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ROBERT J. WEBER, M.S., is Chief Pharmacy Officer, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, PA. DANIEL J. COBAUGH, PHARM.D., FAACT, DABAT, is Senior Director, Research and Operations, Research and Education Foundation, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Bethesda, MD.

Address correspondence to Dr. Cobaugh at the Research and Education Foundation, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814 (dcobaugh{at}ashp.org).

Purpose. Practical approaches to successful implementation of practice-based research are examined. Summary. In order to successfully complete a research project, its scope must be clearly defined. The research question and the specific aims or objectives should guide the study. For practice-based research, the clinical setting is the most likely source to find important research questions. The research idea should be realistic and relevant to the interests of the investigators and the organization and its patients. Once the lead investigator has developed a research idea, a comprehensive literature review should be performed. The aims of the project should be new, relevant, concise, and feasible. The researchers must budget adequate time to carefully consider, develop, and seek input on the research question and objectives using the principles of project management. Identifying a group of individuals that can work together to ensure successful completion of the proposed research should be one of the first steps in developing the research plan. Dividing work tasks can alleviate workload for individual members of the research team. The development of a timeline to help guide the execution of the research project plan is critical. Steps that can be especially time-consuming include obtaining financial support, garnering support from key stakeholders, and getting institutional review board consent. One of the primary goals of conducting research is to share the knowledge that has been gained through presentations at national and international conferences and publications in peer-reviewed biomedical journals. Conclusion. Practice-based research presents numerous challenges, especially for new investigators. Integration of the principles of project management into research planning can lead to more efficient study execution and higher-quality results. Index terms: Methodology; Pharmacists; Quality assurance; Research