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2025-2026 / SBIM0498-2

Critical evaluation of experimental design and data

Duration

6h Th, 24h APP

Number of credits

 Master in biomedicine, research focus3 crédits 
 Master in biomedicine, research focus4 crédits 

Lecturer

Laurence Delacroix, Keith Durkin, Julien Hanson

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course is designed to train students in the critical reading of scientific papers and clinical studies. Each class combines theoretical concepts with real examples from the literature. Particular attention will be given to explaining practical 'tips and tricks' for identifying the main sources of errors and biases in scientific research. To reinforce these skills, the course also includes applied exercises based on both fundamental and clinical publications.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

At the end of this course, students should be able to appropriately use conventional theoretical concepts of critical evaluation of experimental design and reports - in both basic science and clinical trials.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

This course is dedicated to medical and biomedical students with a strong background in normal cell biology and physiology.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

This course is mainly given ex cathedra, with additional references. 
Journal-club sessions are organized at the end of the course, and implicate the active participation of the students.
In orange and red code (relative to the pandemic situation) those journal-clubs will be organized online through Collaborate sessions.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face: this course is mainly given ex cathedra.
Distance-learning: the students are encouraged to read additional book chapters and reviews and to prepare in advance journal club sessions.
In orange and red code (relative to the pandemic situation) courses will be organized online through Collaborate sessions. 

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Book chapters and up-to-date reviews are provided by each teacher at the beginning of each class.

Any session :

- In-person

written exam ( open-ended questions )

- Remote

written exam ( open-ended questions )

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred in-person


Additional information:

The evaluation of this course is a written exam.
Depending on the sanitary context due to COVID-19, the written exam may be organized on-site (green or orange code) or online via eCampus (red code).

 

Work placement(s)

None

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

The teachers are K. Durkin, J. Hanson and L. Delacroix

Contacts

Laurence DELACROIX : ldelacroix@uliege.be

 

Association of one or more MOOCs