Section outline

  • The objectives/ aims:

    The main aim of this study block is to develop students’ thinking and problem solving skills with respect to research design and implementation. Students will develop their skills with respect to critical review of literature and the development of a research proposal. Students will develop their thinking skills by the selection of research design and methodology appropriate to addressing a research question.


    Learning Outcomes, the student will be able to:

    ·       Analyse and evaluate methods of data collection and their use in health and social care contexts (including occupational therapy)

    ·       Engage in informed debate and critically evaluate evidence for the value and impact of occupations and occupational therapy

    ·       Be able to design and participate in ethical and appropriate research in occupational therapy and related areas, and disseminate this through appropriate fora, to improve and promote occupational therapy

    Content: The natural and social science will each be discussed with reference to their specific research philosophies and methodologies, including the underlying principles of research in each of these paradigms. Relevant ethical issues and sources of information will be discussed. Appropriate methods of data manipulation and analysis will be reviewed.

    Students will be encouraged to evaluate critically both qualitative and quantitate methods of enquiry.

    Students will have the opportunity to conduct a small group study and the module will conclude with students discussing their findings and reflection on their experience of the research process.

    The research process:

    ·       using electronic databases,

    ·       academic/scientific writing,

    ·       critical analyses,

    ·       introduction to qualitative and quantitative research,

    ·       reliability, validity and experimental design,

    ·       survey and questionnaire design,

    ·       ethics and research