Home > For Professionals & Med Ed > Grants and Research

Standard Operating Procedure for Statistical Guidance

Atlantic Health investigators can seek statistical guidance for their research projects and grant proposals by contacting the Biostatistics Manager at the Office of Grants and Research. In seeking statistical guidance for their research activities and study protocols, Atlantic Health investigators are requested to review the following six steps:

Step 1: Research Design
Atlantic Health investigators can seek help regarding the appropriate research design (type of data to be collected, sampling, randomization, number of subjects needed, etc.) for their research initiatives and grant proposals. No statistical analyses will be performed at this stage.

Step 2: Review of IRB Guidelines
All Atlantic Health investigators are requested to review guidelines for study protocols in regards to Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. In this regard, research activities are classified into different categories depending on the nature of these activities.

Step 3: Analysis Plan
Atlantic Health investigators may seek help regarding the appropriate statistical methodology for their research initiatives and grant proposals. Help is provided in the preparation of analysis plans which may include descriptive statistical methods, and/or basic/advanced statistical modeling techniques or both.

Step 4: Data Collection
Data may be collected and saved electronically using appropriate software (e.g. Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access).

Step 5: Statistical Analysis and Interpretations
Atlantic Health investigators may seek help regarding the statistical analyses for their data collected in step 4. Interpretations of the results and conclusions from the analyses can be discussed as needed. 

Step 6: Presentations and Publications
Atlantic Health investigators may seek help with the dissemination of the data they have collected through preparation of technical reports, presentations, or manuscripts for submission to local or international journals.