Research forms the foundation of high quality, evidence-based clinical practice. As a health professional, it is important that you understand how to develop, analyse and use research to facilitate improvement in health outcomes. In this unit, you will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to ethically design a health research project. You will extend your critical thinking and analytical skills through exploration and evaluation of the current health literature to identify a clinically relevant research question. This unit requires you to demonstrate responsibility and accountability for your own learning and work collaboratively with others to develop your research methodology and begin data collection. You will also be required to apply academic conventions to oral and written communication of your research plan. You will finalise your research project in a subsequent term in your capstone research unit - Research Project for Health Professionals 2.

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Unit evaluations

Students found the assessment requirements complicated and confusing.

It is recommended that the Unit Coordinator provides more detail on assessment requirements on Moodle and discusses all criteria with examples in an early tutorial.

Feedback from Unit evaluations

Students appreciated the help, support and encouragement they received from the Unit Coordinator and their supervisors.

It is recommended that Unit Coordinator continues to include one-on-one and group encouragement, feedback and practical support in the tutorials alongside support from project supervisors.