HS602-5-AU-CO:
Developing Critical Appraisal Skills
2023/24
Health and Social Care (School of)
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Monday 02 October 2023
Friday 08 December 2023
30
03 August 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
FDSCL515 Assistant Practitioner,
FDSCL515SO Assistant Practitioner
This module will help you to understand basic research concepts and develop a range of theoretical and practical appraisal skills by taking a critical perspective about the way research is designed and undertaken in the 'real world' of evidence-based health and social care practice.
You will learn about different types of research and the kind of evidence they provide by applying what you learn to your professional practice to inform evidence-based decision making.
The aim of this module is:
- To develop a range of theoretical and practical appraisal skills that are applied to student’s own professional practice, via an evidence-based practice (EBP) approach.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the research process.
- Demonstrate understanding of the different approaches (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods).
- Demonstrate implications for informing practice as part of evidence-based practice (EBP).
- Undertake a systematic search to identify appropriate evidence to answer a practice-based question.
- Demonstrate understanding of appropriate critical appraisal tools and apply these to identify strengths/weaknesses and sources of methodological bias -including ethics in a variety of research papers.
- Make informed judgements about the implications of different types of evidence for clinical decision making as part of EBP.
No additional information available.
This module is worth 30 credits, requiring around 300 active learning hours to develop knowledge and understanding of module topics and ability to apply practical appraisal skills based on an evidence-based practice (EBP) approach.
Taught sessions (recorded and available via Listen Again) are delivered using directed and independent learning - full details on Moodle.
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Burck, C. (2005) ‘Comparing qualitative research methodologies for systemic research: the use of grounded theory, discourse analysis and narrative analysis’,
Journal of Family Therapy, 27(3), pp. 237–262. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6427.2005.00314.x.
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Sawatsky, A.P., Ratelle, J.T. and Beckman, T.J. (2019) ‘Qualitative Research Methods in Medical Education’,
Anesthesiology, 131(1), pp. 14–22. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1097/ALN.0000000000002728.
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Ma, Lin-Lu (2020) ‘Methodological quality (risk of bias) assessment tools for primary and secondary medical studies: what are they and which is better?’,
Military Medical Research, 7(1). Available at:
https://mmrjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40779-020-00238-8.
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Östlund, U.
et al. (2011) ‘Combining qualitative and quantitative research within mixed method research designs: A methodological review’,
International Journal of Nursing Studies, 48(3), pp. 369–383. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2010.10.005.
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Aveyard, H. and Sharp, P. (2017)
A Beginner’s Guide to Evidence-Based Practice in Health and Social Care. 3rd edn. London, UK: Open University Press. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=6212202.
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Stillwell, S.B.
et al. (2010b) ‘Evidence-Based Practice, Step by Step: Searching for the Evidence’,
AJN, American Journal of Nursing, 110(5), pp. 41–47. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000372071.24134.7e.
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Stillwell, S.B.
et al. (2010a) ‘Evidence-Based Practice, Step by Step: Asking the Clinical Question’,
AJN, American Journal of Nursing, 110(3), pp. 58–61. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000368959.11129.79.
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Bennett, S. and Bennett, J.W. (2000) ‘The process of evidence-based practice in occupational therapy: Informing clinical decisions’,
Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 47(4), pp. 171–180. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-1630.2000.00237.x.
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De Brún, C. (2013) ‘Finding the Evidence: A Key Step in the Information Production Process.’ The Information Standard. Available at:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/tis/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2014/09/tis-guide-finding-the-evidence-07nov.pdf.
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CASP CHECKLISTS - CASP - Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (no date). Available at:
https://casp-uk.net/casp-tools-checklists/.
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Critical Appraisal tools — Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM), University of Oxford (no date). Available at:
https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/resources/ebm-tools/critical-appraisal-tools.
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The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Coursework |
Summative Essay |
|
100% |
Additional coursework information
100% weighting
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Ms Nameeka Shahid, email: nameeka.shahid@essex.ac.uk.
Jennie Todd
Callum Marshall hsccolapp@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
Dr Lindsay Welch
University of Southampton
Lecturer
Miss Joanne Bartlett
The Open University
Academic Lead/Practice Tutor
Available via Moodle
Of 27 hours, 27 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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