Course Title: Research Methods

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Research Methods

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

ONPS2418

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

160H Medical Sciences

Face-to-Face

 Sem 2 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014

Course Coordinator: Dr Narin Osman

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 6686

Course Coordinator Email: narin.osman@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

This course is only available to Honours students who have met the selection criteria for BH058P12, the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Honours).


Course Description

 

In this course you will learn and develop the scientific research methods and skills required to undertake a research project and disseminate the findings.

 

Through participation in workshops you will develop greater understanding and skills in the following research methods:

 

  • Critical evaluation of published scientific research related to your research project.
  • Critical evaluation of oral presentations of scientific research across a variety of biomedical discipline areas.
  • Scientific integrity in recording and presenting research data.
  • Research project data collection, processing and statistical analysis.
  • Occupational health and safety in biomedical research.
  • Ethical issues in biomedical research.
  • Time management and record-keeping for biomedical research.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

 

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes for BH058P12, the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Honours):

PLO1. Understanding Science 

  • Understand the scientific method and an ability to apply the scientific method in practice. 

PLO2. Scientific knowledge

  • Demonstrate integration of knowledge from across the disciplines contributing to biomedical science.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of research principles and methodology appropriate to your discipline.

PLO3. Inquiry and problem solving

  • Gather, critically evaluate and synthesise information from a range of sources relevant to a scientific research topic.
  • Be able to concisely state research questions, and use them to design and plan a research project
  • Be able to choose appropriate tools and methods to solve scientific problems within your area of specialization

PLO5. Personal and professional responsibility

Demonstrate accountability for your own learning and professional conduct.


 

On completion of this course you should be able to:

CLO1. Use electronic resources to source specialist literature in your research project area, be able to reference literature and prepare a bibliography suitable for scientific publication.

CLO2. Critically discuss specialist literature and primary scientific data in your research project area.

CLO3. Critically evaluate oral research presentations across a variety of discipline areas.

CLO4. Undertake research, record scientific data and disseminate research findings according to Australian government regulations.

CLO5. Employ appropriate statistical analysis to your research project data.


Overview of Learning Activities

You will participate and contribute to a series of workshops led by scientists or experts in each of the topic areas. The workshops will generally require you to attempt a task in preparation for the workshop. During the workshops you will discuss the topics and develop skills that can be used throughout you research project. Workshops and preparation provides a practice and development area for advanced research skills. You will attend and participate in the Schools of Medical and Health Sciences (or other) seminar series and keep a seminar diary by writing abstracts of different scientific seminars.

Six 2 hour face-to-face workshops with independent study time in preparation for each workshop. 10+ hours of scientific seminar attendance, note-taking and critical analysis.


Overview of Learning Resources

 

Workshop series presented by internal and external experts who provide pre-workshop activities, notes and post-workshop review.

 

The Schools of Medical and Health Sciences research seminar series (and other suitable scientific seminars).


Overview of Assessment

 

☒This course has no hurdle requirements.

☐ All hurdle requirements for this course are indicated clearly in the assessment regime that follows, against the relevant assessment task(s) and all have been approved by the College Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Leaning & Teaching).

Assessment Task:  Workshop contribution and seminar diary completion

Weighting 100%

You will be given formative feedback on advanced research skills in the workshops. Diaries of ten scientific seminars will be reviewed by research or academic staff members and provided with feedback on critical evaluation of scientific oral presentations.

Requirements will be made available to students via myRMIT.

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

This task is part of the research component of BH058P12.