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Re: [OCC-HEALTH] Research Terminology Judging by what my daughter has had to cover in her MSc in Occupational Psychology I bet you excel at “sums” Kevin. She is even helping her friend who is in the second year of a Maths degree with her stats course. I much prefer what many hard core statisticians would consider the pink and fluffy approach to data collection -  the qualitative approach.

Have you come across the Derek Rowntree book “Statistics without Tears” published by Penguin ISBN0 14-013632-0? Not sure if it is still in print but it is what made statistics make a (bit more) sense to me. It is great for students who work in health care as he uses examples which make sense such he uses the height, systolic blood pressure reading, etc of a group of people to explain statistical principles.

If still available, another easy reading resource for those who don’t take to stats like a duck to water:

Adamantios Diamantopoulos, Bodo Schlegelmiclch  Taking the fear out of data analysis. Published by Dryden Press ISBN 0-03-099006-8
It did for me what it says in the title. The most difficult part of this book is being able to remember, let alone spell, the names of the two authors.

Happy reading

Anne Harriss
Course Director
LONDON SOUTH BANK UNIVERSITY


On 09/06/2011 10:44, "Kevin Maguire" <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]> wrote:

These terms belong to one (big) branch of research, that of sums (they call it statistics but they’re just sums).  Quantitative researchers like big sums.  Qualitative researchers sample knowledge and ideas rather than units and so have different ways of analysing and describing.   Sums tend to be taught by people who love sums and they forget that most people just want to use them so don’t be blinded by terminology.  Think conceptually: what do I want to find out? What is the best way of finding that out?  This will keep you sane.  Letting the tail wag the dog is not so good for sanity.
 
Research methods are best learnt In a controlled but experiential manner.  If you want to learn specifically about statistical techniques (especially in relation to epidemiology), there are plenty of courses around: every MPH will teach you such stuff.  Every Higher Ed Institution will offer relevant  courses on quantitative methods if you are just interested in that aspect.
 
Good luck with your sums.
 
Kevin  
 
PS I ought to add that I am not anti-sums.  It’s just that I agree with  a mathematical friend who used to say: statistics is too important to leave to mathematicians.
 
 
Dr. Kevin MAGUIRE CPsychol MCIEH, Senior Lecturer, Division of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Burton Street, Nottingham, NG1 4BU. UK. Telephone ++ 44 (0) 115 848 5540

From: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Smolen, Mary
Sent: 09 June 2011 09:01
To: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [OCC-HEALTH] Back Pain.. better not to do "back exercises"
Very interesting.  Thank you Diane.  Would be interesting to see what Physios have to say about it.
 
Incidentally does anyone know of a resource to help me understand the terminology used in research studies?  Prior to my commencement of the OH degree last year I did a distance-learning module on Research but this did not fully equip me to get all these words like ‘linear and logistic regression models’ or ‘adjusted odds ratios’.  I would LOVE to understand every word I read!!  Is there a course available or something?
 

Mary Smolen
Staff Nurse
Occupational Health Department
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Castle Lane East
Bournemouth
BH7 7DW
Tel:  01202 704215
Fax:  01202 704513
To email confidential information to me from a source outside the RBCH NHS Trust,  please email
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-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Diane Romano-Woodward
Sent: 08 June 2011 22:23
To: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Subject: [OCC-HEALTH] Back Pain.. better not to do "back exercises"

Hello Listy

I cam across this article form a reputable USA university on 681 people  with low back pain

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16186460
These results suggest that individuals with low back pain should refrain from specific back exercises and instead focus on nonspecific physical activities to reduce pain and improve psychological health.

Food for thought...

Diane
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