Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice Flashcards
7 cards from real ASC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice flashcards as text
In avalanche research, what does a 'systematic review' provide that a single field study cannot?
Answer: A pooled analysis of multiple studies to reduce individual study bias
Systematic reviews aggregate findings across multiple studies, reducing the impact of any single study's limitations or biases.
Which metric is most commonly used in avalanche fatality research to track trends over time?
Answer: Annual fatalities normalized per capita or per recreationist-day
Normalizing fatalities per capita or recreationist-day accounts for growing participation rates and allows meaningful year-over-year comparisons.
What is the primary purpose of 'control plots' in snowpack research studies?
Answer: To provide an unmanipulated baseline for comparison against experimental conditions
Control plots remain undisturbed so researchers can isolate the effect of the variable being tested against a natural baseline.
Which organization publishes the most widely referenced database of US avalanche accidents used in evidence-based safety education?
Answer: Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) / American Avalanche Association
The American Avalanche Association's accident database and CAIC records are the primary resources for US avalanche accident analysis and safety research.
When evaluating an avalanche study, 'sample size' matters most because:
Answer: Larger sample sizes reduce random variation and improve statistical confidence
Larger sample sizes reduce the influence of random variation, making it more likely that observed patterns reflect real phenomena.
In evidence-based avalanche practice, 'anecdotal evidence' is considered less reliable because it:
Answer: Lacks systematic data collection and is subject to recall and survivorship bias
Anecdotal evidence is unsystematic and prone to biases such as survivorship bias (only survivors can report) and memory distortion.
Which research method would BEST determine whether a new avalanche education curriculum reduces accident rates?
Answer: A prospective cohort study tracking trained vs. untrained recreationists over multiple seasons
A prospective cohort study follows groups forward in time, enabling direct comparison of outcomes between those who received the new curriculum and those who did not.