Stats #52: Scientific Validity, Statistics, and IRB Review
Content: When the Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews your research, they will evaluate (among other things) the scientific validity of your study. Consulting with a statistician prior to IRB submission helps. Not all aspects of scientific validity touch on Statistics, but some do. In particular, a statistician can provide help with the selection of your sample, the size of your sample, and the plan for data analysis.
Teaching strategies: Didactic lectures and small group exercises.
Objectives: In this class you will learn how to:
- assess how restrictions on your sample can hamper generalizability;
- recognize factors that influence the sample size of a study;
- identify the important components of a data analysis plan; and
- explain the rationale for IRB review of scientific validity.
This class should qualify for one (1) hour of IRB Education Credits (IRBECs).
Contents
Overview of the STATS web pages (January 21, 2000)
What are the STATS web pages?
The STATS pages are a collection of handouts that I use in my job as a statistical consultant. The web provides a nice home for these handouts, because as I update my material, the newest version is immediately available to anyone who is interested.
Where can I find STATS?
If you have a web browser, like Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, you can surf on over to my site,
which is also found at http://internet1/stats, if you are attached to the Children's Mercy Hospital network. There are two obsolete sites: http://www.cmh.edu/stats and http://simon/stats. Do not use either of these sites.
Some of the fun stuff you can find on the STATS web pages.
Ask Professor Mean. For the tough Statistics questions that Dear Abby won't touch.
Planning Your Research Study. Things you need to plan for before you start collecting your data.
Selecting An Appropriate Sample Size. How much data do you really need?
Managing Your Research Data. Everything you want to know before you step to the keyboard.
Steps In a Typical Data Analysis. I have my data on the computer. Now what?
How to Read a Medical Journal Article. Reading a journal is hard work. Here's some help.
Professor Mean's Library. Good books and good web sites about Statistics.
... and even more good stuff!!!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
It was written by Steve Simon, edited by Linda Foland, and was last modified on
07/17/2008. Send feedback to ssimon at cmh dot edu or click on
the email link at the top of the page.
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