© Madredus/Shutterstockabstract The first section of a research article
that provides an overview of the study
accessible population The group of elements to
which the researcher has reasonable access
active rejection Purposefully deciding not to
adopt an innovation
adoption Applying an innovation to practice
aggregate data Data collected from individuals
that are grouped to represent a population
AGREE II Appraisal of Guidelines Research and
Evaluation; internationally developed instrument
to evaluate clinical practice guidelines
alpha level Probability of making a type I error;
typically designated as .05 or .01 at the end of the
tail in a distribution
alternate form A test for instrument reliability
in which two different versions of new instru-
ments are given. Scores are correlated, and strong
positive correlations indicate good reliability; also
known as parallel form
amodal A data set that does not have a mode
analysis of variance An inferential statistical
test used when the level of measurement is inter-
val or ratio and more than two groups are being
compared
analytic epidemiology Investigation of the de-
terminants of disease
anonymity Keeping the names of subjects
separate from data so that no one, not even the re-
searcher, knows subjects’ identities; concealing the
identity of subjects, even from the researcher
applied research Research to discover knowl-
edge that will solve a clinical problem
assent Permission given by children to partici-
pate in research
associative relationship A type of relationship
such that when one variable changes the other
variable changes
attrition rate Dropout rate; loss of subjects
before the study is completed; threat of mortality
auditability When another researcher can
clearly follow decisions made by the investigator,
arriving at the same or comparable conclusions
audit trail The documentation of the research
process and researcher’s decision making in
qualitative studies
authorship List of authors in an order that
reflects the amount of their contributions
autonomous Having the ability to make
decisions
awareness Understanding about oneself and the
world
axial coding The analysis of categories and
labels after completion of open coding