1F - Evaluating Research Flashcards
Accuracy
Refers to how close a measurement is to the true value of the quantity being measured. The true value is the ideal value obtained if the measurement is perfect.
Precision
Refers to how close a set of measurements agree with each other. Precision gives no indication of how close the measurement is to the true value.
Systematic errors
Are errors in data that differ from the true value by a consistent amount.
Repeating the measurement will not improve the accuracy. They reduce the validity of the results.
Systematic errors occur due to environmental factors, researcher error, or incorrect calibration of instruments.
Random Errors
Random errors are unpredictable variations in data caused by chance, faulty tools, or inconsistent measurement conditions. They affect precision and change with each measurement.
Uncertainty
Refers to the lack of exact knowledge relating to something being measured due to potential sources of variation in knowledge. It is not an error.
Repeatability
Refers to how consistently measurements produce the same results under identical conditions within a short time. It depends on using the same procedure, observer, instrument, instructions, and setting.
Reproducibility
Refers to how consistently measurements produce the same results when repeated under different conditions, such as changes in participants, time, observers, or environment.
Validity
Validity in research refers to the accuracy of the measurement tool.
Internal validity
The extent a study actually investigates what it set out or claims to investigate.
External validity
Whether the study can be applied to different settings.
Anecdote
An anecdote is an informal verbal report of an event that has been casually observed. It can be useful information but not as scientific evidence.
