2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

ARCS2211 Research Methods and Evaluation

20 creditsClass Size: 160

Module manager: Prof Paul Baxter
Email: p.d.baxter@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

Entry requirements for the relevant programme and 120 credits at level 1

Module replaces

ARCS2210 - Research Methods and Evaluation

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

In this 20-credit level 2 module the student will come to understand the issues facing the healthcare practitioner when undertaking clinical audit, service evaluation or original research, how key research frameworks apply to published or original research through practical examples and the process of conducting and evaluating systematic reviews.

Objectives

The aim of this module is to provide the student with the necessary skills to be able to understand the issues facing the healthcare practitioner when undertaking clinical audit, service evaluation or original research. They will explore how key research frameworks apply to published or original research through practical examples and the process of conducting and evaluating systematic reviews.

Learning outcomes
At the end of this module the student should be able to:
1. Demonstrate how appropriate critical appraisal frameworks can be applied in the process of critical review;
2. Display knowledge of the key differences between clinical audit, service evaluation and original research;
3. Understand the basic methods of quantitative and qualitative research, data collection and analysis;
4. Demonstrate a basic understanding of data outputs from statistical tools used in quantitative data analysis;
5. Understand the process of undertaking and critiquing a systematic review

Skills outcomes
The student undertaking this module should, on satisfactory completion, be able to: appraise quantitative and qualitative research methods; understand the differences between clinical audit, service evaluation and research; be able to apply appropriate methods to address a research question; be able to use statistical software packages appropriately to interpret and understand real-world data; be able to undertake and appraise a systematic review.

Syllabus

The module will introduce the following topics:
- Introduction to critical appraisal frameworks;
- Study designs: Cohort, Case Control, Cross-sectional, Randomised Controlled trials;
- Introduction to quantitative research methodologies,
- Overview of qualitative research methodologies,
- Clinical audit; differences between clinical audit, service evaluation & original research;
- How to interpret and perform a systematic review of published literature;
- Developing a research proposal;
- Library training for advanced database searches & creating optimal search strategies;
- Common statistical tools used in quantitative data analysis and implementation in statistical software.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	12	1.00	12.00
Practical	10	1.00	10.00
Independent online learning hours			20.00
Private study hours			158.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

The 158 hours of private study that have been allocated to you for this module are to enable you to prepare and supplement your notes for this module, as well as complete the practical workbooks associated with this module. They will also allow you to prepare for and undertake the formative and summative assessments.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Student progress will be monitored via the formative assessments. Aligned to each lecture (in weeks 1-5) is a formative practical workbook that students will begin during the accompanying practical session. Model answers to the workbook will be provided via the VLE for students to be able to assess their progress. An online MCQ (10 questions, assessing learning outcome 4, and requiring students to analyse data) will be released in week 5 (due date week 8) for which individual formative feedback will automatically be released to students. Named academic supervisors are allocated for each individual student to monitor student progress.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2,500 words	100.00
In-course MCQ	Formative Online MCQ	0.00
Practical	Formative practical workbooks	0.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Formative work includes in-course MCQs available online for the students to self-assess their progress and a practical workbook. Summative assessment is a written assignment comprising questions regarding research methodology and analysis of data Re-submission available during the August re-sit period for summative assessment.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 16/08/2024

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