4- Part Course - Singing For Health: An Introduction To Quantitative Methods
Wednesday 1st February 2023, 10:00 AM - Wednesday 22nd February 2023 12:00 PM (London Time)
This event is part of our fundraising series for the Singing for Health Network.
A Singing For Health Network membership is required to attend this course.
This course will introduce central concepts in research design, measurement, sampling, and statistical analysis underpinning quantitative methods in research on singing for health.
We will consider examples of survey methods, observational pre-post studies and controlled trials on singing and health, and the approaches adopted in data gathering and analysis.
Students will be supported in undertaking critical assessments of selected quantitative research studies on singing and health.
We will also work through exercises in the statistical treatment of quantitative data to answer research questions and test hypotheses.
Session 1
The nature of singing and a suggested logic model of singing for health. The need critical appraisal of research studies and the role of evidence reviews. Survey methods in singing for health research. An introduction to random sampling and statistical inference. Primary and secondary qualities. Levels of measurement and the analysis of categorical data using the chi-squared test.
Session 2
Singing for mental health. Examination of primary qualitative and quantitative studies. Systematic reviews of research on singing and mental wellbeing. Observational pre-test post-test studies. Use of standardized measures that give ordinal data on mental wellbeing and mental distress. Analysis of ordinal data using non-parametric statistical tests.
Session 3
Singing for better breathing. Examination of primary qualitative and quantitative studies. Systematic and Cochrane reviews of research on singing and lung disease. Use of objective measures of lung function that give interval/ratio data. Analysis of objective measurements using parametric tests.
Session 4
Randomised controlled trials on singing and health. Critical appraisal of examples singing for health trials. Issues in the standardization of singing programmes and the nature of control groups. Use of the CONSORT statement and registration of trials. Statistical analysis and interpretation of trial data. Value of embedded qualitative studies within controlled trials.
Professor Stephen Clift
Stephen Clift is Professor Emeritus, Canterbury Christ Church University, and former Director of the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health...
Singing For Health Network
The Singing for Health Network is a UK-based membership network for anyone interested or involved in Singing for Health, including singing practitioners, researchers...
Sorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Tuesday 21st October 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Establishing a Jazz Voice Curriculum
Dr Tish Oney
As the jazz voice major represents a relatively new program of comprehensive singing study in higher education, it most often absorbs the course requirements of other related majors with which it is grouped. Join Dr Tish Oney for a short course that will reach across a multitude of program requirements in three academic contexts: grouping jazz singers with jazz instrumental majors; grouping jazz singers with voice majors; and grouping jazz singers with commercial music majors. Tish tackles this topic with the authority of one who has pioneered the way for student jazz singers while teaching in jazz departments, classical voice departments, and commercial music departments!
Wednesday 22nd October 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
Singing for Health (Research and Practice) - what's new?
Professor Stephen Clift
Join Professor Stephen Clift for an international overview of recent and current research initiatives in singing for health research. A focus will be on the value of randomised controlled trials for assessing the contribution that group singing for the wellbeing and health for people affected by mental health challenges, dementia, Parkinson's, chronic obstructive lung disease, aphasia and long Covid.
Wednesday 22nd October 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
(London Time)
Prosody in conversation – crucial for effective communication?
Beatrice Szczepek Reed
In this course, we will take an introductory look at what prosody is and consider its functions in natural everyday dialogue. Prosody refers to the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech. It's the musicality of language that helps convey meaning, emotion, and emphasis in conversation!