Principles and Practice of Research

I. Investigators and Investigation.- 1. Historical Evolution: Methods, Attitudes, Goals.- 2. Roles for the Surgical Investigator.- 3. The Development of Surgical Investigation.- 4. The Academic Surgeon.- 5. Strengthening the Research Environment.- 6. The Marburg Experiment: Developing the New Specialty of Theoretical Surgery.- II. Starting the Research Process.- 7. Taming the Literature.- 8. How to Organize Your Reference Material.- 9. Systematically Reviewing Previous Work.- 10. Critical Appraisal of Published Research.- 11. Formulating an Initial Research Plan.- 12. Ethical Principles in Research.- 13. Selected Nonexperimental Methods: An Orientation.- 14. Experimental Methods: Clinical Trials.- 15. Clinical Biostatistics: An Overview.- 16. Case Studies for Learning Basic Biostatistical Concepts.- 17. Endpoints for Clinical Studies: Conventional and Innovative Variables.- 18. Risk and Prognosis.- 19. Evaluation of the Diagnostic Process.- 20. Scaling, Scoring, Staging.- 21. Using Computers in Research.- 22. Ten Tips on Preparing Research Proposals.- 23. Writing Grant Applications for Laboratory Research.- III. Implementation of Research.- 24. Why Clinical Research?.- 25. Organizing a Clinical Study.- 26. Using the Operating Room as a Laboratory.- 27. Research in the ICU.- 28. Experiments in Human Volunteers.- 29. Multicenter Collaborative Clinical Trials.- 30. Health Services Research.- 31. Health Policy Research: A Surgical Perspective.- 32. Technology Assessment.- 33. From the Bedside to the Laboratory and Back.- 34. Research in the Surgical Laboratory: A Brief Historical Appraisal.- 35. Animal Experimentation.- 36. Recombinant DNA Technology.- 37. The Isolated Organ in Research.- 38. Using Computer Models.- IV. Reporting Your Work.- 39. Your First Abstract.- 40. Writing an Effective Abstract.- 41. The Ten-Minute Talk.- 42. Commenting on a Ten-Minute Talk.- 43. Facing the Blank Page.- 44. Writing Your First Scientific Paper.- 45. Writing for Publication.- 46. What to Do When You Are Asked to Write a Chapter for a Book.- 47. How to Review Manuscripts.- 48. Audiovisual Support for Scientific Presentations.- 49. The Longer Talk.- 50. Presenting Your Work at International Meetings.- 51. Strategies for Coping with Jet Lag.- 52. Organizing Your Slides.- 53. Organizing Meetings, Panels, Seminars, Symposia, and Consensus Conferences.- V. International Perspectives on Surgical Research.- 54. Surgical Research in Canada.- 55. Contributions from France.- 56. Traditions and Transitions in Germany.- 57. Surgical Research in Italy.- 58. Japan's Integration of Eastern Values and Modern Science.- 59. New Initiatives and Ideas in Spain.- 60. Orderly Evolution to a Better Future in Sweden.- 61. The Confluence of Private and Public Resources in Switzerland.- 62. Opportunities, Achievements, Problems, and Solutions in Surgical Research in the United Kingdom.- 63. Research Challenges and Solutions in the United States.- 64. International Exchange for Surgical Education.- 65. Common Characteristics and Distinctive Diversity in Surgical Research: Some International Comparisons.- VI. Opportunities in Research.- 66. Future Horizons in Surgical Research.- About the Editors.