CMAS Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a systematic review?
- A review written by a single expert in a field
- A comprehensive synthesis of all available research on a specific question using explicit methods (Correct answer)
- A government-mandated review of clinical guidelines
- A review conducted annually by hospital administration
Correct answer: A comprehensive synthesis of all available research on a specific question using explicit methods
A systematic review uses rigorous, explicit methods to identify, appraise, and synthesize all relevant studies on a focused clinical question.
Question 2: In research, what is 'informed consent'?
- A patient's agreement to pay for medical services
- A participant's voluntary agreement to take part in research after being informed of risks and benefits (Correct answer)
- A physician's approval of a research protocol
- A hospital's consent to allow researchers access to records
Correct answer: A participant's voluntary agreement to take part in research after being informed of risks and benefits
Informed consent requires that research participants voluntarily agree to participate after receiving full disclosure of risks, benefits, and alternatives.
Question 3: Which statistical measure describes the average of a data set?
- Median
- Mode
- Mean (Correct answer)
- Range
Correct answer: Mean
The mean is calculated by summing all values and dividing by the number of values, representing the arithmetic average.
Question 4: What is the function of an Institutional Review Board (IRB)?
- To fund medical research grants
- To publish research findings
- To review and approve research studies to protect human subjects (Correct answer)
- To train researchers in statistical methods
Correct answer: To review and approve research studies to protect human subjects
An IRB is a committee that reviews research protocols to ensure they meet ethical standards and protect the rights and welfare of human participants.
Question 5: A researcher examines past medical records to compare patients who developed a disease with those who did not. This is an example of:
- Prospective cohort study
- Randomized controlled trial
- Retrospective case-control study (Correct answer)
- Cross-sectional survey
Correct answer: Retrospective case-control study
A retrospective case-control study looks backward in time, comparing cases (with disease) to controls (without disease) using existing records.
Question 6: Which term describes a measure of the consistency of a research instrument across repeated measurements?
- Validity
- Reliability (Correct answer)
- Sensitivity
- Specificity
Correct answer: Reliability
Reliability refers to the degree to which a measurement tool produces consistent, repeatable results under the same conditions.
Question 7: What does 'statistical significance' mean in research?
- The results are clinically important
- The study had a large enough sample size
- The probability of the result occurring by chance is below a predetermined threshold (e.g., p < 0.05) (Correct answer)
- The findings have been replicated in multiple studies
Correct answer: The probability of the result occurring by chance is below a predetermined threshold (e.g., p < 0.05)
Statistical significance means the probability that the result occurred by chance is less than the preset alpha level, commonly 0.05.
CMAS Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice 3
What is a systematic review?