Critical analysis of scientific papers

Question 1

Describe the general structure of a research article

Answer 1

1. Introduction
2. Abstract
3. Method
4. Results
5. Discussion

Question 2

What should a good introduction include

Answer 2

1. Context that is JUSTIFIED
2. Clear aims and objectives
3. Evidence based

Question 3

What is the method made up of?

Answer 3

A study design

Question 4

Broadly what can the study design be split into?

Answer 4

Quantitive and qualitative data

Question 5

What is quantitive data?

Answer 5

Data that is based on numbers

Question 6

What is qualitative data

Answer 6

Data that is verbal and based on words

eg you collect data by doing focal groups and interviews|

Question 7

What is bias

Answer 7

Any process that gives you results that are different from the truth

Question 8

What questions can we ask about the data based on validity

Answer 8

Does the study measure what it purports to measure?

Question 9

What questions can we ask about the data based on reliability

Answer 9

Are the measures consistent?

Question 10

What different aspects of a pair can you explore to check validity

Answer 10

1. Content: is the content appropriate for what you are trying to measure
2. Criterion related

Question 11

What issues can arise when we are looking at the sample of a paper?

Answer 11

1. Sample size: is it big enough to get generalised results ?
2. Recruitment and retention
3. Is the sample representative
4. Allocation (how is the sample randomised)

Question 12

In which type data are you more likely to need a bigger sample size?

Answer 12

Quantitive

Question 13

What are the qualities of a good method

Answer 13

1. Simple enough for any to read it and be bale to follow what you are doing
2. Be replicable
3. Be reliable
4. Be valid

Question 14

When seeing if a method is reproducible what 3 things do you look at?

Answer 14

1. What setting is the study taking place in? Can it be recreated?
2. What is the data collection procedure
3. What tools were used to collect the data

NEED TO HAVE A RATIONALE FOR ALL THEIR CHOICES

Question 15

Name the 2 different types of measures

Answer 15

1. Subjecitve

2. Objective

Question 16

What is subjective data

Answer 16

Self reported data

Question 17

Which type of measuring method is ore likely to lead to bias? Why

Answer 17

Subjective measures as people may choose to give the more “desirable” answer

Question 18

What is objective data?

Answer 18

Data based on a measuring instrument so isn’t affected by human opinion

Question 19

When analysing the measures of a study what do you look at?

Answer 19

1. Are the measures appropriate
2. Are the measures reliable
3. Confounders (factors that may affect the measurements you take, how does the study take this into consideration)

Question 20

How are results analysed?

Answer 20

Statistics

Question 21

When looking at the stats of results what do we look for?

Answer 21

1. Are the statical measurements appropriate
2. Are the results significant (to what degree is it significant eg p<0.05)
3. What omissions have been taken

Question 22

At what p level are results significant?

Answer 22

P<0.05

Question 23

What do we analyse the looking at the discussions part of a paper?

Answer 23

1. Are the results presented accurately
2. Are the strengths and weaknesses discussed
3. Do the conclusions relate to the objectives

Question 24

What are pilot studies?

Answer 24

Smaller versions of you experiment to see if it actually works before you carry it out on a bigger sample size

Question 25

What is a key thing you need to look at when analysing a research paper (in terms of funding)

Answer 25

Who is funding the treatment paper and do they present a conflict of interest which could lead to bias?