12 points, SCA Band 1, 0.250 EFTSL
Postgraduate - Unit
Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.
Faculty
Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Organisational Unit
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Chief examiner(s)
Coordinator(s)
Associate Professor Susan Lee
(Clayton and Peninsula)
Unit guides
Offered
- First semester 2019 (On-campus)
- First semester 2019 (Online)
- Second semester 2019 (On-campus)
- Second semester 2019 (Online)
Co-requisites
Must be enrolled in a Postgraduate degree
Notes
- A Distinction grade (70% or higher) is required for application to progress to minor thesis/research project.
- Evidence of a breach of the academic integrity policy will preclude progress into the research pathway.
Synopsis
Research is integral to nursing practice. As leaders in clinical practice, education or management, it is essential that Master's-prepared nurses have the skills to effectively consume, produce and apply research knowledge to ensure that practice is based on appropriate and critiqued evidence. This unit will provide students with the theoretical knowledge required to evaluate research evidence for use in clinical practice, education or management, and will prepare students to undertake their own research project.
Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
- Identify relevant and significant nursing issues for investigation.
- Analyse varying understandings of the nature of evidence and the process of evidence-based practice.
- Critically analyse various approaches to nursing research.
- Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of different methodologies and research designs.
- Apply appropriate research methodologies and designs to specific nursing questions.
- Identify, apply and defend the use of appropriate strategies for collecting and analysing quantitative and qualitative data within specific methodological frameworks.
- Locate, critically appraise and synthesise research evidence relating to nursing questions.
- Analyse the principles of ethical research conduct and discuss their application in practice.
- Identify and analyse breaches of academic and research integrity.
- Analyse strategies to achieve rigour in specific research methodologies.
Assessment
NOTE: From 1 July 2019, the duration of all exams is changing to combine reading and writing time. The new exam duration for this unit is 2 hours and 30 minutes.
- Research portfolio (3,000 words) (20%)
- Written assignment (5,000 words) (35%)
- Open book examination (2 hours) (40%) (Hurdle)
- 2 x Formative Quizzes (5%)
- Additional hurdle requirement: Completion of Academic Integrity Modules and quizzes (score of at least 80%)