Week 2

Question 1

What is the null hypothesis?

Answer 1

A hypothesis where there is no effect (one factor has no effect on the other).

Question 2

What is an alternative hypothesis?

Answer 2

A hypothesis where there is an effect of one factor on another.

Question 3

What is the independent variable ?

Answer 3

What you change

Question 4

What is the dependent variable?

Answer 4

What you measure

Question 5

What is grey literature?

Answer 5

Government publications

Question 6

Where are primary research articles mainly found?

Answer 6

Scientific papers found in journals

Question 7

Where are secondary research articles mainly found?

Answer 7

Mainly library books and textbooks.

Question 8

How many times is a paper reviewed by subject specialists before publication?

Answer 8

At least 2

Question 9

What is the purpose of having articles reviewed by subject specialists before publication?

Answer 9

This reduces the likelihood of information being inaccurate considerably.

Question 10

What are ‘faults’ in a scientific experiment?

Answer 10

Issues that could be avoided through a change in the design of the investigation without changing the aim.

Question 11

What are ‘limitations’ in a scientific experiment?

Answer 11

Issues that cannot be overcome without changing the aim of the investigation.

Question 12

Outline the pecking order of the scientific validity of scientific information

Answer 12

Systematic reviews
Randomised control trials
Prospective studies
Retrospective studies
Case Studies or Case reports
Opinions of respected authorities

Question 13

What is a systematic review?

Answer 13

• A systematic review is a form of research that provides a summary of research articles on a specific clinical question

Question 14

What type of methodology do systematic reviews use and what is the purpose of this?

Answer 14

Explicit methods - to search for , critically appraise and synthesise published research articles.

Question 15

What is the aim of a systematic review?

Answer 15

To collect and analyse data from the studies that are included in the review in an unbiased way.

Question 16

What is the aim when using statistical methods as part of a systematic review?

Answer 16

To present a balanced and impartial summary.

Question 17

Define what is meant by the word ‘Review’.

Answer 17

The term for any attempt synthesise the results and conclusions of two or more publications on a given topic.

Question 18

What is meant by the term secondary research?

Answer 18

The objects of the study are other research studies.

Question 19

What is primary research?

Answer 19

Original trials or other experimental or observational studies.

Question 20

What key features must systematic reviews have/be?

Answer 20

Systematic reviews should be objective and used declared methods to select and evaluate papers. This makes all processes reproducible.

Question 21

What is the benefit of a review being systematic?

Answer 21

Minimises bias in the way articles are or aren’t selected.

Question 22

What is the benefit of a review being explicit?

Answer 22

This minimises bias in the way the review is carried out.

Question 23

What type of title should a systematic review have?

Answer 23

A 4 part question - states what types of ; participants, interventions, comparisons and outcomes.

Question 24

What is meta-analysis

Answer 24

A review which employs a statistical analysis of the combined results.

Question 25

What is the purpose of using meta-analysis in a systematic review?

Answer 25

Used for assembling the results of several studies into a single estimate. Useful in drawing conclusion to tell whether conclusions are significant or not.

Question 26

Outline the structure of systematic review.

Answer 26

Abstract (executive summary)

Introduction (background information)

Hypothesis

Methods (inclusion criteria, literature search methods, data extraction etc)

Details of studies included and excluded

Results

Analysis and discussion of the results (may contain meta-analysis)

References

Question 27

Why conduct a review of literature?

Answer 27

• Gain understanding of topic
• Identify potential areas of research
• Discover similar work done previously
• Identify knowledge gaps
• Compare previous findings
• Critique existing findings and suggest further studies

Question 28

What should you identify and appraise when critically appraising literature?

Answer 28

• Controls
• Treatments
• Variables
• Replication
• Randomisation
• Look for bias in the study

Question 29

Name some questions to be asked in a critical review.

Answer 29

• Questions to be asked:
• Is the aim clearly stated?
• Do the objectives break this down to the investigations that were carried out?
• Was the sample size justified (if applicable)
• Are the measurements likely to be valid and reliable?
• What implications does the study have for your research?
• What are the Strengths of this design?
• What are the Weaknesses?
• Faults - Could be avoided through a change in the design of the investigation without changing the aim
• Limitations - Cannot be overcome without changing the aim
• Communication – lack of clarity and omissions

Question 30

What are the basic components of an experimental design?

Answer 30

• Controls
• Treatments
• Variables
• Replication
• Randomisation

Question 31

How do results of a statistical test aid a scientific experiment?

Answer 31

Allow us to accept or reject the null hypothesis.

Question 32

Why are controls necessary in a scientific experiment?

Answer 32

They are necessary to determine if the recorded effects are caused by the treatment.

Question 33

What is a control?

Answer 33

An experimental baseline against which any effect of the treatment can be compared.

Question 34

When should controls be carried out?

Answer 34

At the same time as the treatment.

Question 35

Under what conditions should controls be carried out?

Answer 35

Exactly the same as the experimental subjects. Just without the treatment being tested.

Question 36

What is ‘treatment’ in a scientific experiment?

Answer 36

What you apply to see your samples to see an effect.

Question 37

What is a variable?

Answer 37

ANything which is free to vary in a given investigation.

Question 38

What is a discontinuous / discrete variable ?

Answer 38

Measurements that fall into a series of distinct categories, and the number of categories is limited.

Question 39

What is a continuous variable?

Answer 39

o Measurements which do not fall into distinct categories, and can take any value within the scale of measurement.

Question 40

What is a independent variable?

Answer 40

The factor changed by the investigator.

Question 41

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 41

o The factor that responds to changes in the independent variable (what is measured).

Question 42

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 42

o Could mask, enhance, or in some way alter the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.

Question 43

What determines internal validity ?

Answer 43

Determined by the degree to which the observed effects of the independent variable are real and do not cause extraneous factors.

Question 44

What can affect internal validity?

Answer 44

Alternative explanations

Question 45

Define external validity.

Answer 45

Are the results valid enough so that they are generalisable beyond the experimental sample?

Question 46

What is the benefit of randomisation of an experiment?

Answer 46

Overcomes potential bias

Question 47

Name some methods for ensuring randomisation.

Answer 47

• Random number tables
• Random number generators
• Excel