Research projects (A&F) surgical session topics (session 2) Spring 2026

Research projects (A&F) surgical session topics (session 2) Spring 2026

First of all: a checklist to evaluate acceptability of the research proposal and a note on how to refine research objectives in your proposal: an illustration.

Also take a look at some examples of research objectives.

To begin with: a brief note on positivism.

The main theme is correlation analysis

1. On covariance [video]; demonstration of Excel

a. basic concept of correlation video: understanding correlation.
b. note the difference with causal relations. [also study the video on causal relationships]

c. a video: types of variables (detailed).

d. on mediators and moderators & control variables in correlation modelling. (further discussion of the mediator under the topic of intervening variables)./ a brief note on the moderating variable.  Also study a video on confounding variables. Also a blog note on the terms used in correlation analysis: about variables./ a note on variable types.

e. Correlation analysis: its limitations.

f. How to include variables into the multiple regression formula?
1.1 scatter diagram
*** basic tutorial video on scatterplot and linear correlation
(also refer to: https://www.excel-easy.com/examples/trendline.html), and coefficient of determination. A related video on the coefficient of determination/ correlation; a video on coefficient of determination and another one on the coefficient of correlation (steps).
*** on Simpson's Paradox [video]; a note on Simpson's paradox.
1.2 Data->data analysis -> regression

2. Videos: 

2.1 * the normal distribution./ * understanding the central limit theorem./ standardized normal distribution./ standard error briefing 1/ standard error : briefing 2.

2.2 on P-value and significance test/ Z-tests (also see p-value and alpha).
Also see slides on P-value.

2.3 * video: one tailed and two tailed tests, and critical values.

3. Correlation hypothesis statements
3.1. Examples

3.2 hypothesis testing with correlation hypothesis statement: part 1

3.3 hypothesis testing with correlation hypothesis statement: part 2

3.4. a brief one on hypothesis testing with correlation hypothesis statement.

For formulation of one-tailed test, some clarification about the null hypothesis related to correlation:

a. for right tailed test, use b ≤ 0 [b less than or equal to 0]

b. for left tailed test, use b ≥ 0 [ b is greater than or equal to 0]

Also study this blog note on one-tailed test and two-tailed test.

3.5. A video on falsification.

4. On multiple regression analysis

** Introductory video: simple linear regression./ do a linear regression on Excel.

4,1 multiple linear regression. part 1

4.2 multiple linear regression part 2.

4.3 multiple linear regression - evaluating basic models.

4.4 Interpreting Excel regression report. (also take a look at the topic of anova). (now study this online info also).

4.5 For students interested in panel data regression analysis, study this e-resource on panel research design.

5. On literature search to justify choice of variables to be used to formulate hypothesis statements: a practice note.

e-resources:

Two videos on study of research validity: internal validity and external validity & internal validity.

Another topic: a collection of notes on literature review of an academic article.