Overview
The purpose of the Medical Science Research Project 2 unit is to provide you with further training in research as you continue projects begun in Medical Science Research Project 1. This unit requires you to independently report on the investigation of the research question proposed. The final journal paper will typically contain the data analyses, results, and discussion in addition to a cogent literature review and hypotheses. It is anticipated that some journal papers may be suitable for eventual publication in an appropriate journal with the academic involved named as co-author. In all stages of the project you must adhere to appropriate ethical and professional standards.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite - MEDS21003 Medical Science Research Project 1
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
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 SUTE Data
Students did not find feedback useful coming from various mentors
Consider having fewer mentors and the UC mentoring a larger number of students.
Feedback from SUTE Data
Students struggled to see the relevance of the unit to their degree or how the skills gained in the unit can be utilised once qualified.
Consider intergrading into the tutorials examples of how research skills gained in this unit relate to their profession.
- Collect and use data ethically
- Critically analyse and interpret research data
- Interpret research data and discuss findings professionally
- Prepare and present a journal paper within the required style and format of an appropriate journal in the field of course enrolment.
The purpose of Medical Science Research Project's 1 & 2 is to provide the student with training in developing, conducting, and communicating research across theoretical and applied domains. This requires students to undertake an investigation of a research question in an area of medical science aligned with their course of enrolment and to report the investigation in written scholarly form. The research question to be investigated may have either theoretical or applied significance but will add to the body of discipline-specific knowledge and meet the performance criteria for the engaged research element of the appropriate professional competency standards.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 70% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 70% | ||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Vancouver
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
j.alphonse@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Developing a research question.
The lectures under this tile will cover:
Selecting a topic using PICO (Patient/Population/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome).
Searching the literature to develop a research question.
Critical thinking and problem solving.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Familarise yourself with the assessment task in Moodle and think about a new research topic. You may need to conduct an informal literature search to find a new research topic. This search will also support you in determining if the topic is suitable, feasible and if there is enough literature to allow progression of your topic.
Week 1 Zoom tutorial Tuesday evening 7-8pm AEST.
Module/Topic
The research topic, keywords, search engine and databases.
Lectures under this tile will cover:
• Choosing databases and/or search engines.
• Developing a search strategy: key terms and concepts.
• Tips and tricks for success in both assessment tasks.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
You will need to have developed a research question using PICO.
When you formally search the literature for assessment 1, you need to keep a record of this search strategy as you will need this data for assessment 2.
Week 3 Zoom tutorial Tuesday evening 7-8pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Filling in the Excel spreadsheet.
Lectures under this tile will cover:
- Tips on how and what to enter into the Excel spreadsheet for assessment 1.
- Identifying different types of research.
- What NOT to include as literature.
- Clarifying terms.
- What to look for when you run your assessment task through Turnitin.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5 Zoom tutorial Tuesday evening 7-8pm AEST.
Written Assessment 1 - Researching the gap Due: Week 5 Friday (9 Aug 2024) 4:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Break week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Methodology.
Your literature search strategy is your methodology and this tile covers how to write a methodology for annotated bibliographies and critical summary.
You needed to have kept a record of how you searched the literature for assessment 1 as you may need to build onto this for assessment 2.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
You will need to use the feedback from assessment 1 to further develop, refine and/or change your research question for assessment 2.
You may need to search the literature again to replace some or all of your included articles for assessment 2.
Week 7 Zoom tutorial Tuesday evening 7-8pm AEST.
Module/Topic
CATs and RoBs.
Lectures under this tile will cover:
• Critical Appraisal Tools (CATs).
• Risk of Bias (RoBs).
You will need to use one or both these tools to justify the inclusion of your articles in the assessment task. This justification will also support your strengths and limitations for inclusion.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The Annotated Bibliographies.
The lectures under this tile cover writing an annotated bibliography:
- Bibliography
- Summary
- Evaluation
- Reflection
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9 Zoom tutorial Tuesday evening 7-8pm AEST.
Module/Topic
The critical summary for the annotated bibliographies.
Lectures under this tile will cover writing a critical summary which has been developed from the annotated bibliographies.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 11 Zoom tutorial Tuesday evening 7-8pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Bringing it all together
The learning material under this tile relates to proofreading and reviewing your assessment task before submission.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Proofread and edit assessment 2.
