NSCI8002 Assessment 1: Case Study

Total Marks: 100

Maximum Word Count: 1500

Format: There are two parts to this assessment.
Part A1a: Written assessment.
Part A1b: Oral assessment.

Learning outcomes covered:
LO1: Critically evaluate advanced knowledge in applied science to frame a novel research project
LO2: Design appropriate methodological approaches to applied science projects and evaluate appropriate data analysis techniques and their interpretation.

Written Assessment Brief (Part A1a)

A critical aspect of designing a robust research plan is being able to identify the type of data that will be collected by the study design and recognise the most effective analysis techniques that should be applied to answer the research question. Indeed, often identification of potential analysis techniques is done prior to commencement of the research so that the correct data types and sample sizes can be collected and recorded.

Tasks

For this assessment you will:

1. Identify a research question of interest to you. This could be a particular question that you intend to answer in your research, would be interested in exploring in the future, or simply a topic you are interested in finding out more about.

2. Conduct a literature search to research the different data analysis methods/techniques that have been used to investigate this topic in previously published studies. This should include historical and recent publications and must include peer-reviewed articles published within the last two years. Use original research articles from peer-reviewed journals. Note: For some journals detailed information on the methods may be found in the Supplementary Material that can be downloaded along with the article.

3. Use this literature search to evaluate the different statistical analysis methods authors have used to answer the same research question. Which statistical methods were the most common? Were there any trends in the frequencies of the different statistical methods over the past decades, and if so, why? Looking into trends and popularity can help you identify the most appropriate, as well as the most powerful, analysis types. You should also use this literature review to select the three best analysis types to compare for part four below.

4. Using three different peer-reviewed articles from your search (one of which must have been published in the previous two years):

a. Give an overview of the different statistical analysis methods used in the three articles that have been used to answer the same research question. This section should demonstrate an understanding of the theory behind the methods and why they were used.

b. Evaluate the robustness of the methodologies employed in each study. This could include limitations in the fieldwork techniques or experimental approaches, appropriateness of the sampling strategy, the extent that the study effectively controlled for confounding variables, applied effective biological replication, controlled for multicollinearity, assessed goodness of fit or model validation, etc.

c. Discuss the effectiveness of each statistical data analysis method. Did the authors apply different statistical methods? How did the authors do things differently? How did the analysis method influence the depth or breadth of findings? What could be improved?

5. Use tables or figures to emphasise your arguments where appropriate.

Written Assessment Requirements (Part A1a)

• Each student is required to submit a written assignment in the form of an electronic file typed into the dedicated OneDrive folder. Late submissions will not be accepted.
• Size limit: Max 1,500 words (excluding references).
• Your assessment should include:
  (i) A Background section that introduces the research question or topic.
  (ii) A Literature search section that addresses point 3 above. This should focus on trends in methodologies, not background to the topic.
  (iii) A Methodologies section which describes the specific methodologies and statistical analysis techniques that were used in your three chosen articles to answer your research question (you do not have to describe all analyses in each article, just the ones relevant to answering your chosen question). You should show evidence that you understand the theory of how each analysis functions. This section addresses point 4a above.
  (iv) A Critique. This is where you should evaluate the analysis techniques, giving information in points 4b and 4c above.
• Your assignment should include appropriate in text citations and a reference list. Reference list must follow APA 7^th style.
• Please use correct nomenclature, grammar and spelling in your assignment. Use Grammarly if required.
• Please present your work professionally using formatting and illustration appropriate to the content of your assignment.
• The work presented must be your own work with no plagiarism.

Oral Assessment Requirements (Part A1b)

The oral assessment session will be scheduled by your lecturer for a time after you have submitted the written assessment.

During this short discussion the lecturer will ask questions designed to assess your understanding of your assignment and the methodologies it describes.

The discussion is anticipated to last around 15 minutes.

This oral assessment (i.e. part A1b) does not contribute marks to your final grade but must be passed in order for the mark for your written assessment (i.e. part A1a) to stand.

If the lecturer is not satisfied that you sufficiently understand what you have written in your assignment, your mark will be withheld. Another oral assessment session may be scheduled.