Research Methodology & Design Flashcards
7 cards from real RA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Research Methodology & Design flashcards as text
A study enrolls patients who already have lung cancer and a matched group without it, then looks back at prior asbestos exposure. What design is this?
Answer: Case-control study
Case-control studies select participants by outcome status and look back for exposures.
Which measure of association is typically calculated in a case-control study?
Answer: Odds ratio
Because incidence cannot be measured when sampling on outcome, case-control studies report odds ratios.
In a crossover trial, what is the main purpose of a washout period?
Answer: To reduce carryover effects from the first treatment
A washout lets the first treatment's effects dissipate before the second treatment begins.
A trial randomizes entire clinics rather than individual patients to an intervention. This is called a:
Answer: Cluster randomized trial
Cluster randomized trials allocate groups such as clinics, schools, or villages as the unit of randomization.
A 2x2 factorial design allows researchers to:
Answer: Test two interventions and their interaction in one trial
Factorial designs assign combinations of two interventions so main effects and interaction can be evaluated simultaneously.
Which design measures exposure and outcome at a single point in time?
Answer: Cross-sectional study
Cross-sectional studies take a snapshot, measuring exposure and outcome simultaneously.
Why can a cross-sectional study rarely establish causation?
Answer: It cannot determine whether exposure preceded outcome
Without temporal sequence, it is unclear whether the exposure came before the outcome.