The Superior College, Lahore

Faculty of Physical Therapy

Course Outline
Course Course Title SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 
Information Course ID RES1304 Course Type CLINICAL 
Credit hours 3  Hours per week (C-L) 2-2
Programs DPT Preferred Semester 9
Date 2021 Version 1.1
Offered Programs DPT Semester Session Fall 2021
Course Instructor(s) Dr Wajeeha Mahmood TA / Junior Lecturer -
Information
Course This course includes discussion on basic quantitative methods and designs, including concepts
Description of reliability and validity, interpretation of inferential statistics related to research designs, co
relational statistic & designs, interclass correlation coefficients, and critical appraisal of the
literature.
Course At the end of this course students will be able to;
Learning No. Outcome BT Relation
Outcomes Level with PLO
(CLO) 1. Describe  the basic concepts of research and scientific C1 PLO 1
inquiry and its methodologies.  
2. Define research problem and conduct a literature review C1, P4 PLO 3
relevant to the research problem.  
3. Prepare a project proposal to undertake a research C3 PLO 5
project.
Lecture type
Prerequisites Biostatistics
Introduction to computer 
English III (technical writing and presentation skills)
Follow up Research Project 
Courses
Course SPSS
Software Endnote 
or Tool Microsoft Office Word
Microsoft Excel
Textbook Title Edition Authors Publisher Year ISBN
Clinical Research 4th Leslie G. Philadelphia 2020 9780803661134
Applications to Portney,
Evidence-Based DPT,
Practice PhD,
FAPTA
References Essentials of clinical 2 nd
Stephan Springer 2014 978-3-319-05469-8
research  P.
Glasser.
Introduction to clinical 2 nd
Hani Saudi 2014 978-9960-9832-9-
research for residents Tamim Commission for 5.
Health
Specialties,
2014
Assessment Assessment Weight Used to attain CLO
Criteria Sub Stages 20%
(100%) CLO 1
CLO 2
CLO3
Final Paper 70% CLO-1
CLO-2
CLO-3
Assignment 10% CLO 1-2-3
Methods of Assignment, Stages ,Final Term paper
Evaluation
Notes

Wee Topic Lectu Lectures Content Relati

ks  re on
with
no.  CLO
Week RESEARCH Lec 1 What is research  CLO
1 FUNDAMEN Rehabilitation 1
TALS Research                                                                                  
     
Lec 2 Theory in Rehabilitation Research  CLO
 Research Ethics. 1
Lab  Introduction to Synopsis writing CLO3
Week RESEARCH Lec 1 Research Problems, Questions, and Hypotheses CLO
2 DESIGN Criteria of a good research question 2
Sources of research questions
Elements of a research question
Criteria for a bad research question
Example of a research question
Lec 2 Research Paradigms  CLO
Design Overview  2
Research Validity
Steps in conducting research  
Lab Practical training on Formulation of research question CLO
2
Week EXPERIMENT Lec 1 Overview of study designs CLO
3 AL DESIGNS Experimental studies 1
Lec 2 Group Designs  CLO
Single-System Design. 1
Lab Practical training on finding the right measurement CLO
tool 3
Week NON Lec 1 Overview of Non experimental Research  CLO
4 EXPERIMENT Cross-sectional design 1
 AL Case control study designs
RESEARCH Cohort design
Lec 2 Clinical Case Reports  CLO
Outcomes Research  1
Survey Research.
Lab  Practical guide of finding the reliability and validity of CLO
a measurement tool 3
Week MEASUREM Lec 1 Qualitative Research  CLO
5 ENT Epidemiology  1
Lec 2 Stage 1
Lab Practical trainng on the use of various softwares for CLO
data analysis  3
Week MEASUREM Lec 1 Measurement Theory  CLO
6 ENT  Methodological Research 1
Lec 2 Statistical reasoning CLO
Statistical Analysis of Diffrences; The basics 3
Lab SPSS practical training  CLO
3
Week DATA Lec 1 Statistical Analysis of Diffrences; Advanced and CLO
7 ANALYSIS special Techniques 3
Lec 2 Statistical Analysis of Diffrences; The basics CLO
Statistical Analysis of Diffrences; Advanced and 3
special Techniques
Lab SPSS Data entry, cleaning and management CLO
3
Week DATA ENTRY, Lec 1 Measures of effect CLO
8 CLEANING  General terms 3
AND  Data collection 
MANAGEME Lec 2 Database structure CLO
NT 2
Lab SPSS data analysis (Non-Experimental Research) CLO
3
Week DATA ENTRY, Lec 1 Descriptive statistics CLO
9 CLEANING  For categorical variables  1
AND  For continuous variables
MANAGEME Lec 2 Inferential statistics  CLO
NT  Probability distributions  1
 Types of inferential statistics 
 General rule for normal distributions 
Lab  SPSS data analysis (Experimental research) CLO
3
Week DATA ENTRY, Lec 1 Inferential statistics  CLO
10 CLEANING Different statistical tests
 1
AND Lec 2 Smaple Size calculation  CLO
MANAGEME 3
NT Lab Practical Sample size calculation CLO
3
Week BEING A Lec 1 Locating the Literature  CLO
11 CONSUMER  Definition of a literature review 2
The aim of a literature review
Characteristics of a good literature review
Lec 2 Steps of a literature review CLO
2
Lab Practical training on the use of various databases for
finding and citing literature
Week BEING A Lec 1 Evaluating Evidence One Article at a time  CLO
12 CONSUMER Evidence based medicine (EBM) 2
Lec 2 Synthesizing Bodies of Evidence. CLO
2
Lab Practical training on writing Literature review CLO
3
Week REFERENCES Lec 1 Referencing CLO
13 AND Using endnote for reference citation  2
BIBLIOGRAP What is Endnote
HY
Lec 2 Introduction to an Endnote library CLO
To create a library 2
Lab Practical training of referencing and citation using CLO
endnote 3
Week IMPLEMENTI Lec 1 Definition of a research CLO
14 NG proposal                                                                        3
RESEARCH Aims of a research
proposal                                                                              
Sections of a research
proposal                                                                            
Lec 2 Ethical CLO
issues                                                                                        3
                
