JCPSLP
Volume 16, Number 3 2014
109
Research
R
esearch is central to our work as speech pathologists. Regardless of whether
we work in clinical practice or academia, research informs what we do and how
we do it. As clinicians, each interaction that we have with clients, families, and
other professionals enables us to gather information that we can use to inform our clinical
decision-making, and evaluate our practice. Similarly, as academics, our work is often
focused on exploring the characteristics/needs of the populations with whom we work,
or the outcomes of our practices, in order to ensure the services we provide are the most
appropriate, timely, effective, and holistic. Our aims and methods will vary, depending on
whether the focus of our research is client-based or a larger scale project, but findings
contribute to the knowledge base within our field of practice.
This issue of
JCPSLP
is focused on the theme of research. As such, it contains papers
that explore modes of research within speech pathology, as well as papers that describe
the outcomes of research studies in the field. Hersh and Verdon describe two different
modes of research that are both valuable in informing health care practices. Hersh’s paper
discusses action research, while Verdon’s paper provides a description of the way in which
ethnography can be used in speech pathology, with examples from her PhD studies. In
addition, Robinson explores the value of Honours studies in preparing health students to
become research-practitioners.
The research studies within this issue of
JCPSLP
utilised a range of methods to
explore questions related to clinical and professional practice. Drummond and colleagues
interviewed a client, her mother and a friend to explore their experiences of traumatic brain
injury. Miller and colleagues used a combination of interviews and questionnaires with adults
with dysphagia, allied health professionals, family members and disability support workers to
explore perspectives of good practice in the provision of dysphagia support. Erickson used
interviews and focus groups with speech pathologists to describe the barriers preventing
them from using telehealth and strategies that would support its uptake, and Lewis used
a questionnaire with speech pathology students to examine their perceptions of the value
of ePortfolios as a learning tool. Finally, in her clinical insights paper, Zaga described the
use of an auditing tool and focus groups with different professional groups to improve the
dysphagia management of patients in hospital.
We hope you enjoy reading about research and about the outcomes of particular research
studies within this issue of
JCPSLP
. This is our final issue as editors of the journal and we
would like to take the opportunity to thank those who have assisted in the publication of
each issue (Lana Busby, Carla Taines, Bruce Godden and the Editorial Committee), as well
as the authors and reviewers who have ensured that the content of each issue has been so
interesting and stimulating for readers. We have really enjoyed the role as co-editors of the
journal and wish David Trembath well as he takes on the position for 2015–16.
From the editors
Jane McCormack and Anna Copley
109
From the editors
Contents
