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Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA): Articles

This guide provides links to some of our key occupational therapy resources as well as a selection of occupational therapy news. Please explore the tabs at the top of this guide and don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

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How to Read a Scholarly Research Article

 ​Picture of Scholarly ARticle, Abstract

An abstract summarizes, usually in one paragraph of 300 words or less, the major aspects of the entire paper.

Parts usually include:

1) the overall purpose of the study and the research problem(s)

2) the basic design of the study

3) major findings or trends found as a result of the analysis

4) a brief summary of the interpretations and conclusions.

 

 

 

This article can be found at 

Carlo, G., McGinley, M., Hayes, R., Batenhorst, C., & Wilkinson, J. (2007). Parenting styles or practices? Parenting, sympathy, and prosocial behaviors among adolescents. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 168(2), 147-76. https://proxy154.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/228539106?accountid=13601

Picture of Scholarly Article, Intro and Lit ReviewThe introduction leads the reader from a general subject area to a particular topic of inquiry. It discusses the scope, context, and significance of the research being conducted by summarizing current understanding and background information about the topic, stating the purpose of the work, explaining briefly the methodological approach used to examine the research problem, highlighting the potential outcomes your study can reveal, and outlining the remaining structure and organization of the paper.

 

The Introduction begins after the Abstract. In this case, the Introduction also refers to other studies in the research area and serves as a Review of the Literature.

 

 

 

PIcture of Scholarly Article Methods Section

The methods section will describe the research design and methodology used to complete to the study.  The general rule of thumb is that readers should be provided with enough detail to replicate the study.​

You will find information about 

  • participants
  • measures and scales, which include surveys, inventories, and questionnaires
  • conditions of tests

PIcture of Scholarly ARticle, resultsIn this section, the results of the analysis are presented.  How the results are presented will depend upon whether the research study was quantitative or qualitative in nature.  This section should focus only on results that are directly related to the research or the problem. Graphs and tables should only be used when there is too much data to efficiently include it within the text.  This section should present the results, but not discuss their significance.

Picture of Scholarly Article, Discussion SectionThis section should be a discussion of the results and the implications on the field, as well as other fields. The hypothesis should be answered and validated by the interpretation of the results.  This section should also discuss how the results relate to previous research mentioned in the literature review, any cautions about the findings, and potential for future research.

Picture of Scholarly ARticle, author notes sectionThis section establishes the credibility of the authors. 

The Author Notes can be at the end or the very beginning of the article, either before or after the Abstract.

Picture of Scholarly Article, referencesThe research paper is not complete without the list of references. This section should be an alphabetized list of all the academic sources of information utilized in the paper.  The format of the references will match the format and style used in the paper, such as APA or MLA.

Recommended Databases

Featured Journals

​You can search the following journals using the All-in-One search box above or use the Journal Search feature to browse individual titles.

Western Michigan University Open Journal of Occupational Therapy RSS Feed

  • Art as an Intervention for Healing and EmpowermentThis link opens in a new windowOct 15, 2024

    Komal Patel, an occupational therapist and artist residing in New Jersey, USA, provided the cover art for the Fall 2024 issue of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Emotions” is a piece made from acrylic on canvas that depicts the emotional complexities the human mind goes through during a person’s experience or stage of life. The inspiration comes from her personal journey of moving to the United States from India and the emotional turbulence, both negative and positive, she experienced. Art has become part of the healing story for herself and others. She shares how incorporating this intervention leads to improvement in physical, emotional, and social outcomes close to the individual but also for society.

  • Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in Navajo WeaversThis link opens in a new windowOct 15, 2024

    The Navajo Nation is one of the many reservations that lack access to health care services, leading to increasing chronic health conditions. Navajo rug weaving is a common creative occupation on the reservation. Navajo rug weaving involves multiple steps in creating a beautiful rug. The multiple steps include repetitive gripping, pinching, reaching, pulling, and prolonged sitting. Therefore, weavers are at risk for developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), preventing individuals from participating in meaningful occupations. Occupational therapists have the skills to provide appropriate education through active listening, visual handouts, and family members. However, occupational therapists must demonstrate and understand cultural sensitivity to address cultural occupations. This article will provide strategies for modeling understanding of the Navajo people, Diné, and rug weaving.

  • Social and Environmental Determinants of Occupation and the Need for an Intersectional Approach to Culturally Meaningful PracticeThis link opens in a new windowOct 15, 2024

    To provide culturally-centered care to clients and develop interventions that meet the client’s holistic needs, occupational therapists need to consider social and physical environments affecting participation in culturally meaningful occupations. Using a case study, this paper describes the use of the concept of social and environmental determinants of occupation (SEDO) as a necessary strategy to incorporate in clinical practice to determine how SEDO intersect, resulting in occupational justices/injustices that influence access to participation. SEDO are defined as broad (and intersecting) social and environmental factors that increase or limit an individual, community, or population’s ability to participate in culturally meaningful occupations of their choice. This information can then be used to develop strategies that more holistically address the SEDO experienced by our clients. The SEDO process refocuses research and practice with more inclusive attention to how these intersecting factors influence the client’s ability to access culturally meaningful occupations, provide opportunities for advocacy and empowerment, and better address the needs of our clients. The SEDO strategy can provide data for development of more holistic client-centered interventions.

  • Moving Toward Neurodiversity-Affirming Occupational Therapy for Autistic People: Key Questions and Next StepsThis link opens in a new windowOct 15, 2024

    With the rise in popularity of neurodiversity-affirming practices in occupational therapy, specifically with the autistic population, there is a need to establish a more robust theoretical underpinning for this work. A neurodiversity framework is different from the prevailing medical model that informs current practice in much of Westernized health care, and interested occupational therapists are now asking questions about how to apply it to their work. Occupational science is well-suited to generate research outside the medical model that can serve as a basic science foundation to inform practice. The purpose of this Opinions in the Profession paper is to suggest three needed areas of research in occupational science, to address occupational therapists’ unanswered questions regarding (a) autistics’ preferred methods of participation, (b) experiences of occupational injustice, and (c) the impact of autistic neurology on occupational engagement. These opinions are based on our experiences as both autistic and non-autistic occupational scientists and occupational therapists working with the autistic population. While these are not comprehensive, they serve as a starting point for identifying opportunities to move the profession toward neurodiversity-affirming standards of care. As we move forward, we stress the need to continue prioritizing research based on autistic input and under autistic leadership.