Overview

This unit involves a refresher course on research methods, plus the formulation and write up of a research protocol. The focus of this research protocol is a project that you will undertake and complete in unit CHIR 922. For the research protocol, you will be in a group of 4 student members who will work together with your supervisor to produce the protocol.

All written assessments must be submitted electronically via Turnitin. All assessment tasks must be submitted by the due dates outlined in the unit guide.

Students who are unable to submit an assessment or unable to meet a specific deadline should submit a ‘Special Consideration’ request. For information on this process please visit the link: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration

Failure to submit an assessment task on the due date without an appropriate Special Consideration will result in a loss of 10% per 24-hour period after the due date for that particular task, for example, 25 hours late in submission = 20% penalty.

Serious and Unavoidable circumstances

The University classifies circumstances as serious and unavoidable if they:

1. could not have reasonably been anticipated, avoided or guarded against by the student; and 
2. were beyond the student's control; and
3. caused substantial disruption to the student’s capacity for undertaking assessment for the unit(s); and
4. occurred during an event critical study period and were at least three (3) consecutive days duration or a total of 5 days within the teaching period; and/or
5. prevented completion of an assessment task scheduled for a specific date (e.g. final examination, in class test/quiz, in class presentation).

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.

Assessment Tasks

Recommended text book

Portney LG, Watkins MP (2013). Foundations of Clinical Research: Applications to Practice, 3rd Edition, Pearson Education Limited

https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/mqu/detail.action?docID=5175590

Other relevant text books

Herbert R, Jamtvedt G, Hagen KB, Mead J (2012). Practical evidence-based physiotherapy. 2nd Edition, Churchill Livingston 

Adams J, et al (2007). Researching Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Abingdon, Oxon; New York: Routledge

Delivery mode

Students should approach the content of this unit through self-directed learning. Students in this unit will be assigned to a research project group. Each research project is linked to an academic advisor who will provide mentorship and guidance on completing the research protocol and project over the entire year, continuing into CHIR922. Learning in this aspect of the unit occurs via student/supervisor engagement. 

Lectures will provide a high-level overview of research skills taught throughout the chiropractic programs, in addition to more advanced topics that aim to help you develop your research protocol. These lectures will review the main clinical research methods relevant to chiropractic practice, providing relevant material for the unit’s substantial research project.

Students will be allocated to a 2-hour tutorial group. In these tutorials students will work on activities related to the topic covered in that week’s lecture, meet with their supervisor, or participate in presentations of the research groups’ protocol as both a presenter and audience participant. Tutorial attendance and participation is required.  

Attendance and participation requirements

You must attend the tutorial in which you are enrolled, and you are required to attend and participate in 80% of tutorials. Students must not exchange their class time. In special circumstances, you may request a specific change. These requests are to be submitted to the unit convener. If you miss your assigned workshop in any week, you may request attendance at an alternative session, through email request and appropriate documentation to the unit convenor.

Further details on class time and locations for this unit can be found at:

https://timetables.mq.edu.au/2019/

You are also required to meet with your project supervisor (face to face, or via Skype/Zoom) a minimum of four times during the Session. The research plan report must include the meeting schedule and minutes of these meetings as an Appendix.

Unit Web Page

You can log in to iLearn learning system using the link below:

http://ilearn.mq.edu.au

* Lecture for “Research Designs: Qualitative” will be available on iLearn