IRB                                                                                            
                          
Implementing a Research Project
Lab Preparation, presentation and defence of research CLO
proposal 3
Week IMPLEMENTI Lec 1 Publishing and Presenting Research. CLO
 15 NG 3
RESEARCH Lec 2 Stage III
Lab Poster presentations CLO
3

Knowledge Areas
1. Research fundamentals
2. Research designs 
3. Measurement tools 
4. Data analysis 
5. literature review 
6. endnote and referencing 
7. Synopsis writing 
8. Research publication 
 Mapping of CLO with PLO
Course
Learning
Category Detailed Description
Outcomes
(CLO)
PLO # 1
Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the basic and clinical sciences relevant to physical
PLO therapy, both in their fundamental context and in their application to the discipline of
physical therapy. (Physical therapy Knowledge)
An ability to understand theories and basic concepts of Physical Therapy research  in
Meaning
relation to its clinical application.
Describe  the basic concepts of research and scientific inquiry and its methodologies.  
1  High: can understand principles of scientific inquiry and apply them to undertake
the final year project.
PC and
 Middle: can understand the principles of scientific Inquiry but is lacking in some
Rubric
aspects of methodologies of scientific inquiry and research. 
 Low: understands some principles of scientific inquiry but cannot undertake the
final year project. 
Evaluation
Final Term Exam, presentations
Tools
PLO # 3
Demonstrate the behaviors of the scholarly clinician by developing and utilizing the
PLO process of critical thinking and inquiry, particularly focused on the improvement of the
practice of physical therapy and the delivery of health care. (Problem Analysis) 
An ability to utilize the problem solving, critical thinking and inquiry in physical therapy
Meaning
practice.
Define research problem and conduct a literature review relevant to the research
2 problem.  
 High: able to design a research problem/question and conduct a
PC and comprehensice review of relevant literature.  
Rubric  Middle: able to design a research question but can conduct a literature review
which is relatively comprehensive.  
 Low: able to design a research question and conducts  a literature review
which lacks comprehensive  coverage of relative material. 
Evaluation
Final Trem exam, Poster presentation, synopsis 
Tools
 PLO # 5
Demonstrate mastery of entry level professional clinical skills. Provision of these
services is based on the best available evidence and includes physical therapy
PLO
examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, prevention activities,
wellness initiatives and appropriate health care utilization. (Clinical Decision making)
Ability to use critical thinking in the process of decision making and evidence based
Meaning
practice in providing patient care. 
3 Prepare a project proposal to undertake a research project.
 High: able to develop an organized and coherent project proposal consisting of
PC and all sections and excellent flow of writing. 
Rubric  Middle: able to develop relatively organized project proposal with relatively
low level of coherence across all sections. 
 Low: develops a disorganized proposal and all the sections lack coherence. 
Evaluation
Project proposal for final year research. 
Tools