Experimental Design and Statistics
| Module title | Experimental Design and Statistics |
|---|---|
| Module code | CSC2023 |
| Academic year | 2021/2 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Musarrat Maisha Reza (Convenor) Dr Joao Correa Delgado (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 12 | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 271 |
|---|
Module description
This module explores the core principles of experimental design and statistics vital for medical scientists, starting with study design, hypothesis generation, and data collection through to statistical analysis and establishing conclusions. You will investigate how research is used to make rational and justified decisions, understand sources of bias and how different factors can confound conclusions.
In order to best understand how evidence is generated, interpreted and applied, you will get a hands-on opportunity to analyse existing datasets. You will use this analysis to develop new research hypotheses and describe a new proposed study, which will extend the results of the existing datasets.
Module aims - intentions of the module
Scientific research is constantly evolving and generating vast quantities of data – asking and answering scientific questions that allows us to make robust conclusions and importantly, ask new questions? It is important that we have a strong how do we go about understanding of how this information is generated and what it means.
In this module, you will study why a robust experimental design is fundamental to making scientific conclusions, and how it allows us to build upon existing knowledge. You will explore different mechanisms to control for biases in your studies and how to match statistical analysis to study design. You will also study the importance of ethics in experimental design.
Furthermore, you will explore different kinds of research strategies – deciding which research methods are best suited to answering specific questions, what the advantages and limitations of each kind of study design are and how you should make decision on applying statistical analyses to interpret the data.
Over the course of the module, you will garner the experience of designing and analysing your own research study and, importantly, learn how to communicate your results in a clear and critical way.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Identify and describe the principles of scientific research through hypothesis development, evaluation and testing.
- 2. Understand the role of controls, replication, randomisation and confounding factors in experimental design.
- 3. Identify the key kinds of experimental design, the advantages and limitations of each, and to which scenarios each should be applied.
- 4. Identify and apply the appropriate statistical analysis to accompany different experimental designs.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Create a valid research question and design and analyse a study to address it.
- 6. Write a research proposal to answer specific scientific questions.
- 7. Critically appraise different types of medical research studies (qualitative, observational, experimental).
- 8. Formulate appropriate strategies to answer different kinds of medical research question.
- 9. Use statistical methods to analyse and interpret basic research data.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 10. Work and communicate effectively as part of a research team.
- 11. Develop time management skills to manage a complex workflow.
- 12. Demonstrate competence in effectively communicating complex ideas.
- 13. Use feedback and experience to reflect upon your progress.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:
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The module provides learning opportunities around experimental design and statistics, using practical workshops and seminar sessions to demonstrate key principles underlying experimental design.
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Teaching seminar sessions where content is discussed and facilitated by a tutor which will guide you through data handling, critical appraisal of papers and key concepts underlying study design.
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Online lecture content will be provided the week before each seminar, which will discuss key ILOs, along with preparation material for the seminar sessions, which will run every other week.
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Regular information sessions will be interspersed throughout the academic year to provide support on scientific communication, poster and research project proposal development.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 57 | 243 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 15 | (15 x 1 hour) Lectures, including revision/Q&A sessions/ |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 8 | (8 x 1 hour) Statistics Lectures |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 22 | (11 x 2 hour) Facilitated seminars |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 12 | (8 x 1.5 hour) Statistics workshops |
| Guided Independent Study | 123 | Group poster work and data analysis, presentation prep. Research proposal design/ write-up/ |
| Guided Independent Study | 130 | Lecture/workshop/small group preparation, consolidation, reading, revision |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement in small group learning, seminar sessions | Contribution to sessions | 10-13 | Verbal-peer and provider |
| Poster Plan | 350 words | 1-13 | Verbal |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professionalism Award | 10 | N/A | 10-13 | Written and verbal |
| Research project proposal | 30 | Max 2500 words | 2, 4-7, 9-13 | Written |
| Group Poster | 10 | One PowerPoint slide and 5 min verbal questioning, along with peer feedback on group contribution | 5,6,10,12,13 | Written and verbal peer and provider |
| Written examination | 50 | 2.5 hours | 1-4, 7-9 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professionalism Award (10%) | Professionalism remediation meeting | 10-13 | Ref/ def period |
| Research project proposal (30%) | Research project report (max 2500 words) | 2,4-7,9-13 | Ref/ def period |
| Group Poster (10%) | Individual poster based on group poster assessment . 1 PowerPoint slide with verbal annotation | 5,6,10,12,13 | Ref/ def period |
| Written examination (50%) | Written examination (2.5 hours) | 1-4,7-9 | Ref/ def period |
Re-assessment notes
There is no change in format of the research project proposal when you refer or defer your assessment relative to normal reports. The group poster will be assessed as an individual piece of work, based on data provided by the module convenor.
In the event of you failing the professionalism award assessment component and failing the module overall, you will be required to meet with your Academic Tutor as soon as possible to remediate this failure as a referred assessment. This will involve submitting any outstanding components required for this award, and, if necessary, undertake any actions required by the Academic Tutor to remediate for any unprofessional behaviour. In the event of you failing the professionalism award component but passing the module overall, you will be required to meet with your academic tutor for an individual meeting to remediate at the beginning of the following academic year.?
Please also refer to the TQA section on Referral/Deferral: http://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/aph/consequenceoffailure/
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Ruxton and Colegrave 4th Edition; Experimental Design for the Life Sciences; ISBN 978-0-19-871735-5
Boyle and Ramsay (2017) Writing for Science Students; ISBN 978-1-137-57151-9
All other reading and resources will be indicated by, and accessible via, the module ELE page.
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | CSC1004 |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 12/04/2010 |
| Last revision date | 17/05/2021 |
