Experimental Research Methods Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary role of the independent variable in an experiment?

To provide constant results across experiments

To manipulate the conditions of the experiment (correct)

To measure the outcomes of the experiment

To serve as a placeholder for theoretical discussions

Which type of experimental design involves using the same subjects across all groups?

Between-subjects design

Mixed design

Within-subjects design (correct)

Simple design

What is a confounding variable?

The main variable of interest that is manipulated

A variable that is kept constant to avoid bias

Any variable that influences the dependent variable other than the independent variable (correct)

Any variable that does not influence the dependent variable

In the context of validity in research, what is external validity?

The extent to which results can be generalized to other settings (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a mixed design in experimental research?

A design that combines both between-subjects and within-subjects elements (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is one key benefit of Evidence Informed Practice (EIP) for RMTs?

It results in better insurance support. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of quantitative methods?

Emphasizes controlled settings for observations. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What assumption is generally made by qualitative methods?

Multiple factors can influence an outcome. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a descriptive study?

Describes characteristics of a specific population. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How do qualitative and quantitative methods complement each other in research?

Quantitative methods often help in creating hypotheses for qualitative studies. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary focus of quantitative research regarding outcomes?

Ruling out rival explanations for results. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary disadvantage of performing long-term cohort studies?

They often have high attrition rates. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of research is emphasized in both qualitative and quantitative studies?

Credibility, reliability, and validity of findings. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does the quantitative method primarily utilize to summarize information?

Statistics and numerical data. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How does a Before/After study with a control group improve upon a Before/After study without a control group?

It allows for better comparison of treatment effects. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of a case report?

It provides a thorough rationale and discussion about a single patient. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why are anecdotes considered weak evidence in scientific research?

They lack the depth of detail and rationale needed for analysis. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about correlation studies is true?

They can help identify associations between exposure and outcomes. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is one potential issue with using case series?

They often lack generalizability to the wider population. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of conducting a Before/After study?

To determine the effectiveness of a specific treatment. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a case series from a case report?

A case series combines multiple case studies of similar patients. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What do descriptive studies primarily aim to do?

Explore cause and effect relationships and form a hypothesis. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a benefit of conducting a quick study to assess exposure and outcome associations?

It is a quick way to see if there’s an association or correlation. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which section of a research article includes the detailed description of how the study was carried out?

Methods (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of study provides the strongest evidence for cause-and-effect relationships?

Explanatory study (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does the Results/Findings section of a research article typically provide?

Description of the analysis of the study data (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of a systematic review?

Draws evidence from a wide range of sources including unpublished studies. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is an essential characteristic of a hypothesis in research?

It should be testable and measurable. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What type of study is characterized by the random assignment of participants to groups?

Randomized controlled trial (RCT) (D) Signup and view all the answers

What role does the null hypothesis play in research?

It is the statement researchers try to disprove. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does a meta-analysis aim to achieve?

Group studies based on specific criteria and estimate treatment effects. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What should the Conclusion/Discussion section of a research article primarily address?

The implications of the research results regarding the research question. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Cohort studies are best described as which of the following?

Prospective, longitudinal studies examining treatment outcomes. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How do explanatory studies differ from descriptive studies?

They test hypotheses as opposed to just forming them. (D) Signup and view all the answers

In a hypothesis, what represents the dependent variable?

The outcome being measured in response to changes. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is included in the Abstract of a research article?

Summary of background, purpose, design, methods, results, conclusion, and discussion. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of observational studies in explanatory research?

To observe relationships between variables without random assignment. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of meta-analyses?

They randomly assign subjects to harness study outcomes. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of descriptive studies compared to explanatory studies?

They lack control or comparison groups. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Evidence Informed Practice (EIP)

EIP is a triad of best available research evidence, professional/clinical expertise, and client values/individualized needs.
The better the research evidence, the more confident clinical decisions are.
Evidence alone is insufficient to make clinical decisions.
Following evidence-informed/evidence-based standards improves RMT effectiveness, insurance benefits, standardization, and reputation in the health care community.

Quantitative vs Qualitative Methods

Quantitative methods assume a uniform reality and measurable data, expressing it in numbers.
It assumes linear cause and effect.
Quantitative methods test hypotheses and use numbers to summarize information.
Researchers control the treatment setting and participants.
The focus is on ruling out rival explanations and using statistics to show the probability of chance outcomes.
Qualitative methods assume observations affect what's being observed; description varies; multiple factors affect outcomes.
Qualitative research doesn't assume one single reality and uses multiple factors or causes for outcomes.
Qualitative observations are done in natural settings, unlike controlled settings seen in quantitative approaches.
Data collection includes interviews, observations, documents, questionnaires, and surveys

Quantitative vs Qualitative Methods (Continued)

Both quantitative and qualitative methods have limitations, but are crucial for scientific research.
Both methods assess the credibility of a study, its reliability, and validity.
Depending on the research question, some studies use both approaches.
Qualitative analysis aids in developing specific and quantifiable hypotheses.
Quantitative statistics help to illuminate patterns in qualitative studies.
Most health care research utilizes quantitative methods.

