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Office of Research and Scholarly Activity


A message from the Vice Provost

Welcome to the Office of Research where RVU’s growing research culture is fueled by curiosity, innovation, and our desire to advance medical education and evidence-based practices!

The mission of the office of research is to advance, promote, and celebrate all research and scholarly activities occurring within the Rocky Vista University community. The diversity and inclusion of all participants and of varied perspectives is an essential element to achieve this mission.

Student research and scholarly activity is a vital part of health provider education.  It supports and solidifies osteopathic principles and tenets in its interconnectedness to the practice of medicine.  Whether you are an aspiring RVU student, a current student, faculty, alumni, or a community advocate I invite you to explore the research resources on our website and reach out to me with any questions or suggestions.

Amanda Brooks, PHD
Vice Provost of Research and Scholarly Activity

New Breakthroughs Await

Student research and scholarly activity is a vital part of the hands-on, real-world medical education experience that RVU emphasizes in our culture and curriculums. 

The office of research is committed to providing equitable access to research opportunities that promote the advancement of educational, biomedical, and clinical sciences.

Med students working in a group.

We support all areas of research including:

  • basic biological
  • translational
  • educational
  • epidemiological
  • DEI-related
  • clinical
  • osteopathic practice studies

Equitable support for these areas includes:

  • expert mentorship
  • statistical consulting
  • an intramural grant program
  • travel funds
  • special events to facilitate networking

Upcoming Events

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Research Week 2023

Explore the results and explorations from Research Week 2023, when faculty, staff, and students come together to share ideas and insights.

Latest research news from the Office of Research and Scholarly Activity

RVU Research Strategic Plan 2023-2028

Dive into the key areas of focus that uphold the principles of our strong and growing research program.

Med students working in a group smiling.

Scholarly Activity How-To’s

Explore many reports, resources, and departments that support the scholarly activity at RVU.

Literature Reviews

A literature review surveys previously published research on a particular topic. A literature review should be performed for all research projects.  Literature reviews help the researcher understand the existing body of knowledge on your topic and identify research gaps. A literature review can also help you to develop your research question and to identify relevant sources.

Several types of literature reviews exist:

  • Scoping reviews: A scoping review is a type of literature review that aims to map the existing evidence on a particular topic.  understanding the state of the art on a topic and identifying gaps in the research.
  • Narrative literature reviews: These are the most common type of literature review. They provide a comprehensive overview of the existing research on a particular topic. Narrative literature reviews are typically written in a narrative style, and they do not use a systematic approach to identify, select, and evaluate the literature.
  • Systematic literature reviews: These reviews are more rigorous than narrative literature reviews. They use a systematic approach to identify, select, and evaluate the literature.
  • Meta-analyses: These reviews combine the results of multiple studies to provide a more comprehensive overview of the research. Meta-analyses typically use statistical methods to combine the results of the studies

In addition to these types of literature reviews, there are also a number of other types of literature reviews that are used in specific disciplines. For example, in the field of medicine, there are clinical reviews that summarize the evidence on the effectiveness of medical treatments. In the field of education, there are literature reviews that summarize the research on a particular educational topic.

The type of literature review that you choose will depend on the purpose of your research. If you are simply trying to understand the existing body of knowledge on a topic, then a narrative literature review may be sufficient. However, if you are conducting a more rigorous research study, then you may need to use a systematic literature review or a meta-analysis.

Steps to Researching and Presenting a Literature Review

The steps involved in writing a literature review are as follows:

  1. Choose a topic. The first step is to choose a topic for your literature review. This topic should be narrow enough to be manageable but broad enough to provide enough information to write a comprehensive review.
  2. Conduct a literature search. Once you have chosen a topic, you need to conduct a literature search to identify the relevant sources. This can be done by searching online databases, such as Google Scholar or PubMed, or by consulting with a librarian. It is VERY important to consider asking the librarians to help evaluate your keyword searches.
  3. Evaluate the sources. Once you have identified the relevant sources, you need to evaluate them to determine their relevance, quality, and credibility. This involves considering the author’s expertise, the publication’s reputation, and the study’s methodology.
  4. Summarize the sources. Once you have evaluated the sources, you need to summarize the key findings of each source. This can be done in a table or in a narrative format.
  5. Analyze the findings. Once you have summarized the findings of the sources, you need to analyze them to identify the key themes and trends. This involves looking for patterns and relationships between the findings.
  6. Write the literature review. Once you have analyzed the findings, you can start writing your literature review. The introduction should provide an overview of the topic, the body should discuss the key findings, and the conclusion should summarize the main points of the review.

