Features of a Well-designed epidemiological study

Features of a Well-designed epidemiological study

1. Use a representative sample

   • A representative sample is a sample that is taken from the wider population that the conclusion will be applied to so there is no selection bias and the study is the most representative it can be

2. A clear aim

   • a study with a clearly stated hypothesis / aim. the design of the experiment must reflect this hypothesis/aim

3. Valid Results

   • Methods used must produce valid data, measurements will be valid if they provide information on what the study set out to investigate

4. Reliable Results

   • a reliable method produces results that are repeatable and reproducible, when the study is repeated my someone else the results will be similar or the same

5. Sample Size

   • The sample size must be large enough to produce results that could not have been occurred by chance. The larger (and sometimes more varied) the sample size, the more accurate the estimates for the entire population

6. Controlling Variables

   • Matching case and control groups on variables known to correlate with the disease being will ensure that only the factor under investigation is influencing the outcome.