Table 2.
Percentages of Correct Pretest and Posttest Answers Second Year (N = 101) and First Year (N = 53) Classes
| Research Concept | Class | Pretest | Posttest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correct (95% CI) | Correct (95% CI) | |||
| 1 | Statistical significance | Second Year‡ | 15.8 (8.7-23.0) | 32.7 (23.5-41.8) |
| First Year | 15.1 (5.5-24.7) | 20.8 (9.8-31.7) | ||
| 2 | Type II error | Second Year‡ | 30.7 (21.7-39.7) | 54.5 (44.7-64.2) |
| First Year | 35.8 (22.9-48.8) | 34.0 (21.2-46.7) | ||
| 3 | Sensitivity-Specificity | Second Year‡ | 51.5 (41.7-61.2) | 71.3 (62.5-80.1) |
| First Year | 47.2 (33.7-60.6) | 52.8 (39.4-66.3) | ||
| 4 | Phases of clinical trials† | Second Year‡ | 43.6 (33.9-53.2) | 74.3 (65.7-82.8) |
| First Year | 43.4 (30.1-56.7) | 37.7 (24.7-50.8) | ||
| 5 | Linear regression | Second Year | 47.5 (37.8-57.3) | 50.5 (40.7-60.2) |
| First Year | 52.8 (39.4-66.3) | 49.1 (35.6-62.5) | ||
| 6 | Essential parts of published research | Second Year | 57.4 (47.8-67.1) | 53.5 (43.7-63.2) |
| First Year | 67.9 (55.4-80.5) | 54.7 (41.3-68.1) | ||
| 7 | Protection of human subjects | Second Year‡ | 11.9 (5.6-18.2) | 40.6 (31.0-50.2) |
| First Year | 13.2 (4.1-22.3) | 13.2 (4.1-22.3) | ||
| 8 | Case-control design* | Second Year | 3.0 (0.0-6.3) | 6.9 (2.0-11.9) |
| First Year | 0.0 (0.0-0.0) | 3.8 (0.0-8.9) | ||
| 9 | Interpretation of results | Second Year | 21.8 (13.7-29.8) | 33.7 (24.4-42.9) |
| First Year | 17.0 (6.9-27.1) | 18.9 (8.3-29.4) | ||
| 10 | Define Bias* | Second Year | 16.8 (9.5-24.1) | 22.8 (14.6-31) |
| First Year | 22.6 (11.4-33.9) | 18.9 (8.3-29.4) | ||
| 11 | Power and sample size * | Second Year | 4.0 (0.2-7.8) | 11.9 (5.6-18.2) |
| First Year | 15.1 (5.5-24.7) | 13.2 (4.1-22.3) | ||
| 12 | Interpretation of descriptive statistics * | Second Year | 35.6 (26.3-45.0) | 45.5 (35.8-55.3) |
| First Year | 45.3 (31.9-58.7) | 37.7 (24.7-50.8) | ||
| 13 | Chi-square statistic | Second Year | 25.7 (17.2-34.3) | 37.6 (28.2-47.1) |
| First Year | 32.1 (19.5-44.6) | 17.0 (6.9-27.1) | ||
| 14 | Validity of results† | Second Year | 68.3 (59.2-77.4) | 70.3 (61.4-79.2) |
| First Year | 77.4 (66.1-88.6) | 71.7 (59.6-83.8) | ||
| 15 | Positive predictive value | Second Year‡ | 14.9 (7.9-21.8) | 34.7 (25.4-43.9) |
| First Year | 13.2 (4.1-22.3) | 9.4 (1.6-17.3) | ||
| 16 | Continuous variables* | Second Year‡ | 12.9 (6.3-19.4) | 30.7 (21.7-39.7) |
| First Year | 35.8 (22.9-48.8) | 22.6 (11.4-33.9) | ||
| 17 | Ordinal variables* | Second Year | 27.7 (19-36.5) | 44.6 (34.9-54.2) |
| First Year | 24.5 (12.9-36.1) | 24.5 (12.9-36.1) | ||
| 18 | Nominal variables* | Second Year | 16.8 (9.5-24.1) | 30.7 (21.7-39.7) |
| First Year‡ | 32.1 (19.5-44.6) | 9.4 (1.6-17.3) | ||
| 19 | Research ethics | Second Year | 28.7 (19.9-37.5) | 24.8 (16.3-33.2) |
| First Year | 20.8 (9.8-31.7) | 22.6 (11.4-33.9) | ||
| 20 | Sample size calculations | Second Year | 12.9 (6.3-19.4) | 26.7 (18.1-35.4) |
| First Year | 24.5 (12.9-36.1) | 15.1 (5.5-24.7) |
* From Windish
† Two possible correct answers
‡ P < 0.05 for pretest and posttest differences