| Unit name | Introduction to Research in Health Sciences |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SOCS30006 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1A (weeks 1 - 6) |
| Unit director | Professor. Whittington |
| 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 Medical School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
This unit will introduce general research principles and experimental design to the students so as to provide a foundation for their studies and research dissertation. The teaching sessions will provide preliminary training in the following practical and transferable skills: finding research information by using the library and internet; reading, interpreting and presenting research results; scientific writing and referencing; research design and statistical analysis; clinical research methods and statistics.
These sessions are reinforced by tutorials that review the taught material and provide an opportunity for the discussion of selected relevant research papers. This helps the students to understand the process of planning a piece of research.
The unit aims to: (i) Provide students with the skills to find research information and read scientific literature. (ii) Provide students with the fundamental knowledge of experimental design; presenting research results and scientific writing. (iii) Introduce some key core principles of statistical analysis and interpretation to prepare students for the research project unit. (iv) Foster individual and team-working, demonstrating organisation, decision-making and time management.
At the end of this unit the student should be able to: (i) Find, review, appraise and describe scientific literature. (ii) Accurately interpret simple statistical analysis of research data and draw appropriate conclusions. (iii) appraise the ethical issues surrounding medical research and treatments.
This unit is taught through lectures, tutorials and group project presentations (which may be online or face-to-face, where appropriate).
In this unit students will be assessed in the following ways:
(i) Formative MCQs on statistics.
(ii) A summative open-book assessment comprising data interpretation and critical analysis of a short research article (contributes to 70% of the overall unit mark).
(iii) A summative group project/presentation on current issues in medical research (contributes to 30% of the overall unit mark).
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. SOCS30006).
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.
