title: Getting started in research: designing and preparing to conduct a research study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss common pitfalls and useful tips in designing a quantitative research study, the importance and process of ethical approval, and consideration of funding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Through careful planning, based on formulation of a research question, early career researchers can design and conduct quantitative research projects within the framework of the Scholarly Project or in their own independent projects.
authors.affiliation: Committee for Research, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP), Melbourne, VICGraduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong and Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Wollongong, NSW, Australia mmacfarlane1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Macfarlane
authors.affiliation: Committee for Research, RANZCP, Melbourne, VICProfessor, University of Queensland School of Medicine, Woolloongabba, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kisely
authors.affiliation: Committee for Research, RANZCP, Melbourne, VICStaff Specialist, Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, St Vincent's Health, University of Melbourne, St George's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loi
authors.affiliation: Committee for Research, RANZCP, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Macfarlane
authors.affiliation: Committee for Research, RANZCP, Melbourne, VICAssociate Professor, Werry Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merry
authors.affiliation: Committee for Research, RANZCP, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: Committee for Research, RANZCP, Melbourne, VICSchool of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WAStaff Specialist, South Metropolitan Area Health Service, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Power
authors.affiliation: Committee for Research, RANZCP, Melbourne, VICStaff Specialist, School of Medicine and Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Service, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siskind
authors.affiliation: Committee for Research, RANZCP, Melbourne, VICDirector, WA Centre for Mental Health Policy Research, School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Committee for Research, RANZCP, Melbourne, VICAssociate Professor, Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Australian National University Medical School, Canberra, ACTStaff Specialist, Mental Health Service, ACT Health Directorate, Canberra Hospital, Woden, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Jeffrey C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Looi
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011570:Psychiatry; D012107:Research Design
keywords: ethics; research funding; research methods; study design