HS908-7-SP-CO:
Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation
2024/25
Health and Social Care (School of)
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 13 January 2025
Friday 21 March 2025
15
19 March 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MSC L43912 Global Public Health,
MPHDL43948 Global Public Health,
PHD L43948 Global Public Health
Evidence based practice is an essential component of responsive and responsible health policy, strategy, leadership, service provision and coordination of action for health. To scrutinise the knowledge that informs and guides practice, the practitioner needs to be research-literate. This module explores the different ways in which data can be collected, analysed and interpreted so that students become more confident in carrying out these activities themselves, as well as increasing their ability to critique the research carried out by others.
In particular, students will be able to reflect on the most suitable research methods for their particular research question, understanding that the data collected has implications for the analysis that can be carried out and the types of question that can be answered.
The aims of this module are:
- To provide students with a range of techniques for collecting, analysing and interpreting data. It combines a theoretical with a practical approach to enable students to fully understand the collection and analysis process so that they are able to make informed decisions when designing and carrying out research.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Debate the use of particular research methods in response to specific research questions.
- Design and develop data collection instruments and critically reflect on their value and suitably.
- Identify and debate the ethical implications of research.
- Explain and carry out a range of data analysis using appropriate computer software.
- Interpret the findings of statistical and qualitative analysis and relate this to their field.
This module introduces students to the differences between and similarities in quantitative and qualitative research, and how they complement each other. The module first focuses on quantitative methods, including research designs, the importance of research ethics, and the design of questionnaires. There will be a combination of lectures and workshops, during which a range of descriptive and inferential statistical analysis techniques are introduced using R, an open-source statistical software package that is free to use. It then moves on to approaches to qualitative data collection and analysis. There will be a lab session introducing NVivo, a commonly used software package for qualitative data analysis. The qualitative data analysis lab sessions will be held in parallel; students only need to attend one session of their choice on campus.
The module will be delivered via:
- Lectures
- Computer lab sessions
supported by Moodle. Moodle hosts extra readings, copies of slides, and other material. The assessment task includes piloting your own material which should be developed for formative assessment. Tutorials are scheduled to complement this process.
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Booth, W.C.
et al. (2016b)
The craft of research. Fourth edition. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4785166.
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Jones, D.S. and Podolsky, S.H. (2015) ‘The history and fate of the gold standard’,
The Lancet, 385(9977), pp. 1502–1503. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60742-5.
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Knopf, J.W. (2006) ‘Doing a Literature Review’,
PS: Political Science & Politics, 39(1), pp. 127–132. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049096506060264.
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Mattick, K., Johnston, J. and de la Croix, A. (2018) ‘How to…write a good research question’,
The Clinical Teacher, 15(2), pp. 104–108. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1111/tct.12776.
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Ruggeri, K.
et al. (2024) ‘A synthesis of evidence for policy from behavioural science during COVID-19’,
Nature, 625(7993), pp. 134–147. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06840-9.
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Morgan, D. (2006) ‘Practical Strategies for Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Methods: Applications to Health Research’, in
Emergent Methods in Social Research. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks California 91320 United States of America : SAGE Publications, Inc., pp. 165–182. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412984034.n8.
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Skivington, K.
et al. (2021) ‘A new framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions: update of Medical Research Council guidance’,
BMJ [Preprint]. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n2061.
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Small, M.L. (2011) ‘How to Conduct a Mixed Methods Study: Recent Trends in a Rapidly Growing Literature’,
Annual Review of Sociology, 37(1), pp. 57–86. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.012809.102657.
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Tymms, P.B.
et al. (2016) ‘Clustered randomised controlled trial of two education interventions designed to increase physical activity and well-being of secondary school students: the MOVE Project’,
BMJ Open, 6(1). Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009318.
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Mwambari, D. (2019) ‘Local Positionality in the Production of Knowledge in Northern Uganda’,
International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 18. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406919864845.
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Rubin, H. and Rubin, I. (2005)
Qualitative Interviewing (2nd ed.): The Art of Hearing Data. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks California 91320 United States : SAGE Publications, Inc. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452226651.
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Dempsey, L.
et al. (2016) ‘Sensitive Interviewing in Qualitative Research’,
Research in Nursing & Health, 39(6), pp. 480–490. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.21743.
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Reflexivity and positionality in research by Dr. Nicole Brown (no date). Available at:
https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/resources/online/all/?id=20808.
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Morgan, D.L. (1996) ‘Focus Groups’,
Annual Review of Sociology, 22(1), pp. 129–152. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.22.1.129.
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‘How many qualitative interviews is enough’ (no date). Available at:
https://eprints.ncrm.ac.uk/id/eprint/2273/.
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Cornish, F.
et al. (no date) ‘Participatory action research’. Available at:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43586-023-00214-1.pdf.
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Ugwu, C. (2019) ‘Refiguring transnational intervention: Ethnographic example from the Roll Back Malaria initiative in an African community’,
Ethnography, 20(1), pp. 108–127. Available at:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1466138117741504.
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Mackenzie, J. and Zhao, S. (2021) ‘Motherhood online: Issues and opportunities for discourse analysis’,
Discourse, Context & Media, 40. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcm.2021.100472.
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 |
3000-Word Assignment |
23/04/2025 |
100% |
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
Dr ZhiMin Xiao, email: zhimin.xiao@essex.ac.uk.
ZhiMin Xiao
Email:zhimin.xiao@essex.ac.uk
Student Administrator: David Bidwell
E:cpdshortcourses@essex.ac.uk
GPH Student administrator: Jakub Kulesza
Email: gph@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
Dr Elaine Lehane
University College Cork
Senior Lecturer
Dr Kate Parkinson
University of Salford
Subject Leader, Health and Social Care
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
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