Research Methods

Question 1

What is Qualitative Research?

Answer 1

Opinion or narrative & how this influences behaviours. Measured using:
• Multiple Views – everyone experiences things differently
• Interviews – structured (set questions), Semi or not structured
• Focus Groups
• Going ‘native’ - being a part of it
• Go ‘along’ interviews & being a part of it – Ross Kemp

Question 2

What is quantitative research?

Answer 2

Specific scientific methods:
• Observational or experimental
• Establish truth or facts

Question 3

What is a RCT?

Answer 3

Experiment concerned with the intervention & outcome variables & the relationship between them. Usually has a control group – no intervention – to see how the intervention has worked.

Question 4

What is a cohort study?

Answer 4

Individuals with a specific injury or condition are tracked over time to see how the condition evolves over time.

Question 5

What is a case control study?

Answer 5

A group of cases are matched with controls & a retrospective comparison is made of the variables which may have caused the problem.

Question 6

What is a case report?

Answer 6

Report of individual with rare diseases – symptoms, signs, diagnosis, Rx & outcomes.

Question 7

What is summarising?

Answer 7

Summarising research is a form of research.

Question 8

what is primary research?

Answer 8

Types of research which involve data collection

Question 9

What is secondary research?

Answer 9

When primary research doesn’t really answer the questions, further research can be undertaken.

Question 10

What is a systematic review?

Answer 10

Focused r/v of a single question, usually explanatory, focuses of methodological errors & how the study could be improved. Gives answers not new questions.

Question 11

What is a meta-analysis?

Answer 11

New data added. Data pooled from research. Analysis is re-run & overall result gained. Larger sample size. Wider generalisation.

Question 12

What is the hierarchy of evidence?

Answer 12

1. Systematic r/v or meta-analysis
2. Randomised control trials
3. Cohort Studies
4. Case Control Studies
5. Case Report

Question 13

What is the sample?

Answer 13

Participants, drawn from entire population.

Question 14

What is the dependant variable?

Answer 14

Thing which is tested e.g. balance

Question 15

What is the independent variable?

Answer 15

Variable being changed or controlled e.g. Rx method or time. Control group

Question 16

what is systematic sampling?

Answer 16

Inclusion or exclusion criteria – system to it

Question 17

What is stratified sampling?

Answer 17

Portion of the population depending on factors e.g. over 21 or males

Question 18

What is cluster sampling?

Answer 18

Subgroups of population

Question 19

What is convenience sampling?

Answer 19

selected by willingness to take part

Question 20

What is quota sampling?

Answer 20

Participants up to a specific number

Question 21

What is purposive sampling?

Answer 21

Researcher decides who fits the criteria and who doesn’t

Question 22

What is snowball sampling?

Answer 22

Researcher asks one, then they ask someone & carries on

Question 23

What is randomisation

Answer 23

By chance, by 3rd party, stratified by certain characteristics, cluster by GP or by postcode

Question 24

What is a randomised trial?

Answer 24

Random to the intervention A or B

Question 25

what is a RCT?

Answer 25

Random to the intervention A or B or control group

Question 26

what is a placebo controlled trial?

Answer 26

Controlled group has inactive Rx which resembles the Rx being tested

Question 27

what is a cross over design?

Answer 27

all participants experience the intervention - at different times

Question 28

what is FINER criteria?

Answer 28

Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant

Question 29

What is validity?

Answer 29

How credible is the research, is it valid, is it trustworthy. Are the results of good quality, procedures, outcome measures, data collection & analysis.

Question 30

what is reliability?

Answer 30

Could the study be repeated & get same result? Is the result just by chance?

Question 31

what is generalisability?

Answer 31

Who can this research be applied to?

Question 32

What can cause random error?

Answer 32

chance, equipment, age, anxiety, patient change, fatigue.

Question 33

what is a systematic error?

Answer 33

Bias e.g. tester wants better results subconsciously or NHS trust wants good results

Question 34

what is inter rater reliability

Answer 34

Consistency between 2 individuals are both measures reliable.

Question 35

what is intrarater reliability?

Answer 35

Consistency of individual taking outcome measures, how good are you at a particular set of skills? Would you get the same each test?

Question 36

what is internal validity

Answer 36

Is the method reliable is it measuring what it’s supposed to measure?

Question 37

what is external validity

Answer 37

Can the study be applied to the general population? Did the study group reflect this?

Question 38

what is the Hawthorne effect?

Answer 38

Pts perform better as they are in a study

Question 39

what is the placebo effect?

Answer 39

Pts perform better as they expect they will do following an intervention

Question 40

what is the halo effect?

Answer 40

researcher influences result as they want the patients to do well

Question 41

what is the researcher effect?

Answer 41

patients react better as they want the researcher to do well

Question 42

what is binary data?

Answer 42

yes or no - cateogrical data

Question 43

what is nominal data?

Answer 43

categorical data which has no order - it is arbitrary - e.g. blood group

Question 44

what is ordinal data?

Answer 44

categorical data ordered - e.g. pain scale - 1-5

Question 45

what is interval data?

Answer 45

numerical data - evenly spread - zero is NOT absolute - e.g. temperature

Question 46

what is ratio data?

Answer 46

numerical data - zero is absolute e.g. height

Question 47

how to present categorical data?

Answer 47

pie chart or bar chart

Question 48

how to present numerical data?

Answer 48

histogram

Question 49

What is parametric data?

Answer 49

normal distribution of data

Question 50

what is non-parametric data?

Answer 50

skewed data

Question 51

what is standard deviation?

Answer 51

a measure of variance - the distance from the mean. Covers 95% of data

Question 52

what measure of variance would you use for skewed data?

Answer 52

median and IQR

Question 53

what measure of variance for parametric data?

Answer 53

mean and SD

Question 54

what is inference?

Answer 54

Can the results be applied to the general population and what can you infer from this. Takes into account the confounding variables – bias, sample, method, group.

Question 55

what is correlation?

Answer 55

the similarities or differences betweent the groups

Question 56

what is a type 1 error?

Answer 56

falsely reject the null hypohesis - false positive result

Question 57

what can cause type 1 error?

Answer 57

accepted p-value is too high, sample size was too small OR biased design

Question 58

what is a type 2 error?

Answer 58

false negative - falsely accepting the null hypothesis

Question 59

what can cause a type 2 error?

Answer 59

sample size too small

Question 60

how to reduce the chances of a type 1 or 2 error?

Answer 60

power calculation