module specification

This module draws together strands from a number of modules students have previously undertaken and are concurrently studying. Principally, this builds on students’ understanding of the nature of knowledge and evidence in health and social care contexts derived from Introduction to Knowledge and Inquiry in Health & Social Care in the first year and on the more specific focus on research in Ethical Research & Practice in the second year. The specific focus of the work carried out by individual students as part of this module will also be informed by their broader examination of health and social care issues in other modules across the course as a whole.

The module therefore aims to:

- enhance students’ understanding of approaches to research and evaluation
- enable students to engage actively with research methods and findings relating to their profession
- enable students to generate research questions and formulate a research proposal
- enable students to integrate and apply the skills and knowledge base underpinning their professional education in a sustained piece of independent investigation

Students will be introduced to qualitative and quantitative research designs and different approaches to research, alongside a range of research methods used in health and social care.   The module will also focus on research questions generation & research proposal formulation; ethical considerations in health research and practice; theory and practice in health; literature reviews, how to analyze and present data. Students will write a research proposal as a first step to working torwards the individual project.

The area of investigation chosen by students should arise from personal & professional interest in an area of health and social care.  The content of the project may be an extension of work already undertaken on the course, may arise out of an aspect of the student’s professional concerns, drawing together issues of theory and practice, or may be drawn from other topics within the field.

Learning Outcomes LO 1 - 6

Theoretical input will be through seminars and workshops.  Students will also benefit from a blended learning approach through the use of Web Learn for supplementary materials, links to E-books, on-line discussions and research exercises & case studies along with peer feedback. Reflection and discussion are key to teaching for all students and will be in the context of tutor-led sessions and exercises incorporated into web-based materials.
Learning will also be supported in face to face and / or telephone tutorials  and supervision with experiential learning promoting their growing ability to act as reflective practitioners.

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Generate research questions relating to health and social care and formulate research proposals
2. Explore generated research questions by conducting independent project
3. Critique theory and practice relating to generated research question
4. Demonstrate competence in research skills related to health and social care through conducting independent research using appropriate research methodologies in line with relevant ethical considerations
5. Present and discuss relevant research findings relating to a chosen research question in a coherent manner
6. Critically reflect on the research process

Students will demonstrate that they have met the learning outcomes through the submission of a written Research Proposal and Project.

The Proposal should contain the following elements:

1. Research Question
2. Introduction
3. Background and Rationale
4. Study aim/s and objectives
5. Methodological Appproach
6. Ethical Considerations
7. Research time table

The project should contain the following elements,

1. An abstract.
2. Research question and contents page.
3. An introduction, background and rationale  for the study.
4. A review of the literature central to the area studied.
5. A discussion of the ressearch methods of investigation used including ethical considerations
6. A presentation of the main findings from the data collected discussed in relation to research question, including theory and practice , and  ethics in health practice relevant to the topic.
7. Conclusions.
8. Acknowledgements, appendices and a reference section.

Students’ individual supervisors will provide formative non-assessed feedback throughout the project. Students will agree a timetable for submitting draft chapters with their supervisor, who will provide written feedback.

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