Postgraduate Course: Learning by doing Research in Nursing, Health and Social Care (NUST11126)
Course Outline
| School | School of Health in Social Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Learning by doing Research in Nursing, Health and Social Care introduces students to some key data collection and analysis methods in nursing, health and social care research.
|
| Course description |
Learning by doing Research in Nursing, Health and Social Care introduces students to some key data collection and analysis methods in nursing, health and social care research.
The course will take students through key principles of collecting and analysing qualitative and quantitative data using a blended learning theory and practice approach. For the quantitative element of this course, publicly available data will be provided for students to work on e.g. Scottish Health Survey as well as simulated data sets.
Qualitative data in form of interviews or focus group data will be collected by students as part of class exercises. Students will be provided with the opportunity to have hands-on experience with developing a topic guide for interviews; conducting semi-structured interviews with individuals or in a focus group; transcribing the interviews and analysing collected data. Students will develop a critical understanding of qualitative and quantitative key data collection and analysis methods that will enable them to apply this knowledge, for example, in any of the Masters dissertations routes (proposal, empirical or dissertation by portfolio).
This semester 2 course builds on the core course: Designing Research in Nursing, Health and Social Care which is delivered in semester 1 and will be a core course for students wishing to exit with an MSc Advanced Nursing (Clinical Research) or an optional course for all other postgraduate students. On completion of this course, students are expected to have gained a critical understanding of key qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis approaches in nursing, health and social care research.
The course will be taught by means of face-to-face lectures (10h), an assignment tutorial (1h) and four practical workshops over a 10-week period (9h).
The course content will be delivered in a way that promotes students' critical engagement with the materials, including on campus lectures, readings, videos and group discussions and ongoing quizzes providing students with feedback throughout the course on their learning and guiding students to areas where they may wish to engage in further study.
Students will be introduced to key qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and approaches to relevant data analysis.
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | A basic (undergraduate) knowledge of research methods is expected and/ or successful completion of an introductory research course, for example, Designing Research in Nursing, Health and Social Care or Research Methods in Health. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 9,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 4,
Summative Assessment Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
172 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Summative assessment:
(1) Quizzes of quantitative data analysis methods (30% of overall course mark)
(2) A critical reflection on the appropriateness of a data analysis approach of the student's choosing. The word count is confined to 2,300 - 2,500 words (70% of overall course mark)
|
| Feedback |
Formative assessment:
On-going feedback during the course workshops.
A dedicated assignment tutorial is built into this course provide feedback.
|
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of key methods in data collection and analysis and justify these choices in relation to methodology.
- Understand the application of and demonstrate a critical understanding of ethical principles during data collection.
- Plan and conduct qualitative data collection and prepare data for data analysis.
- Demonstrate a critical understanding and reflection on the appropriateness of a data analysis approach.
- Extend knowledge of and practice quantitative data analysis.
|
Reading List
Pope C & Mays N (2020) Qualitative research in health care, 4th edition, WileyBlackwell
Flick (2023) An introduction to qualitative research, SAGE
Saldana J (2015) Thinking qualitatively, SAGE
Saldana J (2024) Developing theory through qualitative inquiry, SAGE (not et published)
Blastland, M. & Dilnot, A. (2008) The Tiger That Isn't: Seeing Through a World of Numbers. London, Profile Books.
Chambers, Ray L., and Chris J. Skinner, eds. Analysis of survey data. John Wiley & Sons, 2003. Analysing surveys with R
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
The course is set to significantly contribute to the development of a range of attributes and skills for students including:
The knowledge, understanding and ability in developing robust research proposals or conducting small scale research in fulfillment for the different Masters dissertation routes (empirical, proposal and dissertation by portfolio).
The ability to demonstrate critical thinking and reasoning skills when making methodological and method choices, as well as demonstrating reflexive insight, rigour and ethical considerations when making methodological choices that are well justified.
The ability to connect academic knowledge to 'real world' research challenges and to question, reflect on and understand good practices in social science research.
|
| Keywords | Qualitative research,quantitative research,data collection methods,data analysis |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Glenna Nightingale
Tel: (0131 6)50 6651
Email: Glenna.Nightingale@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr David Morris
Tel: (0131 6)51 3969
Email: dmorri14@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
|
|
University Homepage