Research Exam 1

Front 1

Fundamental (pure) research

Back 1

the formal and systematic application of the scientific method leading to the development of theories. It is based on the desire to know or understand, simply for the sake of knowledge and without direct regard to application.

Hint 1

Examples: theory of enamel formation, identification of pathologic microbes, monitoring of endotoxin production, peak pathogenicity.

Front 2

Applied research

Back 2

adapts the theories developed through fundamental research to a practical situation or to the resolution of an existing problem in the "real world".

Hint 2

Examples in dental hygiene: applying behavior modification techniques to the handicapped patient; effects of irrigating the sulcus with anti-microbial agents, effect of fluoride on the solubility of enamel.

Front 3

Longitudinal study

Back 3

Population is followed through time to determine which members develop the disease. Participants are referred to a co-horts.

Hint 3

Examples in dental hygiene: In the 1950s, children were followed for 10 years to determine the effects of fluoridated drinking water on enamel and caries reduction.

Front 4

Cross‑sectional study

Back 4

Study of subgroups of individuals in a specific and limited time frame to identify developmental changes in the overall group from the perspective of what is typical in each subgroup

Hint 4

Examples in dental hygiene: Conducting a study using children from different cultural groups to determine effects of diet on caries prevalence.

Front 5

Retrospective study
(ex post facto study)

Back 5

Decision to carry out an investigation using observations or data that have been collected in the past; data may be incomplete or in a manner not appropriate for study

Hint 5

Examples in dental hygiene: Using a record review to determine the number of sports-related facial injuries treated in a hospital ER.

Front 6

Case study

Back 6

intensive investigation of a person, family, group, or community to discover variables relevant to the development of the subject

Hint 6

Examples in dental hygiene: An intensive investigation of a family with congenitally missing maxillary lateral incisors, eventually leading to the discovery of the related gene.

Front 7

Correlational study

Back 7

A descriptive technique used to identify consistent relationships among variables. Can not determine cause and effect.

Hint 7

Examples in dental hygiene: Investigating the relationship between the use of triclosan toothpaste and the occurrence of apthous ulcers.

Front 8

SCIENTIFIC METHOD

Back 8

Methodology used in any type of research involving procedures which increase the likelihood that information gathered will be relevant, reliable, and unbiased.

Front 9

The Steps of the Method Include

Back 9

problem formulation
hypothesis formulation
data collection
analysis and interpretation
conclusions
verification

Front 10

problem formulation

Back 10

Identification and statement of a problem in need of solution or question in need of an answer

Front 11

hypothesis formulation

Back 11

Formulation of a solution or answer to the question that is observable, measurable, and consistent with what is already known in the field

Front 12

data collection

Back 12

Collection of facts that can be used to solve the problem, answer the question, or test the hypothesis

Front 13

analysis and interpretation

Back 13

Analysis and interpretation of the meaning of the data collected.

Front 14

conclusions

Back 14

Formulation of conclusions regarding the original research problem, question, or hypothesis.

Front 15

verification

Back 15

Verification, rejection, or modification of the hypothesis as well as the theory on which the hypothesis was developed.

Front 16

Identify the problem

Back 16

Formulation of a statement or question that poses an unknown relationship between variables and serves to focus the entire investigation

Hint 16

Research question:
Example: Can fluoridated floss reduce interproximal caries?

Front 17

Identify the Variables

Back 17

state, condition, concept, construct, or event whose value is free to vary such as dental caries

Hint 17

To be researchable, a problem must be relevant to some aspect of oral health care. If solved, it should contribute to oral health delivery by leading to new knowledge, confirming or improving current practices, or developing new theories

Front 18

Independent variable

Back 18

condition of the experiment that is manipulated or controlled by the investigator; the experimental variable; the experimental treatment.

Hint 18

Examples: level of chemotherapeutic agent; type of dental floss; types of systemic fluoride; specific dental procedures

Front 19

Dependent variable

Back 19

measure thought to change as a result of the presence, absence, or manipulation of the independent variable. Nonmanipulated object of change

Hint 19

Examples: dental indices; malocclusion, intelligence.

Front 20

Extraneous variables

Back 20

uncontrolled variables that are not related to the purpose of the study but may influence the dependent variable and therefore influence the outcome of the study.

