Lecture 5

Question 1

Despite peer review, the validity of the design or conclusions are what?

Answer 1

not guaranteed

Question 2

Ultimately as a health professional you are responsible for what?

Answer 2

judging the validity and relevance of published material

Question 3

Proper attitude is hard-nosed skepticism, due to ________ and _________ nature of ________ and _________ knowledge

Answer 3

uncertain
provisional
scientific
professional

Question 4

Proper attitude is hard-nosed skepticism, due to investigation of what

Answer 4

complex phenomena

Question 5

Proper attitude is hard-nosed skepticism, due to what constraints

Answer 5

ethical constraints

Question 6

Ethical constraints prevent researchers from what

Answer 6

controlling certain variables
conducting experiments that might cause harm

Question 7

Critical evaluation is done to identify what

Answer 7

strengths and weaknesses of research publication

Question 8

Critical evaluation is done to ensure what?

Answer 8

patients receive assessment and treatment based on the best available evidence

Question 9

Inadequacies in the introduction may signal what?

Answer 9

research was erroneously conceived or poorly planned

Question 10

The literature review should be what

Answer 10

sufficiently complete to reflect current state of knowledge
unbiased in presenting unfavorable points of view

Question 11

When critically evaluating the introduction what 3 things are you looking for?

Answer 11

clearly defined aims or hypotheses
selection of an appropriate research strategy
selection of appropriate variables/info to be collected

Question 12

What is the most important part of a critical evaluation?

Answer 12

the methods section

Question 13

The methods section is necessary for what?

Answer 13

understanding, evaluating, and replicating the research project

Question 14

What will the methods section reveal

Answer 14

overall internal and external validity of the investigation

Question 15

Internal validity

Answer 15

ability to attribute differences or changes observed to the independent variable (independent variable is the reason for change, not some other factor)

Question 16

External validity

Answer 16

refers to how well the results of the study can be generalized to other contexts, populations, or settings

Question 17

When critically evaluating the methods what 3 things are you looking for?

Answer 17

research participants/subjects
instrument/tools
research procedure

Question 18

Research participants/subjects should include what?

Answer 18

sample modelling
sample size appropriate
description of the sample

Question 19

What are you evaluating when considering instrument/tools

Answer 19

are they valid and reliable

Question 20

What are you evaluating when considering research procedure

Answer 20

full description necessary for replication and evaluation of internal/external validity

Question 21

What should be included in the procedure

Answer 21

control groups
participant assignment
blinding
treatment parameters
settings

Question 22

What visuals should you be looking for when evaluating results

Answer 22

tables and graphs
calculations of statistics

Question 23

What specifics about tables and graphs should be in the article

Answer 23

correctly tabulated or drawn
adequately labeled for interpretation
complete summaries of all relevant findings

Question 24

What calculation of statistics specifics should be in the article

Answer 24

both descriptive and inferential statistics correctly calcuated

Question 25

What essential statistics for evaluating the clinical significance of results should be provided

Answer 25

effect sizes and confidence intervals

Question 26

If effect sizes and confidence intervals are not provided what cannot happen?

Answer 26

unable to apply the results to practical settings

Question 27

What 2 things should be evaluated when looking at the discussion of the article

Answer 27

drawing correct inferences from the collected data logical interpretation of findings

Question 28

Drawing correct inferences from the collected data means what?

Answer 28

the article must take into account the limitations of the study and the analytical methods

Question 29

Logical interpretation of findings means what

Answer 29

interpretations must follow from the information collected, without introducing extraneous evidence

Question 30

In interpreting the data or information investigators must indicate and take into account what?

Answer 30

unexpected deviations from the intended protocol

Question 31

Data from a sample is generalizable to who?

Answer 31

only to the population from which the participants were drawn

Question 32

Theoretical significance relates results to what?

Answer 32

previous relevant findings in the literature

Question 33

5 sources of bias in RCT studies

Answer 33

selection bias performance bias detection bias attrition bias reporting bias

Question 34

Selection bias

Answer 34

systematic differences between baseline characteristics of the groups that are compared

Question 35

Performance bias

Answer 35

systematic differences between groups in the care that is provided, or in exposure to factors other than the intervention of interest

Question 36

Detection bias

Answer 36

systematic differences between groups in how outcomes are determined

Question 37

Attrition bias

Answer 37

systematic differences between groups in withdrawal from a study

Question 38

Reporting bias

Answer 38

systematic differences between reported and unreported findings