Handling Data

7.10.05

Data = facts given from which others can be inferred.

Own sources of data:
• Text books etc.
• Own research, including research papers and web pages.
• Also use data in clinical practice
-drug dosages
-quality assurance
-clinical audit
etc.

Resources and support materials:
• Virtual resources
-text-based presentations
-virtual presentations.

Assessment:
• Year 1
-Paper 1
-Paper 2.
• Year 2 and Year 4
-Paper 1
-Paper 3.
• Year 3
-Paper
-Critical thinking module.
• Year 5 - SAMP
• Will not be asked to calculate statistical test in exams.
• Expected to understand and use proper terminology.

Data summary measures
What sort of data?
• The type of data.
• Categorical data (qualitative).
• Continuous data (numerical, quantitative)
-can take any value within a range.
• NOIR
-nominal
-ordinal
-interval
-ratio.

Categorical data summarised as percentage. Percentages ARE NOT continuous data.

Measures of location - summary measures used to describe data include:
• Median.
• Mean.
• Mode.

Measures of spread - summarises scatter or dispersion of data:
• Range.
• Percentiles/quartiles.
• Inter-quartile range.
• Variance.
• Standard deviation.

Derived data - based on data, certain information can be derived:
• Rate.
• Incidence.
• Severity of condition.

Rates
• Measures frequency of occurrence.
• Important when making comparisons.

Probability - summarises chance.

Approaches to calculating probability:
• Subjective - personal belief.
• Frequentist - based on observation.
• A priori - theoretical model ie. calculate from theoretical model.
• Frequentist and theoretical used most in data handling.