Glossary of Terms

We know that many of the concepts used on this site can be difficult to understand. For that reason, we have provided you with a glossary to help you make sense of the terms used in Comparative Effectiveness Research. Every word that is defined in this glossary should appear highlighted throughout the Web site. When you come upon a highlighted term and would like to read the full definition, you can either click on the word to visit the glossary or roll your mouse over the word for a pop-up definition.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Inclusion Criteria

The criteria, or standards, set out before a study or review. Inclusion criteria are used to determine whether a person can participate in a research study or whether an individual study can be included in a systematic review. Inclusion criteria may include gender, age, type of disease being treated, previous treatments, and other medical conditions. Inclusion criteria help identify suitable participants. detail

Informed Consent

An agreement to receive a treatment or medical procedure. Before a person receives a proposed treatment or medical procedure, he or she must give informed consent. This means that the person must not only agree to the treatment, but also understand what he or she is agreeing to. detail

Internal Validity

The extent to which the results of a clinical research study are not biased. Several characteristics of a study affect its internal validity. Are the two groups of people being compared similar in all the important characteristics that may affect the measurements of data? Are the data collected being measured using accurate methods? detail