All protocols and dissertations need to show a critical awareness of the methods adopted. You will also need to show that you can critique methods published in the literature you use. If you decide to critique evidence-based material or collect original data you will need to show a particularly thorough understanding of the methods adopted. Make a note of references you can use to support the rationale for your work.

For useful guides in addition to the set text see:

• Smith S, Sinclair D, Raine R and Reeves B (2005) Health Care Evaluation. Open University Press.

A wide-ranging and readable text describing a range of types of evaluations and examples

• Green J and Browne J Eds (2005) Principles of Social Research. Open University Press

A useful introduction to qualitative methods and the design of data collection methods

• Ovretveit J (1998) Evaluating Health Interventions. Open University Press

More theoretical, but some excellent material on study design

• Bruce N (2008): Quantitative Methods for Health Research: A Practical Interactive Guide to Epidemiology and Statistics. Wiley

An excellent guide to principles of quantitative study design and basic statistics

Qualitative research methods

This has some excellent guidance on specific methods:

http://www.ncchta.org/execsumm/summ216.htm

Grbich C (1999) Qualitative Research in Health - an introduction. Sage Publications

If you are translating, for example, questionnaires, see http://www.socresonline.org.uk/10/2/temple.html