Leader: Ms Janette Agg

Offered

Clayton First semester 2008 (Off-campus)
Clayton Second semester 2008 (Off-campus)

Synopsis

Students will follow through a complete research methodology cycle within the context of the health informatics discipline. By the completion of this unit, they should be equipped to both critically evaluate research studies and also to undertake a basic research project.
Topics covered in this unit will include:
Research traditions in health informatics: models, paradigms and processes. Prevalent study designs
Types of data common to informatics; sampling, collecting and organising data
Fundamental concepts of statistics; introduction to hypothesis testing
Critically appraising health informatics literature; prevalent problems with health informatics literature; writing literature reviews for publication

Objectives

At the completion of this unit the student should be able to:

1. Construct a meaningful definition of the concept of 'research' within the context of health informatics;
2. Conduct a literature review;
3. Identify appropriate empirical research methods and corresponding measures of rigour for a variety of health informatics contexts;
4. Identify appropriate methods of collecting empirical evidence within the health informatics context;
5. Conduct basic quantative and qualitative analysis of data;
6. Critically appraise a health informatics journal article; and
7. Understand the key components of academic writing.

Assessment

Participation in on-line discussion group (30%)
Literature review approximately 1,500 words with additional commentary approximately 500 words (70%)
submission of a journal (not weighted)