Research Methods I

This teaching module provides a first of integrates quantitative methods in evidence based medicine, with an emphasis on the relevance of association and causality in Medicine. It precedes ensuing optional or obligatory semesters on quantitative Methods on Fundamental, Pre-clinical and Translational Research. In this first block, the student learns to understand how biostatistical methods can be used to infer population characteristics based on appropriate samples.

1. Study designs
2. Criteria for defining a good medical research question
3. Random variables, measurement levels and role of variables in a study
4. Definition of population, sample and probabilistic and non-probabilistic sampling methods
5. Data collection and organisation for analysis
6. Descriptive statistics: indicators, tables and graphs
7. Main probability distributions and Central Limit Theorem
8. Inferential statistics:
• Estimation of population parameters using confidence intervals
• Univariate hypothesis tests:
• research hypothesis vs statistical hypotheses; type I and type II errors; critical values of a test and relationship with p-value; one-tailed and two-tailed tests; importance of studying normality
• tests for difference between mean/median/proportion of a population and a constant, between 2 paired vs independent populations
9. Correlation and simple linear regression
10. Association tests
11. How to report and present results in medicine

Theoretical classes

• Presentation of the subject matter with real examples from research in the medical field
• Joint discussion of the methodology to be applied
• Interpretation of results with direct application to medical practice
• Use of questions provided in class with multiple-choice options and subsequent discussion to foster learning

Theoretical-practical classes

• Learning based on medical research problems
• Different statistical applications will be used (SPSS, JAMOVI, Orange, R, or others, including online calculators), with preference given to SPSS
• Emphasis is placed on the choice of statistical methodology to be used, the practical interpretation of results, the identification of limitations, and teamwork regarding proficiency with the chosen statistical software
• In each class, one or more questions will be given on the material covered in that session for individual response; answers will be counted toward the assessment, with a maximum score of 1 point

Indicated above.