Basic methods of medical research

A. Indrayan

Publishers: 2006, AITBS Publishers, (P) Ltd., New Delhi, India. Pages: 376, Price: Rs. 225

This text on "Basic methods of medical research" by Dr. Indrayan gives a comprehensive view of all aspects of medical research from the stage of conception and planning to the end product in the form of preparation of a dissertation or report or writing a scientific paper.

Dr. Indrayan explains step by step about how to conduct clinical research in a systematic and scientific manner. The book is especially useful to postgraduate, doctoral students and researchers. The language is lucid, simple and lively that can sustain the interest of the reader till the last chapter. The book has highlighted all aspects of medical research beginning with selection of topic for medical research and writing a protocol for interpretation and preparing an evidence-based report. Emphasis is on practical aspects and real life examples have been offered that will be helpful for students to have clear understanding of the subject. This book is indeed useful in guiding how to conduct quality research.

Nearly free of any writing errors and mistakes, the book is also nicely formatted. However, certain topics deserve more space in a book of such caliber. Important topics like meta-analysis, operations research, cost analysis, vital statistics and multivariate analysis find only passing mention rather than elaboration. Moreover, a chapter on sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests would have made the book more complete. Although text size is a limitation for such books, more examples should have been included rather than compact text. At times, information highlighted in the boxes is too exhaustive to be remembered by the readers which defeats the vary purpose of highlighting them in a box!. Knowledge about use of statistical software is extremely important in today′s age. This aspect of medical research should find adequate elaboration in every recent book on statistics or research methodology and which unfortunately is lacking in this book as well. All in all the book surely serves a useful purpose of introducing students, teachers and medical researchers to the basics of research methodology.