Unit information: Statistics and Research Methods in 2022/23

Unit name	Statistics and Research Methods
Unit code	ORDSM0057
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Sam Leary
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	None
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	None
Units you may not take alongside this one	None
School/department	Bristol Dental School
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Unit Information

The main aim of this unit is to provide the skills needed to understand and critically appraise published research papers. Medicine and dentistry are rapidly developing fields; keeping up to date with published literature will be essential in future careers, to be able to provide the best possible clinical care to patients. A mix of didactic teaching through e-lectures, and interactive consolidation of learning through tutor-led tutorials will cover the following broad areas:

• Description of key design features for different study designs, formulating hypotheses and designing studies to address research questions
• Describing the core statistical concepts necessary for accurate interpretation and presentation of basic statistical analyses
• Reviewing and critically appraising the scientific literature

Your learning on this unit

• Interpret numerical and graphical summaries of data
• Understand the nature of sampling variation and the role of statistical inference in helping to quantify and draw conclusions from data
• Accurately interpret the results of analyses based on the principles of hypothesis testing (p-values) and estimation (confidence intervals)
• Interpret the results from common regression models
• Devise research questions and design effective studies
• Offer a critical appraisal of the research methods elements of published research studies

How you will learn

E-lectures (self-directed study)

Tutor-led tutorials (in person)

How you will be assessed

Coursework (contributing a total of 60% to the Unit):

(i) Interpret and appraise a scientific paper (25%)

(ii) Write a short scientific report. This will assess your ability to select and present appropriate statistical analyses, accurately interpret results and draw sensible conclusions (35%).

End of unit assessment (40%):

(i) A 2-hour closed book exam consisting of multiple choice and short open answer questions

The pass-mark for the unit will be 50%. However, students will be required to reach a minimum standard in both their coursework and their written exams. As such only 5% compensation between the total coursework element and the total exam element will be allowed.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ORDSM0057).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.