The British Journal of Psychiatry (2001) 179: 279-280
© 2001 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Guide to Psychiatric Research
Roch Cantwell, Consultant Psychiatrist and Honorary Senior Lecturer
University Department of Psychological Medicine, Gartnavel Royal
Hospital, 1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 0XH, UK
EDITED BY SIDNEY CROWN and ALAN LEE
By Arthur Yuwiler & Lennart Wetterberg. London: CRC (UK) Press. 2000.
152 pp. £33.99 (pb). ISBN 0 8493 0295 1
So, you have seen an interesting clinical problem, been prompted to read
around the subject and found yourself asking more questions than seem to have
answers: a typical starting point for research. What next? Guidance from a
venerable and respected senior? A search along the library shelves for the
section marked ‘research methodology’? Either is entirely
reasonable and, in some ways, this slender volume combines the two. Written in
a conversational, easy style by authors with a wealth of research and teaching
experience, the book promises "to entice people... into research".
Having developed out of a series of research methodology seminars for medical
students, it retains a discursive and thought-provoking approach, spiced up
with anecdotes from the history of medical
endeavour.
The structure reflects this emphasis, with almost half the book devoted to
a chapter on methodology. This contains a good review of subject selection and
useful discussion on the different areas of investigation in psychiatric
research and on methods used. The authors' background in neurobiological
research is evident in their succinct summaries on imaging and
neurotransmitters, but there is no overindulgence.
The introductory chapter engages with a wide-ranging discussion on the
nature of scientific enquiry and the ethics of research on humans and animals
— particularly topical at present. If you are looking for a handy guide
to statistics, however, you will not find it here. The authors boldly state
that "this is not a textbook on statistics". (Would that they
might turn their hand to one — their style and ability to communicate
could cut through much that is daunting in existing texts.)
A subsequent ‘how to...’ section covers reading and writing a
paper, and writing a grant proposal. Again, it is full of sensible and
deceptively simple advice but also contains a curious account of a fictional
grants committee reviewing a lovingly written paper. Populated with characters
such as Roberta Receptor (the molecular biologist), Zachery Zingo (the ageing
but still research-productive chairman) and Sam Shark ("smooth face,
slick hair, a toothy smile and a hard, slick mind"), this entertaining
endnote suggests a flair for screenplay that might entice Hollywood should the
authors ever tire of biobehaviourism. One last point: most sections of the
book are followed by links to websites (both North American and British) for
further reference and debate. Having checked several out, I found them
relevant and useful.
This is an engaging short text, which does not set out to be (and is not) a
reference guide. For newcomers to research, however, it more than achieves its
aim of enticement, and brings with it a sense of fun and adventure rooted in
sound advice and scientific principle.
