Introduction to Research Methods and Applied Data Analysis

The aim of this course is to enable you to develop your theoretical, methodological and research skills to enhance your ability to undertake searches of the academic literature, critically appraise research studies, plan and conduct rigorous research and reach sound analytical conclusions. It is these conclusions that can form the basis for the development of effective service delivery in health and social care organisations.

You will develop a thorough understanding of the principles, theory and epistemology of research and data analysis methods. Equal emphasis is given to the teaching of qualitative and quantitative research methods and study designs.

Who is it for?

This course has been designed to meet the needs of clinical practitioners across the medical and non-medical workforce, as well as students pursuing qualifications in public health, health policy, advanced clinical practice and health management.

Timetable

Term 1

Oct: Monday 7, 14, 21 and 28 October 2024

Nov: Monday 4, 11, 18 and 25 November 2024

Dec: Monday 2 and 9 December 2024

Term 2

Jan: Monday 27 January 2025

Feb: Monday 3, 10, 17 and 24 February 2025

Mar: Monday 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 March 2025

The lectures are taught in person but there is a hybrid option to join online.

Benefits

The aim of this course is to enhance your ability to critically appraise and conduct rigorous research and reach sound analytical conclusions.

This course may be undertaken as part of the School of Health & Psychological Sciences Masters programmes, or as a CPD course worth 60 CPD hours.

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

Knowledge and understanding:

• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of methodological theory in Health Services Research
• Demonstrate confidence in formulating research questions in qualitative and quantitative research projects
• Demonstrate critical awareness of methods and study designs in qualitative and quantitative research
• Have developed a specialist skill set in either quantitative, qualitative or systematic review methodology.

Skills:

• Critically appraise the strengths and limitations of research proposals, completed studies and reviews across a range of designs
• Design and use search strategies to conduct a systematic review
• Plan a research project or service evaluation, drawing on the available literature and expert guidance to determine design, methods and analysis approaches
• Use specialist software (SPSS) to enter research findings and conduct key analyses
• Determine the most appropriate approaches for the analysis of different types of research data, providing clear rationale for chosen methods.

Values and attitudes:

• Have regard for ethical issues relating to research in health and social care settings
• Respect privacy and confidentiality
• Respect the opinions of others and behave with integrity.

The teaching will involve lectures and smaller group workshops in which a combination of individual and group learning activities will be used. This teaching will be supplemented by self-directed study using worksheets and exercises, which will be made available either via Moodle or via email.

The assessments for this course are as follows:

1. An examination involving multiple-choice questions. This exam will cover basic knowledge across the range of topics taught (50% of course marks).
2. An analytic report which may take the form of a 'mini-lab' quantitative analysis-based assessment, a piece of qualitative analysis coursework or a systematic review assignment (chosen by the participant) (50% of course marks)

Both parts of this course assessment must be passed for successful completion.

This is a 30 credit course at Level 7.

This course is provided by the School of Health & Psychological Sciences.

Credits

This course is worth 30 credits toward eligible programmes.

Non-EEA students can only apply as part of a programme, not as a stand-alone course.

A first degree in a medical/health or social sciences discipline is required (minimum 2:1 honours degree, 3.0 GPA or an equivalent international degree).

Applicants with equivalent qualifications or substantial experience in health services will also be considered on an individual basis.

English requirements

If your first language is not English, one of the following is required:

• A first degree from a UK university
• A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City, University of London as providing adequate evidence of proficiency in the English language, for example, from institutions from Australia, Canada or the United States of America.
• International English Language Test Service (IELTS) a score of 7.0 is required with no subtest below 7.0
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) score 72 required
• TOEFL 100 overall with 24 in Writing, 20 in Listening, 19 Reading and 20 Speaking
• Other evidence of proficiency in the English language, which satisfies the board of studies concerned, including registration with your professional regulator.