RESEARCH METHODOLOGY LECTURE-III

Dr. Rizwana Shahid

Assistant Professor Community Medicine
Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi
 Learning Objectives
By the end of lecture, students should be able to:
1. Explain Elements of methodology section
2. Classify research study designs with salient features of each
3. Explain steps of cross-sectional study
4. Give outlines of longitudinal studies
5. Narrate Principles of choosing a study design fitting to investigation of re-
question
6. Explain scheme of choosing relevant statistical measures & tests
7. Prepare Plan of analysis of study data
 Types of research
• There are two main types of research
– Pure research 
– Applied research
 Types of research according to the data
method applied

• There are two main types of research 

– Qualitative research
– Quantitative research
 The
difference
between
the two
 Elements of Methodology section

• Study design
• Study population
• Variables to be studied
• Study duration
• Study setting
• Sampling technique
• Sample size
• Operational definitions
• Inclusion criteria
• Exclusion criteria
• Data collection tools
• Ethical consideration
Classification of Study designs
 Case series

• Experience of a group of patients with similar

diagnosis and common features
• Cases may be identified from single or multiple
sources.
 Cross-sectional study

• Advantages
- Quick
- Cost effective
Disadvantages
- valid cause effect association cannot be
established
Case control study
Experimental study
• A one-group pretest posttest study design is a quasi-
experimental research design in which a dependent
variable is measured for one group of participants
following a treatment.
2 features
1. use of a single group of participants (i.e., a one-
group design) - all participants are part of a single
condition—meaning all participants are given the
same treatments and assessments.
2. the assessment of a dependent variable before
and after a treatment is implemented (i.e., a
pretest–posttest design).
 Measures of Association

• A measure of association quantifies the relationship

between exposure and disease among the two
groups. ... Examples of measures of
association include
Odd’s ratio (OR)
Relative Risk (RR)
Attributable Risk (AR)
Contingency table
(2×2 table)