Table 3.
Comparison and univariate analysis of pre-test and post-test knowledge using Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) format questionnaires.
| Comparison of pre-test and post-test scores | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | Questions | Responses; n | PreTest median (IQR) | PostTest Median (IQR) | Δ Mediana | % Pre-test scoreb | % Post-test scoreb | Δ % Scorec | p-valued |
| Total test 1 | 14 | 2,718 | 8 (6–9) | 10 (8–12) | 2 | 57.1 | 71.4 | 14.3 | <0.001 |
| Category Ae | 5 | 2,718 | 3 (3–4) | 4 (3–4) | 1 | 60 | 80 | 20 | <0.001 |
| Category B | 9 | 2,718 | 4 (3–6) | 7 (5–8) | 3 | 44.4 | 77.8 | 33.3 | <0.001 |
| Total test 2 | 15 | 2,690 | 6 (4–7) | 10 (7–12) | 4 | 40 | 66.7 | 26.7 | <0.001 |
| Category C | 9 | 2,690 | 3 (2–4) | 6 (4–7) | 3 | 33.3 | 66.7 | 33.3 | <0.001 |
| Category D | 6 | 2,690 | 2 (1–3) | 4 (3–5) | 2 | 33.3 | 66.7 | 33.3 | <0.001 |
| Total test 3 | 20 | 2,525 | 8 (6–11) | 12 (8–15) | 4 | 40 | 60 | 20 | <0.001 |
| Category E | 9 | 2,525 | 4 (3–5) | 6 (4–7) | 2 | 44.4 | 66.7 | 22.2 | <0.001 |
| Category F | 11 | 2,525 | 4 (3–6) | 6 (4–8) | 2 | 36.4 | 54.5 | 18.2 | <0.001 |
| Total test 4 | 19 | 2,480 | 5 (4–7) | 8 (5–11) | 3 | 26.3 | 42.1 | 15.8 | <0.001 |
| Category G | 8 | 2,480 | 2 (1–3) | 3 (2–5) | 1 | 25 | 37.5 | 12.5 | <0.001 |
| Category H | 11 | 2,480 | 3 (2–4) | 5 (3–7) | 2 | 27.3 | 45.5 | 18 | <0.001 |
| Overall | 68 | 2,093 | 27 (22–32) | 41 (31–48) | 14 | 39.7 | 60.3 | 20.6 | <0.001 |
| Univariate stratified analysis (n = 2,093) | |||||||||
| Variable | Questions | Responses n (%) | Pre-test median (IQR) | Post-test median (IQR) |
Δ Mediana |
% Pre-test score b | % Post-test score b |
Δ
% score c |
p -value d |
| Gender | <0.001 | ||||||||
| Female | 1,532 (73.2) | 27 (23–32) | 41 (32–48) | 14 | 39.7 | 60.3 | 20.6 | ||
| Male | 549 (26.2) | 27 (22–23) | 38 (29–47) | 11 | 39.7 | 55.9 | 16.2 | ||
| Not Reported | 12 (0.6) | 26 (22–33) | 43 (24–48) | 17 | 38.2 | 63.2 | 25 | ||
| MBBS year | 0.076 | ||||||||
| 1st Year | 68 | 466 (22.2) | 26 (21–31) | 39 (29–46) | 13 | 38.2 | 57.4 | 19.1 | |
| 2nd Year | 540 (25.8) | 27 (22–32) | 41 (31–48) | 14 | 39.7 | 60.3 | 20.6 | ||
| 3rd Year | 379 (18.1) | 27 (21–31) | 40 (32–47) | 13 | 39.7 | 58.8 | 19.1 | ||
| 4th Year | 417 (19.9) | 28 (23–33) | 41 (33–49) | 13 | 41.2 | 60.3 | 19.1 | ||
| 5th Year | 291 (13.9) | 29 (23–35) | 42 (32–50) | 13 | 42.6 | 61.8 | 19.1 | ||
| Institution | <0.001 | ||||||||
| Private | 1,301 (62.2) | 27 (22–32) | 42 (33–49) | 15 | 39.7 | 61.8 | 22.1 | ||
| Public | 792 (37.8) | 27 (22–32) | 38 (29–46) | 11 | 39.7 | 55.9 | 16.2 | ||
Δ Median denotes change in median which is calculated by (Post-test median – Pre-test median).
% has been calculated using (median/maximum score) ×100.
Δ % Score denotes change in score which is calculated by (%Post-test median – % Pre-test median).
P-value was calculated using Wilcoxon signed-rank test (comparing pre-test median and post-test median scores) since the post-tests were left-skewed.
Category A, Research question, hypothesis, steps and communication; Category B, Bioethics of research; FFP, confidentiality; Category C, Concepts important to literature search, search engines, MESH, DOI and IF; Category D, Application of literature search techniques; Category E, Abstract writing and SMART objectives; Category F, Manuscript components and writing, authorship and acknowledgments; Category G, Concepts important to referencing - significance, styles and softwares; Category H, Application of referencing on EndNote and Mendeley.