Foundations in Movement Science Research

During the first year of the curriculum, the required course is the first in a two-course series designed to provide the doctoral student with foundational skills and knowledge and an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of rehabilitation research to efficiently progress through the doctoral studies and develop as a scholar. Students will be introduced to the research culture during the first course to develop personal and professional skills to become independent investigator.

A critical component of embarking on a line of research is to understand the work in the field by thorough literature review and integration into the network of researchers in the area to develop collaborations and a ‘team science’ approach.  The course fosters a culture (to promote intellectual curiosity, seek critical review, and embrace the iterative process as ideas take shape to frame research studies)  in which taking intellectual risks and feedback are valued, encouraged, and supported as part of our collective and collaborative task.

Students will explore the arc of a research career, including the importance of posing and constructing research questions to establish aims and hypotheses that promote systematic and rigorous inquiry in theory, design, implementation, and analysis.

Topics explored include proposal writing, quantitative and qualitative study designs, preparation of study instruments and study budget, grants management, research ethics, human subjects review, data management, and the preparation of oral presentations, abstracts, posters, and manuscripts.