Hypothesis Testing
February 9th, 2012
Fei Tang, Biostatistician
Biostatistician
Collaboration and Consulting Core
Statistical hypothesis testing is a decision‐making process for evaluating claims about a population based on data obtained from a sample. It is essential in clinical and translational research when one is trying to make inference based on a sample of data that is generalizable to the population from which the sample was obtained. The processes of hypothesis testing and some important definitions of terminology will be presented. Some common test statistics used in hypothesis testing will also be described.
Why You Need To Understand CONSORT When Planning A Clinical Trial
March 8th, 2012
Daniel Feaster, Ph.D
Associate Professor
Division of Biostatistics
The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) is an initiative designed to alleviate the problems arising from inadequate reporting of randomized controlled trials. Nearly all biomedical journals require manuscripts concerning clinical trials to adhere to the CONSORT Guidelines.
Consequently, these guidelines should be reviewed in the process of planning any clinical trial. This presentation will review the CONSORTguidelines and discuss the areas of: Tracking of recruitment and eligibility, randomization, blinding and subject flow, receipt of intervention and loss-to-follow-up. All of these components have substantive implications for the generalizability of results as well as resources implications for conducting the trial.
Sample Size And Power Considerations In Clinical And Translational Research
April 19, 2012
Kaming Lo, MPH
Biostatistician
Collaboration and Consulting Core
Sample size issues are the most common reason why Clinical and Translational Investigators initially request statistical support. This presentation will address why sample size calculation is important in research and how sample size, variability, and effect size affect power (an important term that is closely related to sample size). We will discuss the approaches to some common designs in clinical and translational studies. In addition, we will describe the benefits of collaboration with a statistician in determining the sample size as part of the design phase of an investigation, as well as what an investigator should prepare before the meeting with a statistician to obtain the most reliable results.
