Reflective pieces in biostatistics

A common misconception about biostatistics is that there is a single right answer or a single correct way to conduct an analysis. The reality is quite the opposite. There are many ways to approach an analysis and there could be more than one "good" model that answers the research question. This is a threshold concept that students need to cross in order to succeed as a biostatistician. 

Understanding that there is more than one way to conduct an analysis requires students to reflect on their methods and critical appraise their approach. To foster this skill in students taking PHCM9517 Advanced Biostatistics and Statistical Computing, a reflective piece was included in the mid-term assessment. Specifically, students were asked:

Thinking about the model building process in Question 1, identify a point where you had to make a choice on the best way to proceed. Write a reflection on how you navigated this part of the analysis. Aim for around 400 words and not more than 1 page.

You are encouraged to write openly and honestly about your experience. This question is not about knowing the right answer but rather demonstrating your ability to critically analyse your work and identify areas of uncertainty, including any knowledge gaps.

This reflection was worth 5 marks in a 40 mark assessment. Applying the concept of Transparency in Learning and Teaching, the instructions included the rationale for this reflective piece, which might be considered an unexpected task in a biostatistics course by some (if not most) students:

Conducting an analysis is an iterative process which involves critical reflection of your methods, choices and knowledge gaps. This assessment has been designed to help build these skills.

This task proved quite enlightening as it provided a window into the thought processes students were applying to their work. Often, the depth of thought and critical analysis really came through in the reflection and was not readily apparent in the formal report. Presumably, this is a result of students presenting a polished version of their work. I was able to provide feedback that some of the content in the reflection should actually be included in the main report as part of transparency in research. This was a great learning opportunity for students. But also for me as the educator as I had this valuable insight into common misconceptions and grey areas that the students faced.

I received unsolicited feedback on this reflective piece from a student:

"Shoutout to question 2 for letting us air out our weaknesses and make it a learning experience."

It was not uncommon for me to provide feedback in the report on the lack of justification for an analysis choice only to find that the reflective piece provided very clear justification. In such instances I was able to adjust the marks for the report accordingly. As well as the intended goal of self-analysis and critical appraisal, I believe this task provided an added opportunity for success for students.