorfish:www.avenuea-razorfish.com
Bell discusses the importance of color. Color creates mood and can make a site interesting and bold or dull and boring. Beyond that, our eye will find some color combinations more appealing and easier to read than others; also, some of your students may potentially be color blind. I will not mention here how to locate the Html hex color, but will note that what you want to have is a color scheme, a set of colors on your site that complement one another. There are websites which can aid you in developing color schemes, and among them are:
- Colorcombos: www.colorcombos.com/
- Color Palette Generator: www.degraeve.com/color-palette/
- ColorBlender: www.colorblender.com
As for fonts, Bell recommends that you avoid all fancy fonts and select system fonts that display well on web pages. I know that some of us like to use fancy fonts because they are different, but remember that different does not necessarily mean good or better. It is still best to use black text on white backgrounds; moving to the use of color here can easily make your text harder to read unless you ensure a reasonable amount of contrast (such as green text on a black background, instead of yellow text on an orange background).
A few short rules: include images, but not an excess amount. Keep the design simple so you don’t overwhelm your visitors. Don’t use attention grabbers, such as flashing text. And be consistent from page to page. This is just a start on good design, which is critical to usability.
References
1. Bell M. Build a Website for Free. Indianapolis, IN; Que Books, 2009
Bell (1) starts with one thought in mind: content before design. By this he means that you should gather all the content you want to place on your site and use that to guide your design decisions. So if you are building a site for your class, consider the content first. What information do you want your students to have? Would you include your syllabus, background readings, links to pertinent websites, study guides, even your CV? All of this will guide how you design your site.
One suggestion offered by Bell is to visit sites that link to winners of web designer awards, to provide you new ideas you can incorporate into your own website. All of these will link you to sites that are creative and easy to use. He suggests you look at:
- Webby Awards: www.webbyawards.com
- Website Design awards: www.websitedesignawards.com
- LevelTen Interactive: www.leveltendesign.com
- Avenue A/Razorfish:www.avenuea-razorfish.com
Bell discusses the importance of color. Color creates mood and can make a site interesting and bold or dull and boring. Beyond that, our eye will find some color combinations more appealing and easier to read than others; also, some of your students may potentially be color blind. I will not mention here how to locate the Html hex color, but will note that what you want to have is a color scheme, a set of colors on your site that complement one another. There are websites which can aid you in developing color schemes, and among them are:
- Colorcombos: www.colorcombos.com/
- Color Palette Generator: www.degraeve.com/color-palette/
- ColorBlender: www.colorblender.com
As for fonts, Bell recommends that you avoid all fancy fonts and select system fonts that display well on web pages. I know that some of us like to use fancy fonts because they are different, but remember that different does not necessarily mean good or better. It is still best to use black text on white backgrounds; moving to the use of color here can easily make your text harder to read unless you ensure a reasonable amount of contrast (such as green text on a black background, instead of yellow text on an orange background).
A few short rules: include images, but not an excess amount. Keep the design simple so you don’t overwhelm your visitors. Don’t use attention grabbers, such as flashing text. And be consistent from page to page. This is just a start on good design, which is critical to usability.
References
1. Bell M. Build a Website for Free. Indianapolis, IN; Que Books, 2009
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