This document provides information about A.THANGAMANI RAMALINGAM, including his contact details and areas of expertise. It then outlines the structure and key aspects of methodology in research, including research design, sample design, observational design, and statistical design. Finally, it discusses common signs of dubious data and misuses of statistics.

1. A.THANGAMANI RAMALINGAM
P.T., M.Sc.psychology, Cspss(Advanced),PGDRM
Lecturer in physiotherapy,
Sarvajanik college of physiotherapy,
Mob: 94264 39169 ,8866384194
email: atramalingam@gmail.com
goldbell_76@yahoo.co.in
METHODOLOGY IN RESEARCH

3. STRATEGY
DATA
HOW
WHEN
WHERE
WHAT
WHICH
WHY

4. STRUCTURE OF METHODOLOGY
Research design
Sample design
Observational design
Statistical design

6. 1.Research design

7. Research design

11. 2.Sample design

12. Statistics is the science of
dealing with numbers

16. 3.Observational design

22. 4.STATISTICAL DESIGN

24. Tests to address the question: Is there a
difference between groups – unpaired
(parallel and independent groups)
situation?
Tests to address the question: Is
there a difference between groups –
paired situation?

25. Tests to address the question: Is there an
association between variables?
Tests to address the question: Is there an
agreement between assessment
(screening / rating / diagnostic)
techniques?

27. 5.Misuses of Statistics
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc.
 Misleading Graphs
 Bad Samples
 Small Samples
Figure 1-1

29. COMMON SIGNS OF DUBIOUS DATA
 Slippery decimal point(eg:4%-1990,7%-2000)
 Botched translations(25% increase in risk)
 Misleading graphs
 Careless calculation
 Big round numbers(bird window deaths)
 Hyperbole(using superlatives)
 Broad definitions
 Odd units of analysis
 Convenient time frame ,selective comparisions,
misleading samples &statistical adjustments
 Short term benefits are converted to longterm benefits

30. Copyright © 2004 Pearson
Education, Inc.
 Bad Samples
 Small Samples
 Misleading Graphs
 Pictographs
 Distorted Percentages
 Loaded Questions
 Order of Questions
 Refusals
 Correlation & Causality
 Self Interest Study
 Precise Numbers
 Partial Pictures
 Deliberate Distortions
Misuses of Statistics

31. News
Nature 418, 113 (11 July 2002)
| doi:10.1038/418113a
 Dubious data remain in print two years after misconduct
inquiry
Alison Abbott & Johanna Schwarz
Many of the 94 scientific papers listed two years ago by a
German inquiry as likely to contain manipulated data
have yet to be retracted from the literature, Nature has
discovered. The suspect papers were identified during a
high-profile investigation into misconduct in German
cancer research, the results of which were published in
June 2000.

32. Resources
 Effective Medical Writing. Peh WCG &, NG K H Singapore Medical
Journal 2008 49(7) 522 smj.sma.org.sg/4907/4907emw1.pdf
 How to read a scientific article. Mary Purugganan & Jan Hewitt, Rice
University
www.owlnet.rice.edu/~cainproj/courses/HowToReadSciArticle.pdf
 How to read a scientific paper. John W. Little & Roy Parker--University
of Arizona www.biochem.arizona.edu/classes/bioc568/papers.htm
 How to read and review a scientific journal article. Duke University
Writing Studio
twp.duke.edu/uploads/media_items/scientificarticlereview.original.p
df

33. Resources
About EBM
 Centre for Evidence-
Based Medicine
(http://www.cebm.net/
)
 Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality
(http://www.ahrq.gov/c
linic/epcix.htm)
Evidence sources
 DynaMed
(www.dynamicmedical.com/)
 Essential Evidence Plus
(www.infopoems.com/)
 Cochrane Library
(www.cochrane.org/)
 Database of Abstracts of
Reviews of Effectiveness
(www.crd.york.ac.uk/crdweb/)
 FPIN (www.fpin.org/)
 Clinical Evidence
(www.clinicalevidence.com/)