POD332 Research Methods: Podiatry Honours (8)

This subject deals with a range of research methods that are used by health professionals, and provides a basis for involvement in original research. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques are presented, and students are required to analyse data with computer-based packages. Students are also given skills for applying scientific principles to routine clinical practice, exposed to ways in which research results are disseminated, and encouraged to evaluate research critically. By the end of session, students are required to produce a research proposal on which their honours dissertation will be based.

No offerings have been identified for this subject in 2019.

Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject Information

Grading System

HD/FL

Duration

One session

School

School of Community Health

Enrolment Restrictions

Bachelor of Health Science (Podiatry) (Honours) students only.

Assumed Knowledge
PSY102 and POD331
Incompatible Subjects

HLT322

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • be familiar with:
  • Basic descriptive statistics concerning central tendency and variation;
  • Visual means of presenting data including histograms, pie charts, scattergrams, and stemandleaf charts;
  • Commonly used methods of sampling including probability and nonprobability samples;
  • Different levels of measurement (e.g., nominal, ordinal, and equalinterval), and the implications of using them;
  • Strengths, limitations, and weaknesses (including observer biases and effects) of different empirical methods;
  • A range of qualitative research methods, including content analysis, grounded theory, case studies, focus groups, the delphi technique, and action research;
  • Basic quantitative methods used by health professionals, including single subject designs, quasiexperiments, and experiments;
  • Principles underlying inferential statistics, including statistical significance;
  • A range of basic nonparametric statistical techniques, including chisquare, the sign test, the MannWhitney U test, and Spearmans rank order correlation coefficient;
  • A range of basic parametric statistical techniques, including Pearsons correlation, ttests, oneway ANOVA, and simple linear regression;
  • The nature and scope of multivariate analysis techniques including MANOVA, multiple regression, canonical correlations, and factor analysis;
  • Means of disseminating research including journal articles, seminar presentations, and poster presentations;
  • Ethical issues associated with research;
  • The dangers associated with a 'publish or perish' mentality;
  • And be able to:
  • Conduct literature searches using computerised databases;
  • Generate research questions and hypotheses;
  • Determine appropriate samples for research investigations
  • Determine appropriate methods of research for particular applications;
  • Prepare data for analysis (including coding and using interrater reliability checks);
  • Use a variety of qualitative research methods;
  • Design a questionnaire / survey instrument;
  • Conduct a survey interview;
  • Select appropriate statistical techniques for analysing quantitative data;
  • Employ basic nonparametric and parametric statistical techniques;
  • Create data sets and analyse data using computer packages;
  • Evaluate research critically; and
  • Produce a research proposal.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:

- Literature searches using computerised data bases - Basic research methods used by health professionals, including experiments and quasi-experiments - Sampling - Descriptive statistics - Commonly used qualitative research methods - Questionnaire design and survey analysis - Commonly used quantitative statistics (both nonparametric and parametric) - Strengths, limitations, and weaknesses of different empirical methods - Internal and external validity - Computer-based statistics packages - Dissemination of research findings - Critical consumption of research - Ethical issues associated with research - Characteristics of research proposals

Contact

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The information contained in the CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: May 2019. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.

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