Research

Studies in which specific, objective, precise measures are collected and reported such as temperature, angles, units of time.

Using chance to determine the assignment of subjects to a group in a study. The purpose of randomization is to reduce the risk of bias.

Studies in which most, if not all, aspects of the design are controlled for bias, using randomization and control groups. Originally developed to test pharmaceutical interventions, RCTs are often considered the “gold standard” in research, but this design tends to be problematic for research about massage therapy and other patient-centered disciplines like nursing.

The repeatability of a set of research findings.

Something that appears to be an active treatment, but doesn’t include the components that are meant to make it work.

A careful narrative literature review focused on a research question with strict search and inclusion criteria.

Studies intended to build on findings from bench research to develop interventions that are applicable for humans; sometimes called “bench to bedside” research.

A judgment of how well a study reflects reality.

A judgment of how well a study does what it intends to do and whether the internal logic is sound.

A scale in which a patient or a subject reports a subjective experience along a continuum, provided by a 10-cm line.