Here are some additional tips for writing a literature review:

  • Be clear and concise.
  • Use proper grammar and punctuation.
  • Cite your sources correctly.
  • Avoid plagiarism.
  • Proofread your work carefully before submitting it.

A well-written literature review can be a valuable tool for researchers. It can help you to identify the key issues in your field, to develop a research question, and to support the findings of your research study.

Overview to Researching a Literature Review

1. Establish the research area, topics and questions you want to address.

The first step in defining your research scope is to establish the research area, topics, and questions you want to address. What are you interested in learning more about? What are the key questions you want to answer? Once you have a good understanding of the research area, you can start to narrow down your focus.

  1. Make a list of keywords (including synonyms) and main concepts linked to your research topic.

Once you have a good understanding of the research area, you can start to make a list of keywords (including synonyms) and main concepts linked to your research topic. This will help you to focus your research and to identify relevant sources.

  1. Establish the connections between these concepts and your research question with a concept map.

A concept map is a visual representation of the relationships between different concepts. It can be a helpful tool for understanding the connections between your research question and the key concepts in your research area.

  1. Set some additional parameters to your searches like publication date, geographical coverage, and related disciplines.

Once you have a good understanding of your research scope, you can start to set some additional parameters to your searches. This will help you to find the most relevant sources for your research. For example, you may want to limit your searches to sources that were published within the last five years, or that focus on a particular geographical region.

  1. Review your research scope regularly and make adjustments as needed.

It is important to review your research scope regularly and make adjustments as needed. As you learn more about your research topic, you may find that you need to narrow your focus or change your research questions. It is also important to be flexible and to be willing to adapt your research scope as needed.

Here are some additional tips for defining your research scope:

  • Be specific. The more specific your research scope is, the easier it will be to find relevant sources and to conduct your research.
  • Be realistic. It is important to be realistic about the scope of your research. If you try to do too much, you may end up feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.
  • Be flexible.

Managing References

Managing references is critical when performing a literature review. Several citation managers exist including EndNote, Word (built-in), Mandalay, and Zotero,

We recommend Zotero as it is a free, open-source, and easy-to-learn reference manager that helps you collect, organize, cite, and share your research sources. It can be used by students, researchers, and anyone else who needs to keep track of their research materials.

Here are some of the benefits of using Zotero:

  • It is cross-platform, so you can use it on your computer, phone, or tablet.
  • It has a powerful search engine that makes it easy to find your sources.
  • It allows you to organize your sources in a variety of ways, such as by type, author, or date.
  • It automatically generates citations in a variety of styles, such as APA, MLA, and Chicago.
  • It allows you to share your sources with others.

Here are some steps on how to use Zotero for reference management:

  1. Watch Zotero Training video.  Many training videos exist, but here is an excellent one.
  2. Create a Zotero account. You can create a free account on the Zotero website.
  3. Install the Zotero software. Zotero is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
  4. Connect Zotero to your web browser. Zotero can be connected to a variety of web browsers, such as Firefox, Chrome, and Safari.
  5. Start adding your sources. You can add sources to Zotero by entering the information manually, or by importing them from a variety of sources, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Library of Congress.
  6. Organize your sources. You can organize your sources in a variety of ways, such as by type, author, or date.
  7. Generate citations. Zotero can automatically generate citations in a variety of styles, such as APA, MLA, and Chicago.
  8. Share your sources. You can share your sources with others by exporting them in a variety of formats, such as PDF, HTML, and plain text.