Hint 20

Examples: Dexterity of subjects, genetics, immunity or resistance to disease that is unknown to the researcher

Front 21

Review the literature

Back 21

Use refereed journals of scientific value which have an editorial review board, advisory board, or list of consultants.
Develop an outline of topics related to the problem;
Gather resource materials related to the topics;
Take notes on each topic while reading all basic writings in the field. Research the most current studies first and save time by scanning abstracts and summaries to differentiate between relevant and irrelevant materials.

Front 22

Delimit the identified problem

Back 22

to a manageable size.

Hint 22

Identify resources, time, finances, and other factors.

Front 23

Hypothesis

Back 23

proposition, condition, or principle that predicts or indicates a relationship among or behavior of variables under certain conditions

Hint 23

Use of a fluoridated dental floss will prevent interproximal caries.

Front 24

Null hypothesis

Back 24

hypothesis that assumes that there are no statistically significant differences between the population groups; hypothesis being tested

Hint 24

There will not statistically significant difference in the reduction of interproximal caries from using fluoridated dental floss.

Front 25

Researcher wants to reject the null hypothesis.

Back 25

Failing to accept the null hypothesis means accepting the alternate.

Front 26

Exploratory approach

Back 26

An investigation designed to increase the researcher’s knowledge of a problem area. Designed to explore an area of interest to formulate an hypothesis or identify variables.

Hint 26

Examples: Literature reviews, surveys of a population, record reviews.

Front 27

Descriptive approach

Back 27

Involves description, documentation, analysis, and interpretation of data to evaluate a current event or situation. The main purpose is to establish a basis for evaluating present conditions and to establish baselines for future comparison.

Hint 27

Examples: Prevalence, incidence, count studies; attitudes toward disease, cost of care, current methods.

Front 28

Experimental approach

Back 28

Determines the cause of a disease or if a causal relationship exists between a factor and a disease. The experimenter manipulates variables to observe the effects

Hint 28

Examples: Tobacco use and lung cancer, chlorhexidine and periodontal disease, oral health program and reduction of dental disease.

Front 29

Population

Back 29

that portion of the universe to which the researcher wants to generalize findings.

Front 30

Target population:

Back 30

all members of a specific group who possess a clearly defined set of characteristics.

Front 31

Sample:

Back 31

a portion of the population that, if properly selected, can provide meaningful information about the entire population; a sample is examined when the researcher has neither the time, money, nor resources to study an entire population.

Front 32

Experimental group:

Back 32

sample group in a study that is exposed to the experimental variable under study; a group who receives the independent variable.

Front 33

Control group:

Back 33

sample group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment (independent variable) but rather receives a placebo treatment or no treatment at all

Front 34

Random sample:

Back 34

sample composed of subjects who are chosen independently of each other, with equal opportunity for inclusion; increases external validity; controls intersubject difference.

Hint 34

Examples:Use of a random numbers table, drawing out of a hat

Front 35

Stratified sample:

Back 35

method of sampling used to represent subgroups proportionately in the sample when they are known to exist in the population.

Hint 35

Example: Including same % of Blacks, Whites, Hispanics in sample as in population.
Using zip codes, ethnic groups, age, race, sex, or other unique characteristic to group your population into strata or sub-groups.

Front 36

Systematic sample:

Back 36

sample achieved by drawing every "nth" subject from a list or file of the total population; considered to be random if the list or file is in random order.

Hint 36

Example: Choose every ?th person off a list of people in no special order
Using a list ADHA members and choosing every 12th person on the list (12,24,36…)

Front 37

Convenience sample with random assignment:

Back 37

used when access to the total population is not feasible; potential members are numbered consecutively, and a table of random numbers is used for experimental and control group assignments.

Hint 37

Example: Easy accessible group such as DH students
Using patients from an inner city clinic to determine needs of inner city residents.

Front 38

Purposive (Judgmental) Sample:

Back 38

provides a sample through personal judgment of subjects that would be representative of the population.

Hint 38

Example: Using the student council as a representative of student attitudes and desires.

Front 39

Sample Size

Back 39

A larger sample is preferred (at least 30 in each group)

Front 40

Why is it that a large sample is preferred?

Back 40

- More accurate representation of the population.
- Increases precision and accuracy of data collection.
- Reduces the standard error of the sample mean.
- Does not guarantee representiveness without appropriate sampling methods.