Unit (2020)
Information on this page, including unit offerings, is from the 2020 academic year.
Introduction to Research Methodology and Evidence Based Practice (BSC206)
| Organisational Unit | Psychology, Counselling, Exercise Science and Chiropractic |
| Credit Points | 3 |
| Availability | MURDOCH: S2-internal |
| Teaching Timetables | Murdoch S2 |
| Description | This unit is designed with the assumption that scientific inquiry should form the basis of patient care. The primary goal for this unit is to introduce students to the scientific method for clinical decision making in healthcare. Students will develop proficiencies in information retrieval, research design, data analysis and critical appraisal. These skills will initiate the process of lifelong learning required to provide high quality patient care in their respective professions. |
| Unit Learning Outcomes | On successful completion of the unit you should be able to: 1. Understand the role of evidence based practice in clinical decision making 2. Understand the nature of quantitative and qualitative research 3. Utilise appropriate database search strategies to undertake a comprehensive literature review 4. Understand the properties of frequency distributions and use of descriptive and inferential statistics 5. Match appropriate study designs and statistical analyses to specific research questions 6. Demonstrate strategies of making valid and logical judgements of cause and effect 7. Be aware of ethical considerations in research |
| Timetabled Learning Activities | Live lectures: 1 hour per week; tutorials/labs: 2 hours per week. |
| Unit Learning Experiences | This dynamic unit will involve live and online lectures, as well as workshop sessions. The lecture material will reinforce knowledge gained from the textbook readings (Portney & Watkins. Foundations of Clinical Research [3rd Edition] and Strauss et al. Evidence Based Medicine [4th Edition]). Tutorial sessions will provide an applied context to the lecture material, offering students with 'hands-on' opportunities to put the unit material into the context of their discipline and individual areas of interest. Labs will allow students to conduct statistical tests themselves using IBM SPSS statistics. Unit topics are categorised into introductory areas of research knowledge, issues of research design and causal inference, and biostatistical analyses. |
| Assessment | Assessment Item 1: Final Exam (Theory) Individual - 40% Assessment Item 2: Presentation Group - 20% Assessment Item 3: Critical Review of Manuscript - 20% Assessment Item 4: Statistical Exercises - 20% (5% each) |
| Prerequisites | 100-level Transition Unit. |
| Exclusions | Student who have successfully completed CHI106/EXS106 Introduction to Research Methodology and Evidence Based Practice or BSC203 Introduction to ICT Research Methods or BSC200 Research in the Physical and Life Sciences or BSC201 Psychology: Measurement, Design and Analysis may not enrol in this unit for credit. |
| Previously | 2014: EXS106 |
| Appears in these Courses/Majors: see individual structures for context |
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| Internet Access Requirements | Murdoch units normally include an online component comprising materials, discussions, lecture recordings and assessment activities. All students, regardless of their location or mode of study, need to have access to and be able to use computing devices with browsing capability and a connection to the Internet via Broadband (Cable, ADSL or Mobile) or Wireless. The Internet connection should be readily available and allow large amounts of data to be streamed or downloaded (approximately 100MB per lecture recording). Students also need to be able to enter into online discussions and submit assignments online. |
Contacts
| Unit Coordinator | |
|---|---|
| BSC206 | Dr Fleur van Rens Lecturer Sports Psychology Murdoch Campus t: 9360 2380 e: Fleur.vanRens@murdoch.edu.au o: 440.2.005 - Social Sciences, Murdoch Campus | Unit Contacts |
| BSC206 MURDOCH: S2-Internal | Dr Fleur van Rens Lecturer Sports Psychology Murdoch Campus t: 9360 2380 e: Fleur.vanRens@murdoch.edu.au o: 440.2.005 - Social Sciences, Murdoch Campus |