Epidemiological Methods and Measurements

Week 3: Discussion- Epidemiological Methods and Measurements

Purpose:

This discussion board content is intended to facilitate learning for students through engaging dialogues as they achieve the desired learning outcomes/competencies associated with their course in a manner that empowers them to organize, integrate, apply and critically appraise their knowledge to their selected field of practice.

The use of discussions provides students with opportunities to contribute graduate level-appropriate knowledge and experience to the topic in a safe, caring, and fluid environment that models professional and social interaction. The ebb and flow of a discussion is based upon the composition of student and faculty interaction in the quest for relevant scholarship.

Participation in the discussion generates opportunities for students to actively engage in the written ideas of others by carefully reading, researching, reflecting, and responding to the contributions of their peers and course faculty. Discussions foster the development of members into a community of learners as they share ideas and inquiries, consider perspectives that may be different from their own, and integrate knowledge from other disciplines.

Due Date:

· Initial prompt due by Wednesday, 11:59 PM MT of week 1

· One peer and one faculty or two peer posts due by Sunday 11:59 PM MT of week 1

A 10% late penalty will be imposed for initial discussions posted after the weekly deadline regardless of the number of days late. No postings will be accepted after 11:59pm MT on Sunday (i.e. student will receive an automatic 0). Week 8 discussion closes on Saturday at 11:59pm MT.

Total Points: 60 Points

Assignment Requirements

1. Utilizing the list below, choose two research methods.

2. Next, find two articles, one on each of the chosen methods, from the Chamberlain College library, or you may use one that is provided within the course and one you find from the library. The articles should be related to population health and infectious disease, chronic health, occupational health, global health, genomics, or environmental health:

· Randomized Control Trial

· Cohort Study

· Case-Control Study

· Cross-Sectional

3. Read each article and answer the following questions with detail for each article, include succinct definitions/examples or rationale as fitting to the question. Organize your answers using the number of the question you are answering (1-8). Your answers should provide more than a “yes” or “no”, your answers should provide examples, critical thinking, definitions, and examples.

· Does the study design specify a question, goal, of the study? Why is this important?

· Explain the methodology (Randomized Control Trial, Cohort Study, Case-Control Study).

· Describe the participant information, include recruitment. Is selection bias present?

· How is data collected?

· Are the variables identified? If yes, discuss. If no, how does this impact your interpretation of the study?

· How was the data analyzed, what statistics are provided? What are potential errors related to the study design?

· What are the weaknesses of the type of study design/method?

· Discuss the outcomes and the implications for implementation.

4. Post your analysis of the research studies to the DB. Your analysis should have in-text citations and utilize a scholarly voice with APA formatting. You may choose to write a Word doc and upload your doc to the discussion board for this week.

5. Respond to a total of two posts; either two (2) peer posts or a peer and faculty post, with a minimum of one paragraph of 4-5 sentences for each of their articles. Your reply post should integrate in-text citation(s) and be formatted with APA and a scholarly voice.

**To see view the grading criteria/rubric, please click on the 3 dots in the box at the end of the solid gray bar above the discussion board title and then Show Rubric.

DISCUSSION CONTENT
Category	Points	%	Description
Scholarly	13	22%	· The student actively stimulates and sustains inquiry by making reflective insightful comments, asking thoughtful questions and/or engaging in a scholarly discussion. · The student expresses a clear idea of the topic under discussion and sustains inquiry in order to explore relevant issues. · The student recognizes values or values conflict as things that form the assumption basis of arguments and recognizes when it is important to acknowledge these values. · The student recognizes the accuracy, logic, relevance, or clarity of statements. · The student asks clarifying questions and knows when clarifying questions need to be asked. · The student distinguishes fact from opinion.
Application	20	33%	· All components of discussion prompt addressed (met) in *initial* posting. · The student’s writing conveys an understanding of significant ideas relevant to the issue under discussion. This is indicated by integration of course and weekly objectives, as well as readings from text and articles. · All posts should make correct use of terminology, precise selection of the pieces of information required to make a point, correct and appropriate use of examples and counterexamples, demonstrations of which distinctions are important to make, and explanations that are concise and to the point. · Information and knowledge are accurate. · The student elaborates statements with accurate explanations, reasons, or evidence from the course and/or weekly objectives. · All postings integrate scholarly sources to support points consistently.
Interactive Dialogue	10	16.6%	· Responds to ideas in a way that advances discussion with engagement, depth, rigor, and application. · Interacts with a professional tone and is able to express opinions with ownership and without judgement. · Chooses to include professional experience to the discussion board mindful of appropriateness and boundaries. Experience is integrated as it supports the discussion board topic and utilizes scholarly references to support overall topic.
	43	72%	Total CONTENT Points= 43 pts
DISCUSSION FORMAT
Category	Points	%	Description
APA	12	20%	· In text citations are formatted per APA 6th ed. · Reference list is formatted per APA 6th ed. · Spelling, grammar, and scholarly tone are per APA 6th ed.
Spelling / Grammar etc.	5	8%	· Posts should utilize correct spelling and grammar (sentence structure and avoidance of slang or casual language).
	17	28%	Total FORMAT Points=17 pts
	60	100%	DISCUSSION TOTAL=60 points