module specification

This module aims to give students the opportunity to apply their understanding of scientific enquiry and research skills to undertake a primary research or secondary research, clinical audits, service evaluation that is pertinent to advancing physiotherapy theory and practice and disseminate the findings.

The module will provide students with a masters level research in collaboration with an experienced research supervisor who can be academic or clinical. It will also enable students to work in research teams and develop knowledge and skill that will support career long ability to continue contributing to the advancement of clinical knowledge and practice.

PT7001, PT7002, PT7003, PT7004, PT7005, PT5W50 Available for Study Abroad? NO

Knowledge

• Developing understanding of key concepts in research frameworks, knowledge and skills and gaining advanced skills in one or more during conduct of relevant project 
• Reporting guidelines - EQUATOR network
• Quality Improvement processes (audit, service evaluation, QIP)  
• Quantitative methodologies including: cohort, case-control, non RCT and RCTs, Implementation methods, Systematic review, 
• Qualitative methodologies including interviews, focus groups, ethnography, actin research, thematic/ content/framework analyses, grounded theory, qualitative syntheses and meta-ethnography
• Public involvement in research
• Research impact and dissemination
• Implementation 

Skills

• Critical literature reviewing to identify knowledge gaps and how these could be addressed to improve practice
• Designing and conducting a research project/audit/service evaluation
• Effective written and oral communication for different audiences & writing for publication
• Analysing and interpreting research data (quantitative/qualitative/evidence synthesis)
• Collaborative working and research culture

Attitudes

• Understanding of the role of research in evaluating and informing evidence-based practice
• Appreciation of broader research culture and values

This is a research module where students will have the opportunity of working with research teams to collect primary or secondary research data to answer a research question. Teaching methods will include one to one teaching within research teams, guided self-study and self-directed study.

At the end of this module, students should be able to:

1. Systematically develop or refine a clear research question based in physiotherapy practice.
2. Apply the principles of scientific enquiry to collect appropriate data from multiple sources including qualitative and quantitative to answer a research question, conduct clinical audit, service evaluation or improvement in collaboration with peers and supervisors. 
3. Record research data, analyse and critically interpret findings in the context of contemporary evidence and study limitations. 
4. Demonstrate valuable research culture such as effective communication, collaborative team working and negotiation in the conduct a high-quality research.
5. Communicate research findings in appropriate format for users to advance practice

The module will be assessed by two pieces of assessments:

Research report
This 6000–8000-word research report will be presented in a research manuscript format to assess the ability of students to conduct research and disseminate the findings as a peer review publication. This will account for 80% of module marks and assess LO1,2,3,4.

Oral presentation to a lay audience
This is aimed at enabling students to develop the ability to disseminate their research project’ findings to a lay audience using an appropriate language. This will account for 20% of module mark and will assess LO5

Core Reading list

1. Boland A, Cherry MG & Dickson R (2014) Doing a systematic review: a student's guide. Sage, London
2. Bowling A (2014) Research methods in health: investigating health and health services. Fourth edition. OU Press, Maidenhead
3. Charmaz (2006) Constructing grounded theory: a practical guide through qualitative analysis. Sage, London
4. Curtis E, Drennan (2013) Quantitative health research: issues and methods. OU Press, Maidenhead
5. Field AP (2009) Discovering statistics using SPSS: (and sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll) Third edition. Sage, London
6. Greenhalgh T (2006) How to read a paper: the basics of evidence-based medicine.  3rd edition.  Blackwell Publishing ltd, Oxford.
7. Higgins JPT, Green S (2011) Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Cochrane Collaboration
8. Portney LG, Watkins MP (2009) Foundations of clinical research: applications to practice. Third edition. Pearson education, New Jersey
9. Schulz KF, Altman DG, Moher D, for the CONSORT Group. CONSORT 2010 Statement: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trials.
10. Silverman D (2013) Doing qualitative research. Fourth edition. Sage, Los Angeles