2017/18 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

MEDR5200M Health Research Methods

15 creditsClass Size: 40

Module manager: Bridgette Bewick
Email: b.m.bewick@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2017/18

Pre-requisite qualifications

As per students parent programme

This module is not approved as an Elective

Objectives

This module is an introduction to practical health research. Its aim is to impart introductory knowledge, understanding and skills needed to read about or undertake research in healthcare.

Learning outcomes
Once a student has successfully completed the module and its assignments he or she should be able to:
- describe, explain, and understand the important quantitative and qualitative research designs;
- understand how questionnaires are constructed and used in research and health care;
- establish the validity (construct and predictive validity) of scales and measures used in research and clinical practice;
- understand the process of systematic reviewing, particularly applied to clinical trials;
- understand the differences between types of data;
- comprehend and calculate the metrics used to describe the findings of analytic research (such as risk and odds, and risk ratios and odds ratios);
- understand basic statistics of estimation (confidence intervals) and of hypothesis tests (especially the meaning of P values);
- describe the importance of involving patients, carers and the public in research;
- evaluate the ethical issues in health research;
- appraise published research by applying systematic guidelines to its interpretation and evaluation.

Skills outcomes
This module provides students with a solid grounding in research planning and methods. It will include topics on: collecting descriptive, quantitative and qualitative data; statistics; application of statistics to study design and analysis; the use of measurement scales and tests; patient and public involvement in research studies; and research ethics. Critical appraisal of published research will underpin the learning.

Syllabus

The teaching style for this module will be active and participative. A problem-based learning method will be used to lead students towards a knowledge and understanding of: the architecture of quantitative research; the metrics used to describe analytic research; validity of scales and measures; and systematic reviews. In a series of lectures and seminars with group activities, students will be introduced to: the architecture of qualitative research; the use of questionnaires in research; ethical considerations of health research; public and patient involvement in health research; how to summarise the various types of research data; and basic comparative statistics (using confidence intervals and hypothesis tests).

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Group learning	4	3.75	15.00
Lecture	2	1.00	2.00
Seminar	1	1.50	1.50
Seminar	1	1.75	1.75
Seminar	3	2.75	8.25
Independent online learning hours			40.00
Private study hours			81.50
Total Contact hours			28.50
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Private study

Independent online learning will follow on from the formal classes and will make use of an extensive portfolio of materials, shared with other modules in the Faculty. Students will also be expected to work in their own time, researching taught and online work, building up their knowledge using the guidnace provided by formal taught and online components of the module.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Formative assessment will involve monitoring students' progress through discussion both following lectures/seminars and during the group activities. In addition students will complete in their own time an online test (e.g. MCQ/EMQ) with automated feedback that will be marked as a formative assessment. The deadline for the formative assessment will be set to ensure students receive their formative feedback prior to summative assessment.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Problem Sheet	Individual completion of workbook begun in class activity	33.30
Critique	1,200 word critical appraisal of published paper	33.30
Problem Sheet	Statistics workbook exercises	33.40
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

The dates on which coursework is set and submitted varies each time the module is delivered. Clear guidance will be given to students at the start of the module. Compensation of marks from the separate assessed elements is permitted.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 05/05/2015

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