2012 Statistics Course
“Statistics in Evidence Based Medicine”
2012 Course
Rizwana Rehman, PhD, Statistician
Southeast Epilepsy Center of Excellence, Durham VAMC
May 2 - Identifying Statistical Spin in Research Papers
Click here for audio recording.
Lecture will be introductory, and textbooks and software used will be introduced. Course objectives and goals will be described. Also we will discuss different strategies of identifying statistical spin in research papers. Types of data will also be explained.
May 9 - Descriptive Statistics
Lecture will focus on descriptive statistics (measures of central tendency and dispersion). The suitability of different measures under different circumstances will be presented. Correctly reporting of results in research journals will also be discussed.
May 16 - Graphical Representation of Data
Different graphical methods of data display will be presented. We will discuss the appropriateness of these methods for different types of data. Common errors in research papers will be identified.
May 23 - Vocabulary of Inferential Statistics
Terminology for inferential statistics will be introduced. We will present common theoretical distributions. Vocabulary such as critical value, confidence intervals, standard error will be discussed.
May 30 - Hypothesis Testing
Hypothesis testing will be introduced. Also concepts of type I and type II errors, power, sample size needed for a powerful study will be presented.
June 6 - Research Questions for One Group
Research questions for one group will be presented and analyzed. Parametric and nonparametric tests such as one sample t-test, Wilcoxon’s rank test, z approximation for a single proportion and McNemar’s test for paired data will be discussed with their assumptions.
June 13 - Research Questions for Two Group
Click here for audio recording.
Research questions for two groups will be presented and analyzed. Independent mean t- test for two groups, Mann-Whitney test, Chi-Square, Fisher’s Exact test and z approximate test for two independent proportions will be discussed.
June 20 - Study Designs and Their Analysis
Different study designs will be presented along with introduction to risk ratios and odds ratios as alternatives to hypothesis testing. Other common measures such as Number Needed to Treat, Absolute and Relative Risk Reductions will also be discussed.
Additional Resources
Books:
Statistics at Square One available online at http://www.phsource.us/PH/EPI/Biostats/
Basic and Clinical Biostatistics available online at http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=62
Software:
OpenStat, free download available at www.statprograms4u.com/OpenStatMain.htm,
Microsoft Excel
This program is sponsored by the Epilepsy Centers of Excellence (ECoE) and Employee Education System (EES)
