Conducting A Research Study

Earlier chapters in this part of the Handbook have discussed the contribution of clinical research to primary care, presented an example of a research project, and introduced the basic steps involved in planning a study. This chapter extends the previous writing by offering some practical suggestions about how to conduct a study once it is planned. The reason for including this chapter is to convey the idea that data are precious and hard to obtain. Their acquisition, analysis, and presentation to the scientific community stem not only from research that is thoughtfully designed, but also from projects that are carefully managed.