Writing a Literature Review

The course instructors highly recommend that the researchers should identify a model paper and outline that paper.

A literature review typically includes the following sections:

  • Introduction: This section provides an overview of the topic and introduces the research question.
  • Literature review: This section discusses the existing research on the topic, including the key findings and limitations of the research.
  • Discussion: This section discusses the implications of the literature review for your research question.
  • Conclusion: This section summarizes the key points of the literature review and provides an overview of your research project.

A literature review should be written in a clear and concise style and free of errors. It is important to cite your sources throughout the literature review and to include a comprehensive and accurate list of references at the end of the paper.

Using Literature Review Software (DistillerSR)

There are many software tools out there to manage references during a literature review including Rayyan and DistillerSR.  Some researchers use their citation manager or Excel.  Dr. Brooks uses DistillerSR. (see here for background info). If you and Dr. Brooks decide to use DistillerSR, here is a brief tutorial on how to use DistillerSR:

  1. Ask Dr. Brooks to create an account for you and create a project.
  2. Sign in. You can create an account for free on the DistillerSR website. Once you have created an account, you can sign in and view your project.
  3. Design your search terms. Spend some time and optimize your search terms. Share your search terms with Dr. Brooks.
  4. Import references. Dr. Brooks will import references from PubMed, Google Scholar, or other sources with you during a meeting using your search terms. Once you have imported references, you can view them in the “References” tab.
  5. Discuss the workflow so Dr. Brooks can create forms. You can create forms to extract data from references. Discuss the workflow with Dr. Brooks, who will create the forms and workflow with you during a meeting.
  6. Review references. The “Reviews” tab shows you which references have been reviewed and which have not. You can also view the data that has been extracted by each reviewer.
  7. Generate reports. You can generate reports to summarize the findings of your review. To generate a report, click on the “Reports” tab and then click on the “Generate Report” button. You can then select the type of report you want to generate.

Additional Resources

Case Reports

A case report is a manuscript detailing a clinical encounter with a patient.   While any case could be the focus of a case report, for publication, a case report usually requires the case to be novel to medical professionals, who will learn from the write-up. If a case report is interesting, it facilitates the ability to publish the manuscript of the case report. If a case report is interesting but not novel, presenting the case as a grand round may be the best option for presenting the case. The important items to consider for case reports are:

  • Novelty of the case: The case should be rare or unusual in order to be of interest to other healthcare professionals.
  • Significance of the case: The case is better when it is more prevalent.
  • Completeness of the case: The case should be well-documented and should include all of the relevant information.
  • Ethical considerations: It is important to consider the ethical implications of writing up a case report. For example, you should obtain the patient’s consent before publishing the case report.

Case reports are commonly of the following categories:

  • Rare diseases or causes
  • Unusual presentation (symptom or symptomology) of disease
  • Unusual combination of diseases (sometimes related)
  • Difficult or inconclusive diagnosis
  • Novel treatment  or challenges in treatment
  • Anatomical variations

When presenting a case report, especially writing, the most important aspect of the write-up is telling the story related to the novelty.

A case report generally follows the following outline:

  1. Introduction- (includes significance and novelty of the patient, the typical presentation of the disease, and/or the standard of care). The introduction is usually 2-3 paragraphs.
  2. Case presentation (symptoms)- The presentation is usually 1 -2 paragraphs.
  3. Observations (exam findings, patient history, and results of lab tests). Observations are usually 1 -2 paragraphs.
  4. Diagnosis including differential- The Diagnosis section is usually 1 -2 paragraphs.
  5. Treatment- The Treatment section is usually 1 -2 paragraphs.
  6. Outcome- The Outcome section is usually 1 paragraph.
  7. Discussion  (tied back to introduction). The Discussion may include an optional literature review. The Discussion is commonly 3-5 paragraphs.

