Behavioral Sciences Research Core

Services

• Study Planning and Design
• Data Collection and Entry
• Data Management
• Data Analysis
• Report Preparation
• Education

Study Planning and Design

• Choosing an appropriate randomization technique.
• Choosing the appropriate sampling technique.
• Sample size estimization and power analysis.
• Proposal development.

Data Collection and Entry

• Survey design.
• Creation of individualized computer data entry programs
  • EPI INFO Manuals
  • Pascal programming language.
  • Optical marks recognition (scanner) form design and programming.
  • Other methods.
• Survey design methodology.
• Data entry services.
  • Training.
  • Human entry.
  • Optical marks recognition (scanner).

Data Management

• Translation of databases to appropriate formats for statistical analysis.
• Assure quality and integrity of data.
• Merge datasets.
• Programs transformations of the data for statistical analysis.

Data Analysis

• Descriptive Statistics
  • Means, medians, modes, standard deviations, etc.
  • Frequency distributions.
  • Stem-and-leaf displays.
  • Box plots.
• Graphic plots
• Univariate analyses, including:
  • T-tests.
  • Chi-squares (crosstabs).
  • Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), including repeated measures and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA).
  • Correlational analysis.
  • Nonparametric tests such as
    • Mann-Whitney U
    • Kolmogorov-Smirnov
    • Wald-Wolfowitz
    • Kruskal-Wallis
    • Cochran
    • Friedman
    • Kendall
    • Wilcoxon
    • Exact tests for small samples
• Categorical data analysis, including:
  • Log-linear modeling
  • Logistic regression
• Survival analysis and Life tables
• Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and
• Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA)
• Discriminant analysis
• Linear regression
• Factor analysis -- Exploratory and Confirmatory
• Structural modeling (LISREL)
• Hierarchical linear models
• Survey analysis, including
  • Item analysis
  • Psychometric analysis
• ROC analysis
• Meta-analysis techniques
• Program evaluation and quality assurance research
• Health services research and medical outcomes research

Report Preparation

• Create tables and graphical representations of data.
• Assist in the writing up of results for presentations and publication.
• Respond to reviews from reviewers of funding agencies and journals.

Education

• Present monthly seminars on Basic Research Methods at UMMC.
• Available for workshops and seminars.
• Advise and review applicants for UMMC internal grants.
• Sponsor a statistical users group.
• Publish a biannual UMMC newsletter, Correlations. Maintain this website.