title: Study design I.
abstract: This is the first of a series of articles that will describe the different types of study design; considerations when choosing a study design; and the advantages and disadvantages of each type of study. This first article explains the importance of choosing an appropriate design and the decisions to be made when doing so.
authors.affiliation: Dental Health Services Research Unit, Dundee, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Kate Ann
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Levin
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D019370:Observation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies