What Researchers Mean By...

Since 2005, the Institute has published a regular column called, "What researchers mean by..." in our newsletter, At Work. The column is designed to help readers better understand what researchers do and the language they use when reporting their findings.

Each of these columns is available as a separate article:

• absolute and relative risk (Fall 2006)
• bias (Summer 2007)
• blinding (Summer 2011)
• confidence intervals (Winter 2007)
• cohort study, case control study, randomized controlled clinical trial (Fall 2005)
• confounding variables (Summer 2005)
• cross-sectional vs. longitudinal studies (Winter 2009)
• data linkage (Spring 2010)
• DOI (Fall 2011)
• effectiveness (Winter 2005)
• generalizability (Summer 2006)
• grey literature (Spring 2008)
• internal validity (Winter 2008)
• mean, median and mode (Summer 2010)
• meta-analysis (Spring 2007)
• missing data (Spring 2009)
• primary data and secondary data (Fall 2008)
• primary, secondary and tertiary prevention (Winter 2006)
• probability (Fall 2010)
• qualitative research (Spring 2011)
• regression (Summer 2009)
• retrospective vs. prospective studies (Winter 2010)
• sample size and power (Summer 2008)
• sampling (Winter 2011)
• statistically adjusted (Fall 2009)
• statistical significance (Spring 2005)
• validity and reliability (Fall 2007)