The aim of this module is to provide you with the basic skills and knowledge you will require to successfully undertake your dissertation project.

During this module you will be introduced to project planning, research methods and statistical analysis and you will learn what constitutes a good plan and the important considerations. You will understand how to define technical goals and milestones and appreciate the importance of monitoring progress and adapting the project objectives as in light of progress made and learning gained including risk and contingency planning.

Key steps in undertaking a major, original piece of research and writing a project dissertation will be explained, including how to define research questions, identify and review current literature, and correctly report and reference evidence and avoid plagiarism.

You will learn how to communicate ideas simply and unambiguously by correctly structuring a report. You will recognise the different styles of scientific writing and will recognise different sections in a paper. You will learn how to successfully structure and write various sections of a paper, including abstract, introduction, result, discussion and conclusion. Furthermore, you will learn how and when to use informative figures and tables and how to write an informative captions.

In addition, in this module students will explore ethics and legislation in research and how to conduct ethical research. You will consider how to recognise and respect values of others and how different values can impact research views and positions.

By the end of the module you will be able to:

1. To compare and critique the various research methods and techniques employed in health and medical sciences
2. To engage successfully with the ethical processes and procedures which regulate research activity in health and medical sciences
3. To demonstrate understanding of the research process and how to plan and conduct a research project
4. To develop an understanding of data management techniques in accordance with relevant legislation

CATS
15

Duration
4 weeks

Teaching methods
You will learn through a mix of lectures, group discussions, interactive presentations, computer clusters and technology enhanced learning.

Assessment
1 x individual presentation