Written Assessment 2 - Evidence-based justification for a research topic Due: Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024) 4:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Your unit coordinator (UC) for this unit is Dr. Jennifer Alphonse. Tutorials are offered throughout the term in the evenings. The timings for these tutorials will be posted on the unit Moodle site under the 'Virtual Classroom' tile and under the relevant tile. Zoom links and tutorial recordings (when available) will be under the Virtual Classroom tile. It is important that as a post graduate student that you work independently and stay on top of the learning material and milestones throughout this unit. The unit coordinator works part-time (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday). Questions and queries relating to the assessment tasks are best posted on Q&A, however check the FAQs first. If you need to contact the UC, contact is best made via email and responses to emails sent outside of the above mentioned days may be delayed.
1 Written Assessment
In this unit (MEDS21006) you must choose a new research topic that is different from MEDS21003. A key component of research involves developing a feasible, answerable and ethical research question and aim, to fill a gap in knowledge. Addressing or answering a research question can be achieved not only by performing an ethically approved research project but by searching published, peer reviewed original research literature related to a research topic, using relevant keywords to answer the clinically relevant research question.
- Choose a new research topic for MEDS21006 related to your enrolled course and it must be different to MEDS21003. The research question and aim from MEDS21003 will be entered into the template to demonstrate this difference.
- Perform an informal search of the literature (e.g. using Google Scholar or CQU Library search engines) to find a new topic.
- Develop a PICO (Participant/Problem, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome) using the new topic you have chosen as a guide. Your PICO will support the development of your research question.
- Using PICO, you will develop an original ethical research question.
- The research question must be feasible and can be answered using only the available literature.
- Formally search the literature using keywords taken from your research question to find original research articles related to your research question.
- You will select three (3) published peer reviewed original research articles you have found through your formal literature search.
- The relevant articles are to be no more than 10 years old and cannot be review articles. (Review articles include Cochrane reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses or guidelines).
- You will establish the authors, year of publication, keywords and impact factor (or citation index) and enter this data into the template spreadsheet.
- You will write a 100-word summary for each of the three articles (300 words in total) demonstrating the relevance to the research topic, research question and demonstrate the gap in knowledge which has been identified from the three articles and is aligned with your original research question.
- The three articles are to be referenced in CQU Vancouver Style referencing.
- Develop a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely) aim that can answer or address the research question that “fills the gap” the three original research articles have demonstrated.
You will save the template as an Excel file (.xls or .xlsx) using your name and assessment 1 as the naming convention (e.g. Bloggs J Ass 1.xlsx) and upload to the Moodle site.
You will separately upload PDF copies of the three (3) articles you have selected as part of the assessment submission. The PDFs are to be saved by naming them with the name of the first author and the year of publication (e.g. Orlic 2019.pdf) and uploaded separately to the Moodle along with the assessment template.
For assessment 1 there will be four (4) files to upload to the Moodle. Please note submitted assessment files unable to be opened will be deemed to be a non-submission and late penalties will apply.
Assessment 1 will lay the foundation for the completion of assessment 2. Feedback from assessment 1 will assist you in refining your proposed research question/aim which you will use in assessment 2.
Word Limit: 600 words +/- 10%
Font style, size and line spacing: Arial or Calibri in size 12. Line spacing is not relevant to assessment 1.
Week 5 Friday (9 Aug 2024) 4:00 pm AEST
Submission via Moodle site
Return will be at or after 26/08/2024 due to moderation of multiple markers.
This assessment must be a different body of work to that which was previously submitted into the unit MEDS21003 to ensure there is no self-plagiarism.
- You accurately entered your research question and aim from MEDS21003 to demonstrate that a different topic had been chosen for this assessment task.
- You developed a PICO related to your research topic.
- Using the PICO, you developed a new and original, feasible research question that could be addressed or answered by searching and synthesizing published peer-reviewed original research.
- You searched the literature for three (3) original peer-reviewed research articles related to your research topic that provided background to support your proposed research question/aims. The articles are not more than 10 years old.
- You recorded the authors, year of publication, keywords, and impact factor/citation index of the chosen articles.
- For each included article, you summarized (100 words +/- 10%) background knowledge to inform your research topic and explained how each article was relevant to the research question/aim (Hint: what was the relevance of this research topic?). Total 300 words.
- You referenced each of the included articles in CQU Vancouver referencing style.
- You uploaded all three (3) articles as separate PDFs. The PDFs were saved, renaming them using the name of the first author and the year of publication (e.g., Orlic et al. 2019.PDF).
