Topic 5 DQ Replies

DQ 1 Responses

Response to Abigail Abala

Thank you for an educative and insightful discussion. All research studies demonstrate

some form of bias because of the sample selected, research designs, data collection methods, and

personal bias that are difficult to eliminate. Bias occurs at any stage of the research process and

impacts the research finding’s validity and reliability, leading to misinterpretation of data.

Researchers have their learned opinions, beliefs, and attitudes that they are unaware of and can

lead to personal bias, which is often unintentional, but still leads to incorrect judgement

(Yarborough, 2021). Research bias is perceived as systematic errors introduced at any stage of

the research process, including participant selection, data collection, analysis, and publication.

References

Yarborough M. (2021). Moving towards less biased research. BMJ open science, 5(1), e100116.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjos-2020-100116

Reply to Pamela Hansen

Hello, Hansen.

I appreciate your post for its elaborateness and being aboveboard. Indeed personal bias

occurs when an individual's thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes influence their judgement and

decision-making. Mostly, researchers are unaware of personal bias, and its occurrence is

unintentional. However, researchers need to be self-aware and not allow their feelings, emotions,
and interest to drive their research (Yarborough, 2021). Research bias is more prevalent in

qualitative studies than quantitative research designs because quantitative studies limit the

research's ability to influence results. Research bias includes information, selection, response,

and confounding bias, all with considerable impact on the validity and reliability of the research

findings.

References

Yarborough M. (2021). Moving towards less biased research. BMJ open science, 5(1), e100116.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjos-2020-100116

Response to Tracey Lambert

Hello, Lambert.

Thank you for sharing your take on personal and research bias. Indeed bias occurs when

an individual has some preference for something over another. They are inclined toward a

particular result, belief, attitude, or opinion, and sometimes they do not realize it is biased

(Popovic & & Huecker, 2022). Bias is often interchanged with the general preference for

something over another. However, bias influences judgement and decision-making and can lead

to information misinterpretation. I like that you have provided the different types of bias,

including implicit, selection, and gender bias, often occurring during a research process.

Research bias can be introduced during participant selection, sampling, data collection, analysis,

and publication, leading to the wrong interpretation of research findings.

References
Popovic, A., & Huecker, M. R. (2022). Study Bias. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls

Publishing.

DQ 2 Responses

Reply to Cerelina Maratas

Hello, Maratas.

Thank you for an informative and elaborative discussion. Research is done for various

purposes, but the aim is always to develop usable and beneficial outcomes that can be used to

enhance and inform practice. Indeed statistically significant results are not always clinically

significant. Still, they are useful in informing researchers whether the outcomes of their research

are due to chance or some factor of interest. A statistically significant result means it is real and

not due to luck in the sample selection. Clinically significant results help improve practice,

treatment, or patient care. For instance, a drug with positive effects can be said to have clinical

significance.

References

Sharma H. (2021). Statistical significance or clinical significance? A researcher's dilemma for

appropriate interpretation of research results. Saudi journal of anaesthesia, 15(4), 431–

434. https://doi.org/10.4103/sja.sja_158_21

Reply to Lillian Schott

Hello, Schott.
 Thank you for the great post. Statistically, significance results can be clinically

significant, but not always. Statistical significance means that the results from data generated

through an experiment or testing will likely be linked to a particular cause rather than occurring

by chance. It helps researchers determine the relationship between variables. Some variables

have weak effects, but their results are statistically significant. However, the effect must be

considerable for a result to be clinically significant. For instance, a treatment intervention or

research experiment that helps a patient to a point they recover from their illness would be

categorized as clinically significant.

References

Ranganathan, P., Pramesh, C. S., & Buyse, M. (2015). Common pitfalls in statistical analysis:

Clinical versus statistical significance. Perspectives in clinical research, 6(3), 169–170.

https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-3485.159943

Reply to Jill Blake

Hello, Blake.

I enjoyed reading your discussion for its clarity and comprehensiveness. Indeed clinicians

should adopt the current best evidence to inform medical and clinical decisions. Statistical

significance shows that the results of a research study can rely on, are real, and are not due to

chance. Researchers can determine that a relationship between two variables exists and is

authentic through statistical significance. I concur that the results or effects of a relationship must

be large enough to be considered clinically significant. For instance, the Covid-19 vaccine was

allowed to treat the virus after researchers determined the effect was large enough to help
patients recover. Clinical significance also means that the effects outweigh the costs and

inconveniences linked to the intervention or information obtained from research.

References

Sharma H. (2021). Statistical significance or clinical significance? A researcher's dilemma for

appropriate interpretation of research results. Saudi journal of anaesthesia, 15(4), 431–

434. https://doi.org/10.4103/sja.sja_158_21