A Case Report write-up is generally not challenging. Generally, the difficulty lies in the paperwork. A case report requires IRB approval. The IRB will grant an exemption for a case report when patient information is anonymized and/or patient consent is received. RVU uses Axiom mentor software for IRB processes (see handouts for help on submitting the IRB). A case study exception is relatively quick. Commonly, protected health information will be part of the case report write-up so that HIPAA will apply. RVU has a fax line to secure medical records in a HIPPA-compliant manner.

If possible, obtain informed consent before starting to write the case report. A blank patient consent form can be found on the RVU research website, or many journals or institutions have their own form. Some journals require their patient consent form (e.g., BMJ).

An excellent resource for case report write-ups is the CARE Guidelines at – https://www.care-statement.org/, including a checklist – https://www.care-statement.org/checklist

Clinical assistance is helpful but not required for writing up a case report. Commonly, students will ask preceptors, attendings, and residents for novel cases to write up.

Before beginning to write, identify a previously published case report that presents a case that is similar. Next outline the topic sentence from each paragraph and use as a guide through the writing process.   

An important step in this process is the selection of the journal to submit the case report. Journals have specific requirements and formats for submitting and publishing case reports. Consult the journal before starting to write. RVU has a relationship with BMJ Case Reports. If you do not have a journal in mind, using BMJ and the writing template is a good starting place. Journals commonly charge publication fees.

Additional Resources

Journals That Accept Case Reports (Excel)

IRB and Human Subjects Research

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) provides compliance information and oversight of human subjects research to students, faculty, and staff as regulated by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP).

The IRB carries out a number of functions including:

  • Oversight for the protection of human subjects in research
  • Maintaining institutional compliance with regulatory requirements
  • Providing training on the ethical conduct of research, biosafety, and HIPAA laws
  • Providing an IRB Compliance Administrator who assists with applications, forms, and other information, as needed by investigators for submitting research proposals to the IRB for the review and approval pocess
  • Maintaining records of IRB reviews and approvals, tracking of progress reports, renewal requests, and modifications of approved studies

IRB Application Login for SSO (single sign on) RVU Users:

  • Website
  • Students:
    • Login with your RVU email and 365 password
  • Faculty/Staff:
    • Login with your RVU email and RVU computer network password

If you have any questions, please email the IRB Compliance Administrator at [email protected] or by calling (720) 874-2481.

BMJ Research to Publication

Survey Research

Conducting a Survey

A survey in scientific literature is a research method that uses a questionnaire to collect data from a sample of people. The questionnaire can be administered in person, over the phone, or online. Surveys are used to collect a wide variety of data, including demographic information, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

Surveys are a valuable tool for scientific research because they can be used to collect data from a large number of people in a relatively short amount of time. Surveys are also relatively inexpensive to conduct. 

However, surveys also have some limitations. One limitation is that the results of a survey can be biased if the sample is not representative of the population being studied. Another limitation is that surveys can be time-consuming to administer and analyze.

Despite these limitations, surveys are a valuable tool for scientific research. They can be used to collect a wide variety of data from a large number of people in a relatively short amount of time.

Here are some examples of how surveys are used in the medical literature:

  • A survey of medical students could be used to collect data on their understanding of medical training.
  • A survey of doctors could be used to collect data on their prescribing habits or understanding of a medical procedure.
  • A survey of patients could be used to collect data on their satisfaction with their healthcare.

Surveys are a versatile research tool that can be used to answer a wide variety of questions. If you are conducting scientific research, consider using a survey to collect data from your participants.

Important Considerations in Survey Projects

Here are some important considerations when conducting survey projects:

