Review of research designs and statistical methods employed in dental postgraduate dissertations.
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Date
2015-07
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Abstract
Context: There is a need to evaluate the quality of postgraduate dissertations of dentistry
submitted to university in the light of the international standards of reporting.
Aims: We conducted the review with an objective to document the use of sampling methods,
measurement standardization, blinding, methods to eliminate bias, appropriate use of statistical
tests, appropriate use of data presentation in postgraduate dental research and suggest and
recommend modifications.
Settings and Design: The public access database of the dissertations from Rajiv Gandhi University
of Health Sciences was reviewed.
Subjects and Methods: Three hundred and thirty‑three eligible dissertations underwent
preliminary evaluation followed by detailed evaluation of 10% of randomly selected dissertations.
The dissertations were assessed based on international reporting guidelines such as strengthening
the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (STROBE), consolidated standards of
reporting trials (CONSORT), and other scholarly resources.
Statistical Analysis Used: The data were compiled using MS Excel and SPSS 10.0. Numbers
and percentages were used for describing the data.
Results: The “in vitro” studies were the most common type of research (39%), followed
by observational (32%) and experimental studies (29%). The disciplines conservative
dentistry (92%) and prosthodontics (75%) reported high numbers of in vitro research. Disciplines
oral surgery (80%) and periodontics (67%) had conducted experimental studies as a major share
of their research. Lacunae in the studies included observational studies not following random
sampling (70%), experimental studies not following random allocation (75%), not mentioning
about blinding, confounding variables and calibrations in measurements, misrepresenting the
data by inappropriate data presentation, errors in reporting probability values and not reporting
confidence intervals. Few studies showed grossly inappropriate choice of statistical tests and
many studies needed additional tests.
Conclusions: Overall observations indicated the need to comply with standard guidelines of
reporting research.
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Keywords
Academic dissertations, peer review of research, quality of research, statistical methods, study design
Citation
Shirahatti Ravi V, Hegde‑Shetiya Sahana. Review of research designs and statistical methods employed in dental postgraduate dissertations. Indian Journal of Dental Research. 2015 July-Aug; 26(4): 427-434.