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Evidence-Based Practice

Evidence-Based Practice Glossaries

Common Concepts

Is This Research Qualitative or Quantitative?

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research seeks to describe and discover experience rather than to manage it.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research investigates research questions that are easily measured, allowing for statistical analysis.

What Is the Difference Between Sensitivity and Specificity?

Sensitivity

Sensitivity refers to how many people with a condition get a positive test result for that condition. A test with high sensitivity will have very few false negatives, because it is accurate in determining whether someone has a particular condition.

Specificity

Specificity refers to how many people without a condition gets a negative test result for that condition. A test with high specificity will have very few false positives, because it is accurate in ruling out whether someone has a particular condition.