Critical Evaluation Of Research Final Flashcards
What is Evidence-Based Practice, EBP, (3)?
- External Research Evidence
- Internal Clinical Experience
- Fully Informed Patient Preference
What is the scientific method (5)?
Step 1: Observe behavior
Step 2: Form a Hypothesis:
a tentative explanation of the observation
Step 3: Rational Method:
generate a testable prediction (based on the hypothesis)
Step 4: Data Collection:
evaluate the prediction with systematic, planned observations
Step 5: Support or Nullify:
use the observations to support, refute, or refine the original hypothesis
Describe what it means to say that science is empirical, public, and objective.
3 important PRINCIPLES of the Scientific Method:
- Empirical: answers are obtained by making observations.
(science requires empirical verification to be accepted) - Public:
• AVAILABLE: observations are available for evaluation by others.
- REPLICATION: repetition of observation allows verification of the findings.
- PEER REVIEW: evaluated by the researcher’s peers in scientific journals
- EVALUATE: erroneous concl. can occur either by error, chance, or fraud
- Objective:
“The dispassionate search for knowledge”
(the observations are structured so that the researcher’s biases and beliefs do not influence the outcome of the study)
Hypothesis
A TENTATIVE EXPLANANTION that is intended to be TESTED and CRITICALLY evaluated.
Must be:
• Testable
• Refutable, and
• Positive Statements (existence of change/new),
bc you cant conclude something doesn’t exist bc it wasn’t found
4 Foreground Elements
P (patient/problem)
I (intervention)
C (comparison/control)
O (outcome/effects)
In a research paper, where do you find:
How many individuals participated in the study, and what are their characteristics?
Method: Participants
In a research paper, where do you find:
Why was the study done?
Introduction: Literature Review
In a research paper, where do you find:
Did the study produce a statistically significant result?
Results: Data
In a research paper, where do you find:
The limitations of the study and directions for future research?
Discussion: Limitations
Humans are called _____________
Participants
Nonhumans are called ____________
Subjects
Do studies PROVE results?
NO! evidence only SUPPORTS findings (for or against)
Science is ___________ and ___________
incremental & cumulative
What is the Nuremberg Code?
A set of 10 guidelines for the ETHICAL treatment of human participants in research
What are 4 major ethical concerns/issues with research?
- No Harm:
• Must outline risk/benefit
• Benefit must be greater - Obtain Informed Consent:
• Purpose of study (blinding?)
• Right to decline participation @ any time
• Risk/Benefits
• Provide contact info for concerns - Use of Deception & Debriefing
• Passive Deception (withholding/omitting)
• Active Deception (misinformation/telling
lies), uses Confederates (in on the study)
• Debriefing, after study concludes, explanation/
purpose of the study to participants to
counteract/minimize harmful effects by deception - Confidentiality & Anonymity
• Confidentiality (info obtained is kept secret
and private)
• Anonymity (name is not linked/used w/ info
obtained @ any point)
Name several places where you can search for peer-reviewed articles
- ASHA
- Cochrane Library
- Campbell Collaboration
- MEDLINE
- NYU Library
- PLOS
- PsycINFO
- Scopus
Define Construct
• An intangible broad CONCEPT/IDEA/TOPIC
that helps EXPLAIN or PREDICT behavior in a theory
e.g. self-esteem, motivation, hunger, beauty, intelligence,
personality, learning, gravity, pain, anxiety (abstract)
• Can be influenced by external stimuli (variables) and, in
turn can influence external behaviors (dependent).
e.g.,
Stimulus –> Construct –> Behavior
(reward) –> (motivation) –> (Performance)
Define Variable
- Factors/Characteristics/Conditions that influence a construct
- A measurable representation of a construct
Give examples of Abstract Variables
intangible, not directly observable
- thoughts
- feelings
- perceptions
Give examples of Well Defined Variables
(easily observed and measured)
- age
- sex
- race
- height
- weight
Define Operational Definition
• Defines constructs in terms of HOW they will be
empirically measured
e.g., temperature (construct) will be measured by
Fahrenheit (O.D.)
______________ is demonstrated when scores obtained from a new measure are directly related to scores obtained from an established measure of the same variable.
Concurrent Validity
______________ is demonstrated when scores obtained from a measure accurately predict behavior according to a theory.
Predictive Validity
______________ requires that the scores obtained from a measurement procedure behave exactly the same as the variable itself.
This type of validity is based on many research studies that use the same measurement procedure and grows gradually as each new study contributes more evidence.
Construct Validity