Postgraduate Skills and Evidence

Module title	Postgraduate Skills and Evidence
Module code	HPDM028
Academic year	2024/5
Credits	15
Module staff	Professor Ruth Garside (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	9

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 expert-led small group learning, interspersed by personal study undertaken at your own pace and supported by our internet resources.

This module is hybrid – there will be in-person in-class teaching with the option to join online.

Module aims - intentions of the module

You will develop a detailed practical understanding of how to 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. Critically reflect on own learning needs in support of a personal development plan as an advanced scholar and evidence-based practitioner

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:

Masters level skills, academic writing and evidence based practice

Personal skills appraisal

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; meta-ethnography)

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
20	130

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	Facilitator and peer feedback in class
Personal skills audit	Discussed in a taught session	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	1-3	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)	1-3	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

Basic reading:
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.

Web based and electronic resources: Please also see the module ELE pages for up to date electronic 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

Key words search

Postgraduate skills, evidence based practice, systematic review, literature review, evidence synthesis, quantitative evidence, qualitative evidence, human health, environment.

Credit value	15
Module ECTS	7.5
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	7
Available as distance learning?	Yes
Origin date	15/12/2015
Last revision date	01/12/2023