Identifying strategies to characterize the diversity of the MS population in Canada: a nominal group study

Ruth Ann Marrie1,2, Afolasade Fakolade3, Colleen J Maxwell4

  • 1Departments of Medicine and Community Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NSW, Canada.

Frontiers in Neurology
|April 16, 2026
PubMed
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Case Studies01:22

Case Studies

There are many research methods available to psychologists in their efforts to understand, describe, and explain behavior and the cognitive and biological processes that underlie it.
Group Design02:01

Group Design

The most basic experimental design involves two groups: the experimental group and the control group. The two groups are designed to be the same except for one difference— experimental manipulation. The experimental group gets the experimental manipulation—that is, the treatment or variable being tested—and the control group does not. Since experimental manipulation is the only difference between the experimental and control groups, we can be sure that any differences between the two are due to...
Stratified Sampling Method01:16

Stratified Sampling Method

Sampling is a technique to select a portion (or subset) of the larger population and study that portion (the sample) to gain information about the population. The sampling method ensures that samples are drawn without bias and accurately represent the population. Because measuring the entire population in a study is not practical, researchers use samples to represent the population of interest.
To choose a stratified sample, divide the population into groups called strata and then take a...
Cluster Sampling Method01:20

Cluster Sampling Method

Appropriate sampling methods ensure that samples are drawn without bias and accurately represent the population. Because measuring the entire population in a study is not practical, researchers use samples to represent the population of interest.
To choose a cluster sample, divide the population into clusters (groups) and then randomly select some of the clusters. All the members from these clusters are in the cluster sample. For example, if you randomly sample four departments from your...
Nominal Level of Measurement00:56

Nominal Level of Measurement

The way a set of data is measured is called its level of measurement. Correct statistical procedures depend on a researcher being familiar with levels of measurement. Not every statistical operation can be used with every set of data. For analysis, data are classified into four levels of measurement—nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio.
The data that cannot be measured but can be grouped into categories fall under the nominal level of measurement. Data that is measured using a nominal scale is...
Sampling Plans01:23

Sampling Plans

Sampling is a crucial step in analytical chemistry, allowing researchers to collect representative data from a large population. Common sampling methods include random, judgmental, systematic, stratified, and cluster sampling.
Random sampling is a method where each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample. It involves selecting individuals randomly, often using random number generators or lottery-type methods. For example, when analyzing the properties of a...