  • Define the purpose of the survey. What do you hope to achieve with the survey? Once you know the purpose, you can develop a survey that is specifically designed to collect the data you need.
  • Identify your target audience. Who are you trying to reach with your survey? Once you know your target audience, you can tailor the survey questions and format to be relevant and engaging for them. Most people do not want to take the time to fill out a survey. People are motivated to fill out surveys when they are feeling extreme emotions, including frustration, anger, satisfaction, or hopelessness.
  • Identify how to reach your target audience. Getting access to people to complete surveys is often the most challenging aspect. Facebook, Reddit, and other social media platforms often have dedicated groups that are often helpful.  National organizations often will help facilitate survey distribution. Clinics will often have access for patients to complete surveys.
  • Identify ways to improve survey reach (how to market your survey). Getting sufficient numbers of people to complete the survey is often very challenging. Finding ways to market your survey is important.
  • Develop clear and concise questions. The questions in your survey should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. Avoid jargon and technical terms that your respondents may not understand.
  • Use a variety of question formats. Different question formats can be used to collect different types of data. For example, open-ended questions can be used to collect qualitative data, while multiple-choice questions can be used to collect quantitative data.
  • Pilot test the survey. Once you have developed your survey, it is important to pilot test it with a small group of people. This will help you identify any problems with the survey questions or the survey design.
  • Administer the survey in a way that is convenient for your respondents. You can administer your survey online, by phone, or in person. The method you choose will depend on your target audience and the purpose of the survey.
  • Thank your respondents for their time and participation. A simple thank-you note can go a long way in encouraging respondents to complete your survey.

Qualtrics

The university supports the use of Qualtrics for surveys. Using other software for surveys is not encouraged.

To sign up to get access to Qualtrics, use the following link – Qualtrics Account Request Form .

Qualtrics is a survey software platform that offers a variety of features and benefits, including:

  • Ease of use: Qualtrics is a user-friendly platform that can be used by people with varying levels of technical expertise.
  • Flexibility: Qualtrics offers a wide range of features and customization options, so you can create surveys that meet your specific needs.
  • Powerful analytics: Qualtrics provides a variety of tools for analyzing survey data, so you can get the insights you need to make informed decisions.
  • Scalability: Qualtrics can be used to create and administer surveys to large or small audiences.
  • Security: Qualtrics is committed to protecting the security of your data.
  • Wide range of survey templates: Qualtrics offers a wide range of survey templates that you can use to create your surveys. These templates cover a variety of topics, so you can find one that is right for your needs.
  • Variety of question types: Qualtrics offers a variety of question types that you can use to collect the data you need. These question types include multiple choice, checkbox, text, and rating scales.
  • Variety of reporting options: Qualtrics offers a variety of reporting options that you can use to present your data. These reporting options include charts, graphs, and tables.
  • Variety of integrations with other software: Qualtrics integrates with a variety of other software, so you can use it to collect and analyze data from multiple sources. This integration can save you time and effort, and it can help you to get a more complete view of your data.
  • Excellent Technical Support-  Qualtrics has excellent technical support for everyone to access.

Creating A Survey

There are two ways to create a survey.  First, write all of the questions from scratch, and second, modify an existing survey or surveys.  Many times, surveys already exist that are validated.  Explore the literature before you write a survey to make sure you aren’t reinventing the wheel. For example, the PHQ-9 is a validated survey for depression screening, and GAD-7 is for generalized anxiety. PhenX Toolkit  (link here) has numerous validated surveys.

When there isn’t a validated survey already, your primary option is to write your own questions.  When writing questions, here are some guidelines:

  • Make sure the questions are clear and concise. The questions should be easy to understand and answer. Avoid jargon and technical terms that your respondents may not understand.
  • Link your question to the research aims. Every question counts. The questions should be directly related to the information you are trying to collect. 
  • Make questions SHORT AND SIMPLE.  Shorter questions are easier to read and understand. Simpler questions are easier to answer. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that your respondents may not understand. Use plain language that is easy to read and understand.
  • Avoid Emotional Responses and answers in the questions. Don’t ask questions that are likely to elicit an emotional response. Don’t ask questions that have a right or wrong answer. Don’t ask questions that are likely to make your respondents feel uncomfortable. 
  • Put the Question in Context. Give your respondents some context before you ask them a question. This will help them understand what you are asking and why you are asking it. For example, if you are asking about someone’s income, you could start by asking them about their job or occupation. 
  • Minimize open-ended or free-text questions.  Open-ended questions are more difficult to answer and analyze. They also take longer to answer, which can lead to survey fatigue. If you do need to ask open-ended questions, try to limit them to a small number. For example, you could ask one or two open-ended questions at the end of your survey to get feedback from your respondents. 
  • Avoid leading questions. Leading questions are questions that suggest a particular answer. For example, “Do you agree that our product is the best on the market?” is a leading question because it suggests that the respondent should agree that your product is the best.
  • Avoid double-barreled questions. Double-barreled questions are questions that ask two things at once. For example, “Do you like our product and our customer service?” is a double-barreled question because it asks the respondent to answer two questions at once.
  • Avoid negative questions. Negative questions can be confusing and difficult to answer. For example, “Would you not recommend our product to a friend?” is a negative question. It would be better to ask, “Would you recommend our product to a friend?”
  • Avoid asking for personal information that is not necessary. Only ask for personal information that is necessary for the purpose of the survey. For example, if you are surveying people about their product preferences, you do not need to ask for their name or address.
  • Avoid asking for too much information. People are more likely to complete a survey if it is not too long. Keep the number of questions to a minimum.

