SubjectsSubjects(version: 992)
Course, academic year 2025/2026
   
Methodology - C4VL003
Title: Metodologie
Form of teaching: practical classes
Guaranteed by: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics 3FM CU (12-EPID)
Faculty: Third Faculty of Medicine
Actual: from 2024
Duration in semesters: 1
Semester: both
Points: 2
E-Credits: 2
Examination process:
Hours per week, examination: 4/6, C [HS]
Capacity: winter:unknown / unknown (unknown)
summer:unknown / unknown (unknown)
Maximum number of enrolled students: unlimited
Min. number of students: unlimited
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
Key competences:  
State of the course: taught
Language: Czech, English
Teaching methods: full-time
Level:  
Repeated enrollment: 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Note: you can enroll for the course in winter and in summer semester
Guarantor: MUDr. Eliška Selinger
Schedule   
Annotation -
The goal of the Methodology course is to provide students with tools that should be used to assess information from the continuously increasing numbers of scientific publications. The course provides with general introduction into the topic of causality and validity of studies. Students practice methodological aspects of studies that are set into the clinical context, analyze sources of bias in publications and get acquainted with some statistical methods.
Last update: Brennan Kearns Pavla, doc. MUDr., Ph.D. (12.12.2019)
Aim of the course -

Students should gain the following

SKILLS: 

  • recognize:
    • study design
    • sources of confounding, selection bias and misclassification
    • possibility for causal interpretation of results
  • analyse:
    • effects of bias on study results
    • internal and external validity of study results 
    • strengths and limitations of studies given their design
  • assess adequacy of:
    • study design utilized for the research question
    • utilized statistical methods
    • interpretation of results given the utilized design and statistical methods
  • demonstrate:
    • orientation in scientific literature
    • ability to prioritize studies of higher quality
    • effective communication of critical appraisal of scientific studies

ATTITUDES

  • understand ethical perspective of research, principles of informed consent, balance between risk and benefits for study participants
  • understand the necessity to apply principle of critical appraisal of scientific literature for health promotion and improvement of health care
  • consider as a priority to integrate adequate scientific data into real clinical setting, given the strentghs and limitations of studies 

KNOWLEDGE

  • demonstrate understanding of the following concepts:
    • association, correlation, causality
    • precision and validity
    • confounding, selection bias, misclassification
  • describe differences between 
    • principles of experimental and observational studies
    • random and systematic errors
    • type I and type II errors
  • list:
    • criteria for determining causality
    • sampling methods
    • basic types of observational and experimental studies
Last update: Brennan Kearns Pavla, doc. MUDr., Ph.D. (09.09.2020)
Course completion requirements -

The credits will be awarded for Group work task.

Last update: Selinger Eliška, MUDr. (25.09.2025)
Literature -

 

Last update: Brennan Kearns Pavla, doc. MUDr., Ph.D. (12.12.2019)
Teaching methods -

The course is taught in the form of five practical exercises. As part of the exercises, students independently complete assigned tasks focused on critical thinking and the evaluation of medical studies.

Last update: Selinger Eliška, MUDr. (25.09.2025)
Syllabus -

Topics:

1) Searching for causes

2) Bias in studies and their evaluation

3) Clinical questions within EBM

4) Searching for evidence

5) Applying knowledge in practice

Last update: Selinger Eliška, MUDr. (25.09.2025)
Course registration requirements -

It is necessary to prepare for practices in advance. Details on preparation are published on Výuka.

 

Last update: Selinger Eliška, MUDr. (29.09.2022)
 
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