Abstract
Research requires sound methodology. It begins by properly identify good research topic, intensive background literatures and clear concept. Objectives are written with SMART criteria. Relevant variables are identified, defined and planned on how they are to be collected in standard manner. Statistical analyses should then be planned in great detail.
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Notes
- 1.
Conceptual framework is not a causal diagram but it is useful if causality is integrated in the construction of the diagram especially in quantitative studies.
- 2.
Independent here means, calorie intake is a significant factor related to obesity even after we take into account the influence of other factors such as physical activity and family history. Whether those factors significantly related to obesity or not is not important.
- 3.
Do not confuse retrospective study with study that is using old record. Retrospective means the observation is backward, not because the source of data is historical. Source of data has nothing to do with study design . One can still do cross-sectional study using hospital records.
- 4.
Selection criteria can be specified as inclusion or exclusion criteria. Those statement suitable as inclusion is written under inclusion criteria, and those suitable as exclusion are listed under exclusion criteria. We should not write, for example, male as one of the inclusion criteria and female as the exclusion because once we stated male as the inclusion criteria, it is automatically known that female should not be included (or should be excluded) in the study.
- 5.
The third 10-yearly national survey on health by Ministry of Health Malaysia.
- 6.
Level of measurements include nominal (dichotomous), ordinal and continuous. Please refer to Sect. 1.7.2.
- 7.
All the formula mentioned are suggested formula rather than ideal ones. The list of formula available to calculate sample size are exhaustive. The formulae are also simplified for most research. Detail considerations, for example, testing difference versus equality, are not discussed here.
- 8.
Confidence level is the degree of confident that the sample selected represents the true value (of the population parameter).
- 9.
Within group standard deviation means the standard deviation of that blood sugar for each group. If you have two groups, you may have two different standard deviations, but for sample size calculation we choose the biggest possible value to represent both estimates. The value is your estimation based on previous studies from literature review or from your pilot study.
- 10.
For example in NHANES study, their data dictionary is available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/data_linkage/mortality/restricted_use_linked_mortality.htm. Example of data dictionary for Avon Logitudinal Study for Parents and Children, University of Bristol, UK at http://www.bris.ac.uk/alspac/researchers/data-access/data-dictionary/.
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Ab Rahman, J. (2015). Planning a Research. In: Brief Guidelines for Methods and Statistics in Medical Research. SpringerBriefs in Statistics. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-925-7_1
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