- Data were well organized, accurate, and presented in a scholarly style that incorporated specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- The document was written in a style that was culturally and ethically aware with correct spelling and grammar.
- Within the word limit, you demonstrated clear, concise, scientific communication.
- You provided an accurate and complete references (bibliography) in CQU Vancouver style referencing.
A copy of the detailed marking rubric for this assessment task is available on the MEDS21006 unit Moodle site.
Please be advised the use of Large Language Models (LLMs), a type of artificial intelligence (AI) such as Chat GPT are not supported in this unit. The information provided by LLMs are not necessarily accurate, current information or correctly referenced and are not considered reliable enough to use for academic work. Any use of LLM/AI must be acknowledged using the Guidelines for referencing Large Language Models or Artificial Intelligence in your assignments.
Referencing Style
Vancouver
Learning Outcomes Assessed
- Collect and use data ethically.
- Critically analyse and interpret research data.
- Interpret research data and discuss findings professionally.
- Prepare and present a journal paper within the required style and format of an appropriate journal in the field of course enrolment.
- Collect and use data ethically
- Critically analyse and interpret research data
- Interpret research data and discuss findings professionally
- Prepare and present a journal paper within the required style and format of an appropriate journal in the field of course enrolment.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
2 Written Assessment
You are required to provide an overview of the available research on your chosen topic, justify the topic and identify a knowledge gap using literature via annotated bibliographies of three (3) peer reviewed original research articles. You will write a critical analysis of the selected papers. This written assessment task has three parts:
Part A;
Title: Title reflects the research question/aim and aligns with the keywords.
Research question: Using feedback from assessment 1, further refine and develop a single feasible research question.
Aim: Using feedback from assessment 1, further refine and develop a single aim specific to the research question, which is measurable, achievable, relevant and feasible.
Keywords: Provide a minimum of four (4) (no more than 6 or 7) keywords/key terms that reflect the title/research question/aim.
Methodology
- Describe the methodology you used to perform your literature search to find the original peer-reviewed research articles most relevant to your topic, research question/aim.
- Outline the search engines/databases searched, search terms (or keywords) used for the search, Boolean Operators/MeSH terms (and how they were used), search years, inclusion and exclusion criteria, CATs and/or RoBs applied to justify the inclusion of the final three articles.
Part B: Annotated bibliographies of three (3) peer reviewed scientific journal articles (250 words for each annotation)
An annotated bibliography is a concise written evaluation (annotation) of an article relevant to your research question.
You will either search and collect three new journal articles or you may use all, 2 or 1 of the articles from assessment 1. To determine the relevance and appropriateness of the articles in assessment 1 for assessment 2 you will need to use the feedback from assessment 1. If the feedback from assessment 1 suggests the article(s) is/are not relevant, then you will need to search the literature and find new article(s). All three included articles are to be not more than 10 years old. You will discuss them individually, in three separate annotated bibliographies (one annotated bibliography for each journal article).
The journal articles must be original research articles and no review articles are to be included. Review articles include Cochrane reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses or guidelines. Inclusion of any review article will result in no marks for the relevant annotated bibliography.
You will present the annotated bibliographies in alphabetical order of first author. For each journal article you will provide one annotated bibliography which will:
- Present the reference of the journal article in Vancouver referencing (as the title of a single annotated bibliography).
- Justify the reason for inclusion of the article based on journal quality (impact factor (IF)/citation index)
- Discuss the relevance of the article to the overarching research question/aim. Any components which are not relevant should also be clearly stated.
- Discuss the relevance to your discipline.
- Discuss the method of research used within the article and its relevance to the aim of your research.
- Discuss the main scope/purpose of the article and findings and its relevance to your research question.
- State clearly the conclusions of the article and how these are relevant to your research question.
- Outline any strengths and limitations of the article and the relevance of these to your topic.
- Discuss the use of figures (including images, charts, graphs and tables) in the article and how they impact the interpretation of the findings (results).
Part C: Critical Analysis (500 words)
This will synthesise, analyse and summarise the findings from the three (3) selected articles, and discuss how collectively they answer or address (or do not address) your research question and aim.
- Correctly state insights gained from the articles collectively which relate to the aim of your research.
- Critically discuss (analyse) the important findings and synergy (or lack of synergy) between articles and their findings.
- Identify areas of consensus or lack of consensus between the articles to aid identification of current knowledge gaps (addressing your research question/aim) and reason for selection of your research topic.