Descriptive vs Explanatory Studies

Descriptive studies describe a group/sample/population without intentions of going beyond that specific group or segment.
These studies don't test theories or learn more about the specific group.
They set the stage for eventually testing a theory by first forming a hypothesis.
Studies seeking generalized statements about a population based on a sample are explanatory/inferential studies.
These look to see if the population benefits from something.
Descriptive studies form hypotheses but include weaker evidence due to a lack of control or comparisons.
However, these studies form a foundation for hypotheses based on observation.
Explanatory studies test hypotheses and provide evidence about the relationships between variables or events.
These provide a stronger evidence base by clarifying cause and effect relationships.
Explanatory studies are divided into observational and experimental studies.
Examples include case studies, case series, correlation studies, and qualitative studies.

Study Designs

Study designs range from observational to experimental, progressing toward higher quality evidence.
The pyramid illustrates study design quality with Meta-Analyses at the top, followed by systematic reviews, critically appraised literature, randomized controlled trials, and non-randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case series, etc.

Types of Studies (continued)

Meta-analysis: studies focused on a particular question grouped by criteria from multiple databases; identifies published articles; reduces selection bias, used to estimate the size of a treatment effect, and resolve contradictory/inconclusive data.
Systematic review: a similar approach to meta-analysis but incorporates previously unpublished studies and aims to eliminate publication bias by including a wide range of evidence from diverse sources to determine inclusion and assess the validity.
RCT (Randomized Controlled Trial): also known as randomized trials, clinical trials, or intervention studies. These studies provide direct evidence of cause-and-effect following treatment by randomly assigning participants to treatment or control groups.
Cohort study: prospective, longitudinal, observational studies that attempt to explain the relationship between treatment and outcome. Cohort studies observe a group of individuals over time to explore a relationship.
Before/After without Control: a type of case series where a practitioner measures an outcome; sets eligibility standards; gathers baseline data; intervenes; and measures the outcome to determine experimental case series. Weaknesses include lack of control groups and potential overestimation of treatment impact.
Before/After with Control: similar to before/after without control but includes a control group making it more reliable.
Case Report: describes events related to a single patient's experience to provide insight into events; helps propose hypotheses related to patient care and can be used to report adverse responses to treatment.
Case Series: combines individual case studies of similar patients to further investigate patterns or phenomena.
Anecdote: a brief description of a person or incident and can be useful as an initial observation or a trigger for creating a case report.
Correlation Study: identifies existing data to study a population and determine if there's an association or correlation between exposure and outcome, yet it does not prove causality.

Components of a Research Article

Abstract: a summary of the background, purpose, design, methods, results, conclusion, and discussion of a study.
Introduction: details study purpose, importance, research questions, and literature review.
Methods: describes the detailed study conduct, to allow replications. It's important to explain how the study was done, including all the processes, settings, and tools.
Results/Findings: describes the analysis of study data (qualitative or quantitative), and neither supports nor dismisses the hypothesis or a research question.
Conclusion/Discussion: answers the study question, explains the results, cites other research to help validate the results, and indicates the study's significance.

Hypothesis

Hypothesis: a testable statement that can be demonstrated as true or false.
Hypothesis is a suggestion on how things work, which is testable and measurable.
Hypothesis will have a dependent variable, the one that is changed; independent variable, the thing being measured.
The null hypothesis is the accepted assumption that there is no relationship between variables.
Researchers try to disprove the null hypothesis.

Variables

Independent Variable: the variable manipulated or changed in an experiment; it is the cause.
Dependent Variable: the measured variable affected by the independent variable; it is the effect.
Controlled Variable: variables kept constant and unchanged throughout the study.

Types of Experiment Designs

By number of Independent variables: simple designs have one; complex designs have multiple
By subject assignment: between-subjects (different subjects in each group); within-subjects (same subjects in all groups); mixed designs (a blend of both).

Class #2

Statistics: essential for interpreting data
Internal vs. External validity: addresses the study's methodology and generalizability to real-world settings
Ethics and Peer review: crucial for study quality control
Critiquing an article: evaluating research designs, methods, and interpretation of findings.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key concepts of experimental research methods, including the roles of variables, design types, and validity. This quiz covers both qualitative and quantitative methods and their applications in research. Dive into the intricacies of Evidence Informed Practice and the assessment of research outcomes.