Validating a Survey

Surveys are validated by ensuring that they measure what they are intended to measure. Three ways exist to validate your survey.  First is use an existing validated survey. The second is to have an expert review the survey. The other way to validate a survey is to pilot test the survey with a small group of people before you administer it to a larger sample. This will help you identify any problems with the survey questions or the survey design.

A pilot survey is a small-scale test of a survey before it is administered to the full population. The purpose of a pilot survey is to identify any potential problems with the survey, such as unclear questions, ambiguous instructions, or technical difficulties.

To perform a pilot survey, you will need to:

  1. Identify a small group of people who are similar to your target population. This group should be large enough to give you a good indication of how the survey will be received, but not so large that it will be too time-consuming or expensive to administer the survey.
  2. Administer the survey to the pilot group. Be sure to follow the same procedures that you will use when you administer the survey to the full population.
  3. Collect and analyze the data from the pilot survey. Look for any potential problems with the survey, such as unclear questions, ambiguous instructions, or technical difficulties.
  4. Revise the survey as needed. Based on your findings from the pilot survey, make any necessary revisions to the survey.
  5. Administer the revised survey to the full population.

IRB Approval

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a committee that reviews research involving human subjects to ensure that the research is ethical and that the rights of the subjects are protected. IRB approval is required for most research involving human subjects, including surveys.

The level of IRB approval needed for a survey will vary depending on the nature of the survey and the potential risks to the subjects. For example, a survey that asks about sensitive topics, such as sexual behavior or drug use, may require more extensive IRB approval than a survey that asks about less sensitive topics.

If you are planning to conduct a survey that involves human subjects, you should contact RVU  institution’s IRB to determine the level of IRB approval that is needed.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind when conducting a survey:

  • Obtain informed consent from all participants. Informed consent is a process in which you explain the risks and benefits of the survey to the participants and get their permission to participate.
  • Protect the confidentiality of the participant’s data. This means that you should not share the participants’ names or other identifying information with anyone who is not involved in the research.
  • Be respectful of the participants’ time and privacy. The participants should not feel pressured to participate in the survey, and they should be able to withdraw from the survey at any time.

By following these guidelines, you can help to ensure that your survey is conducted ethically and that the rights of the participants are protected.

Statistically Analyzing the Survey Results

After you have IRB approval, selectively distribute the survey to 30-50 people.  At this point, analyze the survey for a couple of key points:

  1. Analyze the completion rate of the survey- make sure people are completing the survey and if not analyze where people are dropping out.  If you have a poor completion rate, remove questions, eliminate open-ended questions, and reorganize the question order to improve the completion.
  2. Analyze the questions to make sure the answers being given are the best way to analyze the data. Look at the Likert scales and answers for multiple choice questions and see if the sentiment of the survey participants is available for them to select.  
  3. Start to make figures based on the limited data you have. Consulting a biostatistician at this point will help find ways to present the data.  By doing this step now, you can adjust the survey if the data being collected is limited. 

After this step, you can continue to distribute the survey until you have collected enough survey participants to power your analysis.

