This module provides students with the opportunity to develop an area of personal and professional interest and manage their own learning. It builds on the critical appraisal skills developed at level 5.

The content of the module includes:
• developing a research question, designing and implementing literature searches (using electronic databases), locating and gathering information (including use of inter-library loans) and evaluating, managing (including use of reference management software) and presenting information (in the form of a short literature review).
• developing a primary research question and research protocol suitable for submission to an ethics committee
• undertaking a primary research project which involves collection, collation and analysis of primary data followed by critical evaluation and presentation of results (in the form of a research paper). Students will be expected to understand the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of their projects
• producing a poster Power Point presentation communicating the findings of their literature review and primary research project.
The literature review and research paper may be suitable for publication or presentation at an undergraduate research conference.

Threading through the module is the Personal and Professional Portfolio (PPP), a self-directed learning tool, which aims to encourage reflection, evaluation and self-development.

Subject Benchmark Statement: Osteopathy: A, D, K, L, M, N

Literature Review (3,500 words) 20% (LOs 1,2, 4 and 5)
Research proposal (1500 words) 20% (LOs 3 and 5)
Research Paper (3,500 words) 40% (LOs 1, 3, 4 and 5)
Research Poster 10% (LOs 3 and 4)
Oral Presentation (15 minutes) 10% (LOs 3 and 4)

Additional Assessment Details (include formative feedback / assessment):
8 formative feedback opportunities:

Tutorial on proposed research question for literature review
Tutorial on Critical Appraisal / Initial Synthesis
Tutorial on 1st draft of Literature Review
Tutorial on 2nd draft of Literature Review
Tutorial on research proposal for primary data collection project
Tutorial on Data Analysis
Tutorial on 1st draft of project
Tutorial on 2nd draft of project
Tutorial on Power Point Presentation
Tutorial on Poster Presentation

Tutorial on formative submission of Personal and Professional Portfolio ongoing deliverables (e.g. reviewed CV, reviewed SWOT analysis, additional reflective incidents, reviewed Action Plan etc)

Contact Hours:
12 hours Lectures
13 hours Groupwork
12 hours Tutorials

Independent Study Hours:
20 hours developing research question/background reading
10 hours constructing/implementing literature search
60 hours evaluating/summarising selected papers
40 hours managing and presenting information for Literature Review

100 hours Development of research Proposal

140 hours Collection, Collation and Analysis of Primary data
140 hours Writing up Project

38 hours Production of Poster

15 hours Preparation of Oral Presentation

Aveyard, Helen (2014). Doing a Literature Review in Health and Social Care: A Practical Guide. 3rd edition. Open University Press. Maidenhead.

Greenhalgh, T. (2014). How to Read a Paper: The Basics of Evidence Based Medicine.5th Edition. John Wiley and Sons Ltd. Chichester U.K.

Kane, Mark (2004). Research Made Easy in Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Churchill Livingstone. Edinburgh.

Lewith, G., Jonas, W.B. and Walach, H (eds2011). Clinical research in Complementary Therapies: Principles, Problems and Solutions. 2nd edition. Churchill Livingstone. Edinburgh

Lecture/seminar rooms with access to Power Point
Internet/www/eduroam/SCONUL
Library
Athens Accounts with comprehensive access (e.g Medline, AHMED, CINAHL, Science Direct Sports Discuss etc)
Access to RefWorks (or equivalent)
Access to Microsoft Publisher
Access to Stats Packages
Access to Research facilities suitable for undergraduate projects

Admission requirements for students are that they have enhanced disclosure clearance (DBS) that they have fulfilled the criteria set out in the Fitness to Practice form (updated and completed annually) and that they have completed the Clinic Indicution which includes the issuing of clinic log books (with clinic procedures and the code of conduct) and clinic uniform. Students must have successfully copmleted Clinical Osteopathy 1-4 unless exemption has been agreed.

1.Develop research questions which inform and guide clinical reasoning and/or professional decision making (OPS: A1, B2, B3, B4)
(Enquiry, Problem Solving, Application, Learning)

2.Demonstrate the ability to locate, access, evaluate, manage and present published research materials
(OPS: A1, A3, B2, B3, B4, D1, D2, D3)
(Enquiry, Knowledge & Understanding, Application, Communication, Analysis, Learning)

3.Deploy established techniques to plan, conduct, analyse and report a primary research project relevant to clinical practice and/or professional development in osteopathy (OPS: B2, B3, B4, D1, D2, D3, D5, D6, D13)
(Enquiry, Problem Solving, Learning, Application)

4.Communicate conclusions from literature review and primary research project using different media (OPS: A1, B2, B3, B4)
(Communication)

5. Reflect on the relevance of research activities to clinical practice, personal professional development, the profession of osteopathy and other health care professions. (OPS: A1, B2, B3, B4, D1, D2, D3)
(Reflection)

6. Demonstrate personal and professional development and identify and analyse opportunities for reflection and self evaluation (OPS: B2, B4, D1-18)
(Communication, Reflection)