Week 4: Sources of Evidence

Question 1

Why do the authors write ‘Practitioners never reach a point of completion..”?

Answer 1

We often don’t know what we don’t know.

Question 2

From an EBP perspective, what are the three sources of knowledge?

Answer 2

Academic training, professional experience, and scientific research.

Question 3

What is one main reason why academic training is useful?

Answer 3

base upon which later learning is erected in to which it is integrated

Question 4

Explain why professional experience is considered a double edged sword?

Answer 4

It provides a unique perspective, but also potentially misleading due to its strong potential for bias.

Question 5

From the authors perspectives what is ironic about scientific research?

Answer 5

Often the knowledge domain that practitioners are the least cognizant of

Question 6

What is the potential problem with non peer reviewed information?

Answer 6

is the most biased info and needs to be carefully evaluated.

Question 7

What can lead to subpar or disastrous exercise programs?

Answer 7

the heavy reliance on expert opinion

Question 8

list some issues with other non peer review information

Answer 8

can be entertaining to read, but is often substantiated, and should be used by practitioners to form opinions. Most sources are poor, inaccurate, and don’t have context.

Question 9

What is an important safeguard for peer reviewed scientific research and what does ‘it’ mean?

Answer 9

Using blind reviews with subject experts safe guards information

Question 10

What happened in peer reviewed science such that practitioners MUST evaluate peer reviewed papers?

Answer 10

poor designed scientific studies sometimes appear in journals spreading misinformation

Question 11

What is the main difference between observational and experimental research?

Answer 11

Control over the independent variable. Experimental has control over it where observational does not have one.

Question 12

Describe what a natural experiment is.

Answer 12

when the researcher does nothing to set up or organize the study. instead they investigate a natural phenomenon based around their hypothesis.

Question 13

What is the major limitation of observational research?

Answer 13

Doesn’t have cause and effect, because you are not controlling the participants or actively intervening.

Question 14

Why can’t epidemiological research ( case studies and cohort studies) establish causation?

Answer 14

due to research design it does not control for extraneous variables.

Question 15

What is THE critical step in case control research?

Answer 15

the unbiased, appropriate selection of the control group

Question 16

What can happen if you have a biased selection of cases and controls?

Answer 16

Bias selection can distort the findings of the study

Question 17

Why is it critical that cases and controls are as similar as possible? What characteristic of scientific research is this trying to achieve?

Answer 17

so that we can assume that they are even and that there are no extraneous variables that will flaw the study.

Question 18

What are case studies and why are they useful?

Answer 18

research design that describes a single person. Its usually in studies with high level athletes. For example, looking at injuries that have occurred rather than forcing an injury to study it.

Question 19

How are case studies useful in exercise science?

Answer 19

because practitioners can make an exercise plan for individual athletes based on prior knowledge and research.

Question 20

What does ‘ad-hoc’ mean?

Answer 20

to do something for one specific reason or goal.

Question 21

What is a case series?

Answer 21

measure multiple patients, clients or athletes over a span of time.

Question 22

What are the advantages and disadvantages of observational research?

Answer 22

it is low cost. Moderate high probability for bias. Example, memory recall bias.

Question 23

What are the advantages and disadvantages of experimental research?

Answer 23

Minimized risk of bias due to objective view. disadvantage it can be costly.

Question 24

“… experimental research is _____ driven…:

Answer 24

hypothesis driven

Question 25

Explain what internal validity is

Answer 25

the degree to which changes in the dependant variable can be attributed to the intervention

Question 26

Why is random assignment important for experimental research?

Answer 26

it is unique characteristics that allows scientists to infer causation because of how similar the groups are.

Question 27

What makes a systematic review ‘systematic’?

Answer 27

because it is conducted in a objective, reproducible manner.

Question 28

Systematic reviews must also account for different ________________.

Answer 28

different levels of evidence as conflicting findings from two different study designs should not be considered equally.

Question 29

What would constitute weak systematic review?

Answer 29

are poorly constructed or fatally flawed in their design.

Question 30

What makes a systematic review ‘systematic’ ?

Answer 30

Uses filters to add or delete studies to be reviewed

Question 31

Identify 5 threats to internal validity? Why? Control?

Answer 31

1) maturation - how growth, learning, or maturation influence the dependent variable (DV). Control by randomization and control groups.
2) history - the things happening outside of the study that influence the DV like exercise or diet. Control by randomization and control groups.
3) repeated testing - the learning effect that can influence performance over repetition. Randomization of test conditions to create a baseline number to go off of.
4) instrument accuracy - if the proper tools are being used and are valid and method of testing. Control by instrument calibration and strict adherence protocols to have the test done the same way, time, and place.
5) statistical regression - groups that have been formed on extreme scores that don’t get a whole population. Control by randomization.

Question 32

Identify 2 threats to external validity. Why? Control?

Answer 32

1) reactive effects of training - pre-testing may make participants sensitive to the treatment. Must have a control group.
2) subject and treatment interaction - when a unique characteristic of a participant makes the treatment effective or ineffective for them. Control by randomization.

Question 33

Explain reliability as is relates to a measure.

Answer 33

Reliability is how repeatable and consistent the DV is.

Question 34

2 types of reliability. Example of they can be established.

Answer 34

Stability reliability - assuming nothing has changed, the score should be the same.

Inter-rate reliability - high degree of agreement between testers in a study

Question 35

Explain face validity.

Answer 35

Degree to which a measure obviously involves the performance being measured.

Question 36

What is a criterion measure?

Answer 36

Validating a measure against the ‘gold standard’ or best available measure.

Question 37

Describe concurrent validity. Example.

Answer 37

Two measures taken close together, ideally one is a criterion, and then determine level of agreement b/w the two.

Example: skin fold measures of %body fat based on underwater weighing

Question 38

Describe construct variability. Example

Answer 38

Degree to which a test measures a hypothetical construct (quality of life, creativity, emotional Q)

Example: quality of life

Question 39

What is content validity? What research settings use content validity?

Answer 39

Degree to which a test adequately covers what was covered in the course.

Example: educational settings

Question 40

Explain why valid measures are critical in scientific research.

Answer 40

Without validity the whole research is false.

Question 41

Can a measure be reliable and not valid?

Answer 41

Yes b/c it can be repeatable but not done correctly.

Question 42

Can a measure be valid if it is not reliable?

Answer 42

No b/c without reliability there can be no trust in how the research was conducted.