CDA Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In evidence-based practice, which level of evidence is generally considered the highest quality for informing clinical or professional decisions?
- Expert opinion and consensus statements
- A single well-designed randomized controlled trial
- Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of multiple RCTs (Correct answer)
- Descriptive case studies with detailed documentation
Correct answer: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of multiple RCTs
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses synthesize evidence from multiple rigorous studies, providing the strongest basis for evidence-based decisions.
Question 2: What is 'publication bias' and why does it matter in evidence-based practice?
- Journals favor studies from prestigious universities, skewing representation
- Positive or significant results are more likely to be published, distorting the evidence base (Correct answer)
- Researchers publish findings only in their native language, limiting global access
- Editors favor studies that confirm existing theories over new discoveries
Correct answer: Positive or significant results are more likely to be published, distorting the evidence base
Publication bias means studies with positive results are overrepresented in literature, potentially making an intervention appear more effective than it truly is.
Question 3: What does the acronym PICO represent in evidence-based practice frameworks?
- Process, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome
- Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (Correct answer)
- Problem, Inquiry, Context, Objective
- Practice, Implementation, Control, Observation
Correct answer: Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome
PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) is a structured framework for formulating focused, searchable clinical or practice questions.
Question 4: Which term describes the tendency for a researcher to unconsciously seek or interpret information in a way that confirms their pre-existing beliefs?
- Attrition bias
- Confirmation bias (Correct answer)
- Sampling bias
- Hawthorne effect
Correct answer: Confirmation bias
Confirmation bias leads researchers to favor evidence that supports their hypotheses while discounting contradictory findings, threatening study objectivity.
Question 5: What distinguishes a peer-reviewed article from other published sources?
- It is written by practitioners rather than academics
- It has been evaluated by experts in the field before publication (Correct answer)
- It is freely available to the public without subscription
- It must be published in a government-funded journal
Correct answer: It has been evaluated by experts in the field before publication
Peer-reviewed articles undergo critical evaluation by independent subject-matter experts who assess methodology, accuracy, and contribution to the field.
Question 6: A researcher finds a 95% confidence interval of 10–20 for a measured outcome. What does this mean?
- There is a 95% chance the true population parameter falls between 10 and 20 (Correct answer)
- Only 5% of participants scored outside the 10–20 range
- The study has a 95% probability of being replicated successfully
- Exactly 95% of the sample scored between 10 and 20
Correct answer: There is a 95% chance the true population parameter falls between 10 and 20
A 95% confidence interval means that if the study were repeated 100 times, approximately 95 of the resulting intervals would contain the true population value.
Question 7: In a systematic review, what is the primary function of inclusion and exclusion criteria?
- To limit the review to studies published in English only
- To define which studies are eligible for inclusion, reducing selection bias (Correct answer)
- To rank studies by impact factor before analysis
- To ensure equal representation of quantitative and qualitative evidence
Correct answer: To define which studies are eligible for inclusion, reducing selection bias
Inclusion and exclusion criteria create transparent, pre-specified rules for which studies qualify, ensuring the review is reproducible and free from arbitrary selection.
CDA Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice 3
In evidence-based practice, which level of evidence is generally considered the highest quality for informing clinical or professional decisions?