MEDICAL WRITING & STATISTICS ADVANCED
DAY 1 - HOW TO READ AND UNDERSTAND STATISTICS
Medium of instruction: English and Polish
Clinical research is involved with the comparison of groups of people and statistics are required for this. As scientific communicators, we need to understand not how to do statistical testing and calculations, but rather how to understand what the statistical methods are attempting to show and how to correctly interpret the results.
By completing the course you will understand the following and how to report them:
- Study populations to be analyzed: intent-to-treat, per-protocol, safety-evaluable.
- Descriptive statistics: mean, median, range, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, box plot, normal and non-normal distributions, parametric and nonparametric tests,
- Estimates and confidence intervals: probability, standard error of the mean, p-values
- Sample size calculations
- Correlation and regression analyses: r, p and the 95% CI for a correlation
- Different Kaplan-Meier plots and the elements of reporting Kaplan-Meier analyses
During the morning sessions we will explore some very basic but extremely important statistical concepts: kinds of variables, levels of measurement, descriptive statistics, point estimates, confidence intervals, and sample size calculations. The emphasis will be on understanding statistical concepts as well as reporting the results and what they mean. An exercise will allow participants to analyze the weaknesses and suggest improvements in some real statistical calculations.
The afternoon sessions will focus on understanding correlation and regression analyses and the analysis of survival as used in clinical trials. We will learn the basics of regression analyses such as the difference between r, p and the 95% CI for a correlation followed by interpreting different Kaplan-Meier graphs and the different elements of reporting Kaplan-Meier analyses. The appropriate graphical and tabular presentation of these analyses will be discussed and will be practiced using exercises. The essential elements of these analyses will be presented: pre-requisites, basic definitions, graphical and tabular presentation, but will concentrate on the interpretation.
Celem części warsztatów prowadzonych w języku polskim będzie zapoznanie uczestników spotkania z omawianymi podczas części wykładowej i seminaryjnej zagadnieniami statystycznymi w praktyce. Na podanych przykładach będziemy planować obliczenia statystyczne, wybierać testy oraz interpretować uzyskane wyniki w formie graficznej i tabelarycznej ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem krzywych przeżycia. Dodatkowo przygotujemy wzorcowy opis metod statystycznych do celów publikacyjnych z uwzględnieniem zaleceń wymaganych w czasopismach z tzw. listy filadelfijskiej.
Leaders:
DAY 2 - MEDICAL WRITING
Medium of instruction: English
In this workshop we will examine the structure of manuscripts, and you will learn how to write abstracts, how the peer-review process works and how to write effectively in English – for example, what makes text easy to read, using paragraphs to get your message across, use and misuse of jargon and medical terminology – and what to do when you receive the referees’ comments. The aim of this course is to provide professional support to authors and would-be authors of medical papers. Participants will acquire up-to-date information on the requirements for submitting articles, publication structure and common problems encountered by authors, plus some of the “tricks of the trade” that professional writers use
The morning will consists of lectures followed by breakout sessions in the afternoon. In these breakout sessions, participants will work in small groups on real-life practical tasks designed to reinforce the messages contained in the lectures. In these small group sessions you will work with our experienced trainers in an interactive manner.
By completing the course you will be able to:
- Write a structured abstract which meets the congress requirements and at the same time captures the critical points of your study, describes your results clearly and consistently, and raises interest
- Write a manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal so that it has the best chance of being accepted by the editor and referees.
- Write a covering letter
- Critically review a publication, point out the pitfalls and to come up with ideas for an improved version.
- Write a letter to an editor in response to your publication being turned down.
The trainers are researchers with many peer-reviewed publications, and professional medical writers, all with wide experience in data presentation at international meetings and writing scientific and medical papers for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Leaders:
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