Assignment: Sampling Methods

Assignment: Sampling Methods

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Assignment 1: Discussion Question

By Saturday, May 31, 2014 respond to the discussion question. Submit your response to the appropriate Discussion Area. Use the same Discussion Area to comment on your classmates’ submissions and continue the discussion untilWednesday, June 4, 2014. All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of at least 2 different sampling methods. Describe how researchers go about selecting a sampling strategy. What role does the research question play in choosing the sample? What does it mean to have a representative sample and why is this vital to the outcome of the study? You may wish to incorporate some of the scholarly sources you have been reviewing for your research project within your discussion.

Statistical analysis is an essential technique that enables a medical research practitioner to draw meaningful inference from their data analysis. Improper application of study design and data analysis may render insufficient and improper results and conclusion. Converting a medical problem into a statistical hypothesis with appropriate methodological and logical design and then back-translating the statistical results into relevant medical knowledge is a real challenge. This article explains various sampling methods that can be appropriately used in medical research with different scenarios and challenges.

Clinical research often starts from questions raised at the bedside in hospital wards. Is there an association between neurocysticercosis (NCC) and epilepsy? Are magnetic resonance imaging changes good predictors of multiple sclerosis? Is there a benefit in using steroids in pyogenic meningitis? Typically, these questions lead us to set up more refined research questions. For example, do persons with epilepsy have a higher probability of having serological (or computed tomography [CT] scan) markers for NCC? What proportion of persons with multiple lesions in the brain has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Do children with pyogenic meningitis have a lesser risk of mortality if