Making Sense of Evidence for Environment and Health
| Module title | Making Sense of Evidence for Environment and Health |
|---|---|
| Module code | HPDM199 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Ruth Garside (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 5 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
Module description
Postgraduates are informed by research from the forefront of their academic discipline. To appropriately assess and apply this evidence to policy/practice, you need to be able to identify, critically appraise and synthesise best available evidence – quantitative and qualitative - on a given topic. This module therefore provides effective, transferrable postgraduate skills to facilitate evidence-based practice.
No pre-requisites or specialist knowledge are required to undertake this module, which is well suited to interdisciplinary learning. Delivery is via lectures, expert-led small group learning, interspersed by personal study undertaken at your own pace and supported by our internet resources.
This module will be delivered in person on the Penryn campus.
Module aims - intentions of the module
You will develop a detailed practical understanding of how to understand, critically appraise and synthesise current evidence from a variety of sources, whilst examining how the evidence base thus derived can also be effectively applied to their own area of practice.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate a theoretical and practical understanding of the design and analysis of qualitative and quantitative research studies
- 2. Demonstrate an independent ability to critical appraise, evaluate and synthesise a contemporary evidence base
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Understand how to appraise the nature of the current evidence base in your own area of professional practice and interpret it in the context or policy relevant questions
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Understand how to locate relevant evidence, and make sense of its methods and findings
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:
- How to make sense of a research paper
- Deriving an evidence base
- Locating, storing and organising research evidence
- Critical appraisal of quantitative and qualitative research
- Formal methods of evidence synthesis (e.g. meta-analysis; thematic synthesis)
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 130 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning & teaching activities | 20 | All student taught sessions including lectures, workshops, small group discussions and Q&A sessions in tutorials and seminars. |
| Guided independent study | 30 | Session preparation and follow up work utilising resources provided on ELE including asynchronous structured materials (such as short pre-recorded lectures, podcasts, asynchronous workshop activities, discussion forum posts and so on) |
| Guided independent study | 100 | Reading and assignment preparation |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class discussions and small group work activities | Each taught session | 1, 2, 3, 4 | Facilitator and peer feedback in class |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical appraisal | 25 | 750 words | 1, 2 | Written |
| Systematic review literature review | 75 | 2000 words | 1, 2, 3, 4 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical appraisal (25%) | Critical appraisal (750 words) | 1, 2 | Typically within six weeks of the result |
| Systematic review protocol (75%) | Systematic review (2000 words) | 1, 2, 3, 4 | Typically within six weeks of the result |
Re-assessment notes
Please 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
- Burls, A. (2009) What is critical appraisal?
- Cronin P, Ryan F and Coughlan M. (2008). Undertaking a literature review a step-by-step approach. British Journal of Nursing. 17(1); 38-43.
- Bryman A. (2008). Social Research Methods. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
- Garside R. (2013). “Systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research” in Understanding and Using Health Experiences. Zeibland S, Locock L and Calabrese J (eds). Oxford University Press, Oxford.
- Greenhalgh, T. (1997) How to read a paper: getting your bearings (deciding what the paper is about). BMJ, 315: 243.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Please also see the module ELE pages for up to date electronic resources.
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Collaboration for Environmental Evidence Guidelines for Systematic Review and Evidence Synthesis in Environmental Management. 2013. Version 4.2 www.environmentalevidence.org/Documents/Guidelines/Guidelines4.2.pdf
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 15/12/2015 |
| Last revision date | 04/11/2024 |
