Vocab

Question 0

DF (degrees of freedom)

Answer 0

The number of observations minus 1.

Question 1

Factor analysis

Answer 1

A procedure for combining items in a survey instrument to represent a single concept. A survey is broken down into domains that include multiple questions.

Question 2

Power Calculation

Answer 2

Statistical procedure to determine the probability that the effect of INTEREST will be observed when it occurs. A power level of .8 is accepted as a sufficient level of power.

Question 3

Effect size

Answer 3

In a statistical power calculation, effect size is the EXPECTED amount of efect that is considered a minimal CLINICALLY meaningful effect.

Question 4

Validity

Answer 4

The accuracy of measurements. It is the degree to which an instrument measures what it is supposed to measure.

Question 5

Reliability

Answer 5

the consistency or reproducibility of the manner in which the data were collected.

Question 6

Sampling strategy

Answer 6

A procedure or set of procedures for identifying and recruiting subjects.

Question 7

Critical Appraisal

Answer 7

A process of evaluating the trustworthiness and relevance of a resource within the context of a given clinical situation.

Question 8

Alpha halves

Answer 8

The risk of a type I error when a test of equality is performed. If the equality is tested the researchers assume that either group could turn out to be superior, in which case alpha should be divided in half.

Question 9

Meta analysis

Answer 9

an added step to a systematic review in which a statistical analysis is performed to quantify the findings of multiple studies in the review. Statistical analysis of results from separate studies is performed, leading to a quantitative summary of results.

Question 10

Ethnography

Answer 10

a description and interpretation of a cultural or social group or system. The researcher examines the group’s observable and learned patterns of behavior, customs, ways of life.

Question 11

Cohort study

Answer 11

These are observational, prospective studies in which the groups in the study are determined by a given exposure, characteristic or risk factor.

Question 12

Outlier

Answer 12

this is an extreme value. it can, by itself, alter the determination of significance.

Question 13

Thalidmide

Answer 13

Sedative hypnotic drug originally used as treatment for morning sickness and to help get pregnant women sleep. It causes phocomelia (seal limb) in infants.

Question 14

Grounded theory

Answer 14

The study of abstract problems and their processes. It is a general methodology of analysis linked with data collection that uses a systematically applied set of methods to generate an inductive theory about a substantive area.

Question 15

Surrogate outcomes

Answer 15

An indirect outcome (such as a physiological measure) that reflects another type of outcome, usually an outcome that matters. ex HTN, heart rate.

Question 16

Outcomes that matter

Answer 16

Clinically relevant outcomes that provide direct measures of disease. It encompasses more than clinical data, including other outcomes that patients and providers care about, such as the patient’s ability to function or the cost of care. cardiovascular disease

Question 17

Confidence interval

Answer 17

The range in which the true parameter can be found, within a given percentage likelihood. 95%

Question 18

Alpha

Answer 18

The probability of a type 1 error. It is selected during the design of the research and represents the reasearchers’ risk of incorrectly rejecting the null hypothesis.

Question 19

Regression analysis

Answer 19

Test that focuses on relationships among several variables that best explain a specific response.

Question 20

Truncated trial

Answer 20

A trial that ends early.

Question 21

Selection bias

Answer 21

A type of sampling bias in which there is a systematic procedural error in the selection of subjects or when a nonrandom sample is utilized.

Question 22

Sampling bias

Answer 22

Limitations to the process of selecting and recruiting subjects or randomly assign subjects to treatment and control groups; however, researchers are able to control some independent variables.

Question 23

Quasi-experimental research

Answer 23

Studies in which researchers cannot randomly select subjects or randomly assign subjects to treatment and control groups; however, researchers are able to control some independent variables.

Question 24

Positivistic research

Answer 24

It is a paradigm through which knowledge is viewed as stemming from the external reality of individuals or groups.

Question 25

Prevalence

Answer 25

The proportion of a population with a given disease at a single point in time.

Question 26

Incidence

Answer 26

The number of new cases of a disease or condition during a specified time frame.

Question 27

Publication bias

Answer 27

When the determination about whether to publish a study is based on factors other than the quality of the research and the relevance of its findings.

Question 28

Phenomenology

Answer 28

A study of the lived experiences of several individuals centered on a single phenomenon.

Question 29

Goodness-of-fit-test

Answer 29

A type of chi-square test that can test if the sample distribution fits with a theoretical distribution.

Question 30

Correlation study

Answer 30

A study that identifies statistically significant relationships between variables.

Question 31

Pearson’s r:

Answer 31

Pearson product: moment correlation coefficient aka pearson’s correlation coefficent. Symbolized by a lowercase r, test for the relationship between two variables that are interval or ratio data types. Type of regression analysis used often. Somtimes, correlation is used to refer to it even though there are many types of correlation tests. When used, authors need to display a scatter diagram to help readers visualize degree of association between 2 variables.

Question 32

KR-20

Answer 32

Applied to items that have dichotomous responses (correct/incorrect). Test similar to Cronbach’s alpha which is used to measure the degree of association among items in a survey.