- You will include the strengths and limitations of the articles in relation to your research question. You will refer to the CATs/RoB tools in relation to strengths and limitations of the included articles.
- You will also demonstrate how you have addressed your research question and finish with a conclusion that focuses on the relevance and possible future direction for research in this area.
- Additional related articles may be used to support the critical analysis; however, they must be relevant to the research topic and appropriately and separately referenced using CQU Vancouver Style Referencing. Example: the CATs/Robs tool(s) used to justify the inclusion of the articles and to identify strengths and limitations will need to be referenced separately as a reference list and after the critical summary.
- The critical analysis is correctly and accurately referenced (intext citation) in CQU Vancouver Style referencing.
Word Limit: 1500 words +/- 10%
Font, size, and line spacing: Arial or Calibri in size 12 with 1.5 line spacing and double line spacing between paragraphs and sections.
You will be required save the assessment as a document file (.doc or .docx) using your name and assessment 2 as the naming convention (e.g. Bloggs J Ass 2.docx) and upload to the Moodle.
Reference List (if applicable)
If the three (3) articles presented as the annotated bibliographies are the only included peer-review articles referenced in the critical analysis, a separate reference list is not required. Any additional references used in the critical analysis will need to be included in a reference list after the critical analysis. Reference List numbering will continue from the last annotated bibliography. All references are presented in CQU Vancouver style referencing whether as the annotated bibliography or in the reference list.
PDF copies of three selected articles: You are required to upload PDF copies of the three (3) articles you have selected for the annotated bibliographies along with the written document as part of the assessment submission. The PDFs are to be saved by naming them with the name of the first author and the year of publication (e.g. Orlic 2019.PDF) and uploaded separately.
As with all university assessments, colluding with other students on non-group work tasks is considered academic misconduct and will be dealt with in adherence with the CQU student academic integrity policy and procedure.
Please be advised the use of Large Language Models (LLMs), a type of artificial intelligence (AI) such as Chat GPT are not supported in this unit. The information provided by LLMs are not necessarily accurate, current information or correctly referenced and are not considered reliable enough to use for academic work. Any use of LLM/AI must be acknowledged using the Guidelines for referencing Large Language Models or Artificial Intelligence in your assignments.
For assessment 2 there will be four (4) files to upload to the Moodle. Please note submitted assessment files unable to be opened will be deemed to be a non-submission and late penalties will apply.
Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024) 4:00 pm AEST
Submission via Moodle site
Return will be at or after 28/10/2024 due to moderation of multiple markers.
A high level of communication skills are required to convey a clear and concise summary of your research question, aim, methodology, outline of each article in an annotated bibliography and critical analysis of the articles selected.
You will need to ensure that your submission demonstrates:
- A title that reflects the research question and aim and aligns with the keywords.
- A refined, feasible answerable research question and aim whereby PICO has been utilised.
- A minimum of four (4) and not more than seven (7) appropriate keywords or key terms.
- A clear outline of methodology to allow reproducibility of the literature search, clearly outlining inclusion/exclusion criteria.
- A selection of relevant and appropriate peer reviewed original research journal articles which are relevant to your research question/aim.
- Article inclusion further justified with impact factor/citation index of the chosen articles reported.
- CATs/RoB tools correctly applied and relevance to strengths and limitations discussed.
- Articles selected discuss most recent and up-to-date findings related to the topic (and not older than 10 years).
- Annotated bibliographies presented correctly, addresses the aim/question and are appropriate for discipline, describes main content, methodology, findings, conclusion, strengths, limitations, and describes features to enhance reader interpretation.
- Critical analysis demonstrates correct synthesis of information into a unified and coherent whole document, demonstrating internal consistency and logical flow with a concise conclusion.
- Adherence to academic writing in a scholarly style that is culturally and ethically aware.
- Three (3) PDFs of the individual articles selected included, correctly uploaded with the correct naming convention.
- Accurate and complete reference list (including each annotation and any additional references), all in CQU Vancouver style referencing.
The research question and aim for assessment 2 may be developed from assessment 1 of MEDS21006 but must be a different body of work to that which was previously submitted into the unit MEDS21003 to ensure there is no evidence of self-plagiarism.
A copy of the detailed marking rubric for this assessment task is available on the MEDS21006 unit Moodle site.
- Collect and use data ethically
- Critically analyse and interpret research data
- Interpret research data and discuss findings professionally
- Prepare and present a journal paper within the required style and format of an appropriate journal in the field of course enrolment.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
