PHH4201 - Public health research report - 2018

This unit aims to develop students' understanding and skills in writing a research report in public health. The unit introduces students to the skills preparing an introduction, literature review, choice of research methods, findings and discussion of these findings, conclusions and recommendations. It provides direction and guidance in identifying a meaningful research question and in developing the skills and knowledge needed to design and write a research report using reputable referencing techniques. It reintroduces students to quantitative and qualitative research frameworks and data analysis techniques needed both to undertake the study and to write a public health research report.

Upon successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Produce a research report to meet the standard required at honours level;
2. Develop an outline and plan of a research process suitable for the research project;
3. Formulate an introduction that clearly explains the structure and purpose of the study;
4. Justify a choice of quantitative and/or qualitative research methods used in the study:
   • Describe the study design used
   • Describe methods of data collection used
   • Describe data analysis approach used
   • Describe measures used to protect research subjects
5. Demonstrate skills in data analysis and reporting on findings;
6. Link research findings with literature review in a discussion section;
7. Draw conclusions and make recommendations from the study.

Students may be allocated to visit a community site on a fieldwork to learn methods of community entry and how to conduct research fieldwork in different communities. This will be a supervised fieldwork visit done with the lecturer/researcher.

• Assignment (20%)
• Class presentation (20%)
• Research report (60%)

Seminar and/or online learning activity (3 hours).

See also Unit timetable information

• Self-directed learning activity (6 hours) - data collection, analysis
• Preparation of research report (5 hour)
• Unit assessment / assignment (6 hours).

Public health - South Africa