Verified Document

Identifying Bias In Academic Journal Articles Essay

Bias is ever-present. While we are generally aware of the basic forms that bias takes, often bias arses unconsciously, which makes it more difficult to detect. All studies have bias -- these biases begin with our own enculturation. The lenses through which we examine every facet of the world have been shaped by our experiences, and thus there is the bias of our own culture, of how we studied science, and of the preferred methodologies that underpins every decision made. Thus, no study can be said to be free from bias, it is more important to recognize where there is bias, and how such bias influences the study design, our interpretation of the findings and ultimately our vision of the objective truth. Peppard et al. (2013) studied the increased prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in adults. In this study, the authors examined time series data from an ongoing community-based study in Wisconsin to determine if there is an increase in sleep-disordered breathing in adults, and to seek conclusions about causality. The authors looked at current rates, which were modelled, versus historical rates, all using data from the survey.

Sleep-disordered breathing includes factors like sleep apnea and hypopnea, known...

The authors felt that things like hypertension are related to these disorders, based on evidence that hypertension and related weight issues are contributing factors to such sleep disorders. The authors were working on the premise that an increase in obesity would also lead to an increase in sleep disordered breathing in adults over the time period of the study.
There are a few potential sources of bias in this study. The researchers are from Wisconsin and the study was based on Wisconsin. Clearly, the availability of this data set going back to the 80s was appealing -- its availability basically facilitated the study. But the population of the study, which began with over 1500 people, is not necessarily reflective of the overall population. Ethnically, it is not going to align with the U.S., and might not even with Wisconsin. The people in the study were chosen at random, but ultimately the demographics of the sample are not likely the demographics of the population of, say, the United. So there is selection bias -- the availability of data from this particular sample is what led this sample to be used in this study. They did try to extrapolate this group of people…

Sources used in this document:
References

Peppard, P., Young, T., Barnet, J., Palta, M., Hagen, E. & Hla, K. (2013). Increased prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in adults. American Journal of Epidemiology. Retrieved April 4, 2016 from https://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/04/13/aje.kws342.full
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Scholarly Journal Articles on Place Based Education
Words: 2687 Length: 10 Document Type: Annotated Bibliography

Graham, M. (2007). Art, ecology and art education: locating art education in a critical place-Based pedagogy. Studies in Art Education: A Journal of Issues and Research, 48(4): 375-391. This study situates place-based education in the context of critical pedagogy in order to provide a framework for art education with a focus on ecology. The study asserts that the local places are marginalized and undermined by the emphasis on consumption in the

Academic Fad As a Practical
Words: 3230 Length: 11 Document Type: Essay

1) Quite certainly, this speaks to one of the most fundamental flaws in the implementation of new management fads at the academic level. Pondiscio makes the suggestion that this is often viewed apart from the goal of raising academic standards, improving methods of pedagogy or exploring novel ways of stimulating interest at the curricular level. The assumption that only broad and sweeping change derived from external sources can bring about

Academics and Physical Education Blakemore,
Words: 2925 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Proposal

The study demonstrated that regular physical fitness activities dramatically decreased some of the behaviors responsible for poor academic performance. The study also reiterated some of the prior literature such as those previously discussed in this review pertaining to the direct physiological changes associated with physical activity that correspond to increased cognitive learning and academic performance as well. The results of the study indicated that regular exercise was associated with dramatically

Bias Motivation Is a Vital
Words: 1285 Length: 4 Document Type: Capstone Project

Generally, online students need to have a high level of self-motivation for their studies. Being aimed towards the adult, working student body, Strayer attracts students who are not motivated only by the subject matter of their studies, but also by what this can mean in terms of their self-development. This extra level of motivation is encouraged by the structure and aims of Strayer University. This relates to the individual needs

Academic Engagement for Many Years the Educational
Words: 3516 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

Academic Engagement For many years the educational system has sought to find ways to improve academic engagement among students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Many educators have resorted to the use of token economies to encourage these students to display appropriate behavior in the classroom. The purpose of this discussion is to explore Academic Engagement and the effects of a token economy on students with emotional and behavioral disorders. This discourse

Academic Engagements With the Course Materials
Words: 4321 Length: 13 Document Type: Term Paper

Academic Engagements With Course Materials What are the major issues in Letty Russell's Introduction? In Letty M. Russell's Introduction to the series of theological essays in Liberating the Word , she expresses a need for a discussion of ways in which women and men can "liberate the word to speak the gospel in the midst of the oppressive situations of our time." Engaging in such a discussion, she writes, will provide "fresh insights"

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now