Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit is the capstone of the Allied Health 2-year embedded Honours program. Honours programs provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to learn how to conduct research, develop more advanced professional knowledge and skills, and enter higher degrees by research at Masters and PhD levels. Research skills are critical for developing evidence-based practice and policy that ensure quality care of individuals, families and communities requiring allied health and social services.
This unit focuses on completing the research project and requires interpretation of the findings and their implications for practice, policy and future research. During this semester, students work with their supervisors to continue their data analysis and interpretation, then discuss and disseminate the findings. This activity builds on work undertaken in the previous Honours units including appraisal of literature, design and implementation of a research project. Students will write a research report in the form of a journal manuscript which is embedded in a thesis. Students will also present their research outcomes at a student conference at the end of semester.
The overall aim of this unit is for students to complete data analysis, interpretation and a final research report which communicates the findings and their implications.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Apply and evaluate appropriate techniques to analy...
Learning Outcome 01
Critically evaluate and interpret research finding...
Learning Outcome 02
Effectively report research outcomes in a written ...
Learning Outcome 03
Present research findings orally and respond to qu...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Journal manuscript preparation
- Interpretation and reporting of data
- Research writing skills
- Conference presentation skills
- Knowledge translation strategies
- Managing feedback – honours examination, journal review
- Publication processes
Assessment strategy and rationale
This unit adopts an authentic assessment approach, requiring students to demonstrate application of standard written and oral research dissemination practices to their individual research project. Assessment tasks for this unit comprise a written research report in the form of a journal manuscript, and an oral presentation. Key assessments in the Honours program are consistent with the ACU Guidelines for Honours Programs for three components: a) a literature review (from ALHT411), b) the project proposal (from ALHT412) and c) a journal manuscript which forms the major assessment item for this unit. The journal manuscript will conform to chosen journal guidelines. The three components are submitted in a unifying thesis as a record of the student’s endeavours during the Honours program. Only the journal manuscript aspect of the thesis is marked. For the second marked assessment task for this unit, students will deliver an oral presentation that conforms to standard research reporting conventions to present key research outcomes and implications. The presentation will elicit questions and feedback from an audience.
Overview of assessments
Written report: Enables students to report resear...
Written report: Enables students to report research outcomes in a journal manuscript.
80%
Oral presentation: Enables students to present re...
Oral presentation: Enables students to present research outcomes and respond to questions in a conference context.
20%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Students work both independently and in collaboration with teaching staff and their supervisor(s) to write a final research report. Lectures, tutorials and online resources will provide students with the necessary knowledge of research dissemination processes, particularly journal manuscripts and presentations. These learning and teaching strategies will support students to develop and apply research knowledge and skills with increasing autonomy in completion of their research project. This unit involves 150 hours of learning which could include face-to-face, online and independent learning activities and assessment.