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Health Sciences Literature Review

Module description

This final year literature review module builds on the skills you have learnt in the previous years. It will stimulate your interest and knowledge in health science with the main component of the module being an independent literature review. Your research will take the form of one, 20-week narrative literature review. By performing an independent literature review you will get an insight into the world of research in health science. You will investigate your own specific research question using published literature under guidance of an expert in the field.  The module will consolidate your developing skills in collection, interpretation, formulation and presentation of evidence; and enhance your leadership and personal reflective behaviours and employment skills.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module seeks to develop your ability to conduct detailed literature reviews within the Health Science discipline and report the results in writing. It also aims to consolidate student reflective behaviours and employment skills. 

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Identify a research question and justify its relevance to the health sciences.
• 2. Identify suitable search terms, databases (including grey literature where appropriate), and conduct a comprehensive literature search related to the research question.
• 3. Interpret, critically appraise and draw appropriate conclusions from published data.
• 4. Prepare a narrative review that critically engages with the research literature and addresses the research question.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Demonstrate professional competence in communicating effectively with academic staff during supervision meetings.
• 6. Understand the expected performance standards in relation to scientific probity, and academic best practice and conduct.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Manage time, workload, ambiguity, and change effectively.
• 8. Reflect on personal practice, identify areas for personal development and demonstrate effective personal development planning.

Syllabus plan

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

In the final year, the literature review work will normally be undertaken in the Autumn and Spring terms and the written final reports are normally due in the Spring term,

Supervisory meetings are held by arrangement, with students entitled to at least 30 minutes of supervisory time per week. Three formal, documented meetings of project student and supervisor take place. Supervisory meetings may cover any / all of the following depending on the student’s own assessment of their learning needs (personal development plan.)

- Formatting a research question
- Identifying suitable databases for searching
- Use of grey literature
- Identifying suitable search terms
- Critical appraisal
- Critical writing
- Writing a narrative review
- Use of reference managers
- Writing for publication

Career development and employability skills will be discussed (e.g. CV consolidation and interview techniques) with Academic Tutor.

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

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

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

This will vary according to your specific project, and will be advised by your supervisor and on the project description form

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Ann T. Gregory, A. Robert Denniss, An Introduction to Writing Narrative and Systematic Reviews — Tasks, Tips and Traps for Aspiring Authors, Heart, Lung and Circulation, Volume 27, Issue 7, 2018, Pages 893-898, ISSN 1443-9506, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlc.2018.03.027.

Sarkar, Siddharth; Bhatia, Gayatri. Writing and appraising narrative reviews. Journal of Clinical and Scientific Research 10(3):p 169-172, Jul–Sep 2021. | DOI: 10.4103/jcsr.jcsr_1_21

Basheer, Aneesh. “The Art and Science of Writing Narrative Reviews.” International Journal of Advanced Medical and Health Research 9.2 (2022): 124–126.

Allen, Ann, and Sharon Mayor. Research Skills for Medical Students. London: SAGE Publications, Limited, 2012. Web.

This will vary according to your specific project, and will be advised by your supervisor and on the project description form

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

As directed by the supervisor

Key words search

Research, data, analysis, literature, clinical science, biomedical science, health science, independent, evidence, critical appraisal, communication