Critical Appraisal Exam

Question 1

What is a mixed-methods study?

Answer 1

A series of focus groups followed by a survey

Question 2

What is the purpose of triangulation with respect to qualitative data?

Answer 2

To provide multiple sources of data to confirm or refute findings.

Question 3

What is purposive sampling?

Answer 3

Selecting participants for a focus group based on their demographic characteristics.

Question 4

What is simple random sampling?

Answer 4

“Lottery”

Question 5

What is systematic sampling?

Answer 5

Use of sampling interval e.g. every 10th subject

Question 6

What is stratified random sampling?

Answer 6

Structure the population into two known sub-sets e.g. male and female, then taking a random sample from each group.

Question 7

What is cluster random sampling?

Answer 7

Divide the population into clusters e.g. 1st 100, 2nd 100 ect… and sample from each cluster.

Question 8

What is convenience sampling?

Answer 8

Sampling who ever is most convenient and available e.g. pharmacy customers.

Question 9

What is snowball sampling?

Answer 9

Inaccessible or deviant groups e.g. drug misusers

Question 10

What factors does the sampling method depend on? (4)

Answer 10

• Cost
• Required accuracy
• Nature of the research
• What is pragmatic

Question 11

What is a clinical outcome measure?

Answer 11

Measures of the disease or condition

Question 12

What is a humanistic outcome measure?

Answer 12

Measures which are relevant to the patient e.g. quality of life, satisfaction with service

Question 13

What is a ‘process’ outcome measure?

Answer 13

Measure of the process e.g. number of errors, number of interventions, adherence

Question 14

What is a Type I error? (False positive)

Answer 14

Identified a difference that doesn’t really exist