There are many different statistical methods that can be used to analyze survey results. The choice of method will depend on the type of data collected, the research questions being asked, and the desired level of precision.

Here are some examples of how statistical analysis can be used to analyze survey data:

  • To describe the data: Descriptive statistics can be used to describe the data in a way that is easy to understand. For example, you could use descriptive statistics to calculate the mean, median, and mode of the data. You could also use descriptive statistics to create frequency distributions of the data.
  • To draw inferences about the population: Inferential statistics can be used to draw inferences about the population from which the data was collected. For example, you could use inferential statistics to test hypotheses about the mean or median of the population. You could also use inferential statistics to create confidence intervals for the mean or median of the population.

Additional considerations for analyzing your data include:

  • Choose the right statistical method for your data. There are many different statistical methods available, and the choice of method will depend on the type of data collected, the research questions being asked, and the desired level of precision.
  • Use a statistical software package. There are many different statistical software packages available. It is important to choose a software package that is easy to use and that has a wide range of statistical features.
  • Consult with a statistician. If you are not familiar with statistical methods, it is a good idea to consult with a statistician. A statistician can help you to choose the right statistical methods for your data and to interpret the results of your analysis. RVU has two excellent statisticians available. 

By following these tips, you can help to ensure that your statistical analysis of survey data is accurate and meaningful.

Presenting the Survey Results

When presenting the results of your survey, there are common ways to present the survey data. Most importantly, it is good practice to present the demographics of the survey participants.  See example posters and papers for examples of this.


There are many different figures and tables that can be used to present data from surveys. The most common figures and tables include:

Tables

  • Frequency tables: Frequency tables are a simple way to present the frequency of different responses to a survey question.
  • Crosstab tables: Crosstab tables are a more complex way to present the relationship between two or more variables.
  • Contingency tables: Contingency tables are a type of crosstab table that is used to present the relationship between two categorical variables.

Figures

  • Bar charts: Bar charts are a simple way to present the frequency of different responses to a survey question.
  • Pie charts: Pie charts are a way to present the relative proportions of different groups.
  • Line charts: Line charts are a way to present changes over time.
  • Scatter plots: Scatter plots are a way to show the relationship between two variables.
  • Histograms: Histograms are a way to show the distribution of data.

The best way to present your survey results will depend on the specific survey and the audience you are presenting to. Consider the following factors when choosing a figure or table:

  • The type of data: What type of data are you presenting? Is it categorical, ordinal, interval, or ratio data?
  • The purpose of the presentation: What do you hope to achieve with the presentation?
  • The audience: Who are you presenting the results to? What are their needs and interests?
  • The format of the presentation: What format is most appropriate for the audience and the purpose of the presentation?

By considering these factors, you can choose the best way to present your survey results and ensure that your message is communicated effectively.

Additional Resources

Qualtrics Account Request

Qualtric Training Videos

Qualtric Support

Research Surveys TEAMS page

Constructing a Survey

Survey Tips

Survey Poster Example

Survey Manuscript Example #1

Survey Example #2

Survey Poster Example #2

Survey Manuscript Example #3

Statistical Resources

Grants and Funding

Friends of the Research Department

Have questions? Want to meet?

Reach out and our team will be happy to answer your inquiries or set up a time to meet.

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RVU-MCOM to Conduct Mass Casualty Drill at Phipps Park Thursday, June 13 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

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  • General

Firefighters, police and medical students respond to bus crash in Ivins, but it was only practice

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  • General

RVU MCOM Students Plunge Into the Intersection of Military and Medicine

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RVU Alum Dr. Meredith Ware awarded 2024 Timothy Judd, DO “Volunteer of the Year” Award

Awards

RVU Alum Dr. Meredith Ware awarded 2024 Timothy Judd, DO “Volunteer of the Year” Award

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  • Awards

RVU named Chapter of the Year at Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (AMOPS) annual meeting

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  • Awards

Dr. Jacqueline Powell Honored with Element Award

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  • Awards

Dr. Thomas N. Told, Dean of RVUCOM, Honored with Presidential Award of Excellence

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