Design Methods
Types of Studies & Statistical Methods
Explore foundational resources on research design and methodology, including study design, statistical methods, sampling strategies, control group selection, mixed methods research, and variables that support rigorous and reproducible research.
Medical Education Research Methods
Medical education research uses a range of research approaches and study designs. The Academic Medicine journal articles below provide practical introductions to research paradigms, evaluation designs, survey methods, and other considerations for conducting medical education research.
Research Paradigms & Quality
- Understanding Qualitative and Quantitative Research Paradigms in Academic Medicine
Laura Castillo-Page, Sue Bodilly, Sarah A. Bunton. Academic Medicine. 2012;87(3):386. - Quality Criteria in Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Janneke M. Frambach, Cees P. M. van der Vleuten, Steven J. Durning. Academic Medicine. 2013;88(4):552.
Study & Evaluation Design
- Common Evaluation Designs in Medical Education I
Dario M. Torre, Barbara Daley. Academic Medicine. 2013;88(11):1784. - A Roadmap (5 Ps) for Completion of an Educational Research Project
Bani M. Ratan, Sanika Rane, Nital P. Appelbaum. Academic Medicine. 2025;100(12):1561.
Survey & Quantitative Methods
- Survey Development Guidance for Medical Education Researchers
Hunter Gehlbach, Anthony R. Artino, Steven J. Durning. Academic Medicine. 2010;85(5):925. - The Survey Checklist (Manifesto)
Hunter Gehlbach, Anthony R. Artino. Academic Medicine. 2018;93(3):360–366. - Generalizability in Medical Education Research
Anthony R. Artino, Steven J. Durning, John R. Boulet. Academic Medicine. 2011;86(7):917.
Additional Resources
Explore related guides, tools, and resources.
- Selecting Control Groups: To What Should We Compare Behavioral Interventions?
Guidance on selecting appropriate control or comparison groups when designing behavioral intervention research. - Sampling Considerations: Identifying Appropriate Participants for Behavioral Intervention Research
Guidance on identifying and selecting appropriate participants for behavioral intervention studies. - Mixed Methods in Behavioral Intervention Research
An overview of using mixed-methods approaches to integrate quantitative and qualitative methods in behavioral intervention research. - Variables in Causal Pathway
A resource for understanding and identifying variables within a causal pathway when developing a research study. - Study Design Comparison
A quick reference comparing common study designs and their key characteristics.