1. Assignment

Specific details of the Assignment will be provided in your first practical class. The assignment must be submitted by the due date.   

Extension to due date may be granted under extenuating circumstances. Application for extensions must be made under the disruption to studies policy

(http://students.mq.edu.au/student_admin/exams/disruption_to_studies/), applied for through www.ask.mq.edu.au within 5 days of the disruption and prior to the submission date of the assignment.  Resubmission of assignments will not be considered under usual circumstances. Late submissions without this approval will incur a penalty of 10% of the score for each day of delay. Submissions later than a week after the deadline will not be marked.

2. Practicals

The practical exercises will be marked each week. The final mark for Practical component will be calculated using marks from all practicals.

3. Examination

The University Examination period for Second Half Year 2017 is from 13 Nov.

You are advised that it is Macquarie University policy not to set early examinations for individuals or groups of students. You are expected to ensure that you are available until the end of the teaching semester that is the final day of the official examination period.

The raw marks resulting from assessment of your work will be used as an initial indicator of the quality of your learning and understanding. Note that the mark ranges mentioned for different grades in the Macquarie University Undergraduate Handbook are not the raw marks. To obtain a grade you must satisfy the qualitative definition of that grade. Once your grade has been determined, you are allocated a mark in the appropriate range indicating your approximate position amongst students assigned that grade.

You are expected to present yourself for examination at the time and place designated in the University Examination Timetable. The timetable will be available in draft form approximately eight weeks before the commencement of the examinations and in final form approximately four weeks before the commencement of the examinations. http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/exam

The only exception to not sitting an examination at the designated time is because of documented illness or unavoidable disruption. In these circumstances you may wish to consider applying for disruption to studies. Information about the disruption to studies process is available at

http://students.mq.edu.au/student_admin/exams/disruption_to_studies/

In particular, pay attention to the following information on the Disruption to Studies:

The disruption to studies policy applies only to serious and unavoidable disruptions that arise after a study period has commenced.

Serious and unavoidable disruption: The University classifies a disruption as serious and unavoidable if it:

• could not have reasonably been anticipated, avoided or guarded against by the student; and
• was beyond the student's control; and
• caused substantial disruption to the student's capacity for effective study and/or completion of required work; and
• occurred during an event critical study period and was at least three (3) consecutive days duration, and/or
• prevented completion of a final examination.

 Students with a pre-existing disability/health condition or prolonged adverse circumstances may be eligible for ongoing assistance and support.  Such support is governed by other policies and may be sought and coordinated through Campus Wellbeing and Support Services.

Supplementary examination: If you are granted a supplementary exam via the Disruption to Studies process, you will have to write a supplementary exam in the supplementary exam period.  The supplementary exam may be in a different format to the original exam (for e.g. oral examination) and you will be notified of this when you are granted a supplementary exam.  Only your supplementary exam mark will be counted towards your final exam mark.

If you apply for Disruption to Study for your final examination, you must make yourself available for the Supplementary Examination period, as advised by the Faculty.  If you are not available at that time, there is no guarantee an additional examination time will be offered. Specific examination dates and times will be determined at a later date.

Delivery mode

1. 2 hour lectures per week, weeks 1-13. iLectures are available for this unit.

2. Eleven x2 hour practicals per student, starting from week 2.

3. Four to five hours per week self-instructional learning, readings from the text and exercises on lecture topics

Class times and locations

Lecture times: 2 hrs each week starting from 31 July.

Monday 10-12 AM; E7BT4

Practicals : 2 hrs each week, starting week 2 of the semester (7 Aug). All prac classes will be in E4B306.

You are advised to bring a USB memory stick for practical classes. Practical group allocations will be finalized in Week 1. Students allocated to one group cannot turn up for practicals meant for another group without prior approval from the Unit convenor.

Participation in practicals is compulsory. Attendance at lectures is strongly recommended.

Required and recommended resources

 Recommended texts

An introduction to medical statistics by Martin Bland (4th edition, 2015; earlier editions should be fine)

Statistics at square one / T.D.V. Swinscow and M.J. Campbell. 10th ed., London : BMJ Books, 2002 (In addition to library copy, this book is available on line via http://www.bmj.com/thebmj)

Hoffmann et al. Evidence-Based Practice Across the Health Professions. 2 Edn. ISBN: 9780729541350, Elsevier Australia.

Minichiello et al. Research Methods for nursing and health science. 2 Edn; ISBN: 9781740095969; Pearson Education Australia.

Further reading

Straus, S.E et al. 2005. Evidence Based Medicine; 4 Edn; Churchill Livingstone

Useful web-resources:

http:/www.mq.edu.au/library  (Macquarie University library site; list and links to many databases and Journals)

http://www.cochrane.org (Cochrane Collaboration, the most reliable source of evidence in health care)

http://www.pedro.org.au/ (Physiotherapy Evidence Database)

Unit web page

The URL of the HLTH201 iLearn site is:  https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/

You will be asked for a username and password.  Your username is your student MQID.  Your MQID and password have been mailed to you by the University.  If you have lost them go to the student portal:  http://students.mq.edu.au/home/

HLTH 201 List of topics by week

The topic titles are given as a guide only.

Weeks 1, 2, 3, 7, 9 and 10: Dr Ken Beath; Other weeks: as noted; *To be advised

Participation in practicals is compulsory. Attendance at lectures is strongly recommended.

Not applicable as this is the first offering of this unit.