Purpose:

• To introduce students to the principles of research.
• To develop students’ knowledge and skills of purposeful reading, critique and use of research for professional healthcare in practice.

Graduate Profile Outcomes (GPO’s)

GPO5: Research, articulate and apply knowledge and skills relevant to ethical and effective health promotion practices within their work context.
GPO6: Use analytical and inquiry processes to further their development as a community and/or health care/ support giver.

Learning outcomes:

LO1: Analyse and articulate the components of the research process.
LO2: Critique and debate ethical and legal aspects of the research process.
LO4: Critically examine the different research methodologies/ methods, and their application within evidence-based health care practice.

To pass the assessment, you must meet all the stated learning outcomes (LOs) and must achieve 50% marks in tasks addressing the LOs.

Task: Individual essay (critique)

Weighting: 50%
Wordcount: 3000 +/- 10%

Overview

This is an individual essay in which you will critique the research process in the context of health care practice. It is important to be fully aware of how research is structured and interpreted to apply to your own academic reading and research projects.

Your essay must follow the usual essay writing format (beginning, middle and end) and must focus on the following.

1. Analysis ( LO 1)

• Identify 8 major steps/components of the research process.
• Analyse the purpose of each step of the research process with at least one example to support your analysis.
• Explain the significance of “Literature Review” as a major component of research process.

(25 marks and approximately 800 words)

2. Critique (LO 2)

A. Ethical aspects in the research process are often controversial and unethical behavior is taken very seriously by all stakeholders.

• Critique 4 ethical aspects of healthcare research.
• Support each ethical aspect with the help of a significant example/case study.
• Try to select examples/case studies from healthcare research in Aotearoa/ New Zealand.

(15 marks and approximately 600 words)

B. Legal aspects differ from ethical issues and taken equally seriously.

• What are the legal implications of plagiarism, falsification and fabrication in the research process?
• How can legal issues be avoided?
• Support your answers with examples from reliable academic sources.

(15 marks and approximately 600 words)

3. ‘Critical examination’ of research methods and methodologies in the context of healthcare practice. (LO 4)

Research methodology(ies) include qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies.

• Which methodology(ies) would be most appropriate to healthcare practice research and why?

Research method is the way in which data are collected.

• Which research methods are most effective in healthcare practice and why?

(15 marks and approximately 500 words)

4. Application of research methods and methodologies (LO 4)

• How and why are specific research methods and methodologies applied to evidence-based healthcare practice in a New Zealand context?

(15 marks and approximately 500 words)