COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND
BIOMEDICINE
Unit of Study Guide
Unit Name Research Methods
Unit Code HBM3101
Year 2020
Semester/Date 1-B4
Location Footscray Park
Prepared by Michael Mathai
vu.edu.au
Victoria University CRICOS Provider No. 00124K (Melbourne), 02475D (Sydney), RTO Code 3113
(HBM3101) Research Methods
Welcome
Welcome to this unit of study. This unit guide provides important information and should
be kept as a reference to assist with your studies. This guide includes information about
your reading and resources, independent learning, class activities and assessment
tasks. We recommend that you read this guide carefully: you will be expected to
manage your learning as you work towards successful study.
Detailed information and learning resources for this unit have also been provided on the
unit website on VU Collaborate, which can be reached via the Student Portal at
vu.edu.au/student-tools/myvu-student-portal. It is important that you access your unit
website regularly for messages and updates, as well as tasks related to your unit.
Please note that the University will only send emails, including those from the VU Collaborate
space, to your VU email account. Information about how to manage your VU email can be found
under ‘Support and Resources’ in your unit site.
Acknowledgement of Country
We respectfully acknowledge and recognise the traditional owners, their Elders past and present, their
descendants and kin as the custodians of this land.
Contents
1. About this unit
2. Summary of Assessment
3. Indicative Teaching Schedule
4. Scholarly writing, plagiarism and copyright
5. Important information about assessment
6. Getting help and providing feedback
1. About this unit
Unit title: Research Methods
Unit code: HBM3101 Credit points: 12
Campus: Footscray Park
Year and semester: 2020, 1-B4
HBM3101: Research Methods. Semester 1-B4, 2020
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Key staff
Unit Convenor
Name: Prof Michael Mathai
Campus: St Albans
Email:
[email protected]
Details:
Prerequisites
RBM2540 - Pathophysiology 2
RBM2800 - Cardiorespiratory and Renal Physiology
HHN2402 - Diet & Disease and
HBM2105 - Medical Microbiology and Immunity
Corequisites
Nil.
Mode of delivery
Blended, Block
Placement unit
No
Class contact
Activity Duration
Tutorial 2.0 hrs
Workshop A 3.0 hrs
Information Tutorials should follow workshops after a break.
HBM3101: Research Methods. Semester 1-B4, 2020
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Unit description
This unit of study introduces students to the core processes and strategies of modern health research.
We will explore the principles of quantitative and qualitative research, critical analysis of scientific
literature and data interpretation, and hypothesis formulation and testing of a topic of interest. In particular,
this unit provides an understanding of the fundamental concepts of probability and statistics required for
experimental design and data analysis in the health sciences, including: normal distribution, the t statistic,
p values and the use of statistical and graphing software. Ethical human and animal research practices,
research funding frameworks, research protocols and management will also be considered, with particular
emphasis on scientific integrity, fraud, intellectual property and reference management.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1.Critically appraise relevant health literature in the context of experimental design;
2.Apply and interpret a range of statistical methods to relevant data sets;
3.Formulate a testable hypothesis and conceptually map a robust experimental design;
4.Discriminate between examples of ethical and non-ethical research in human and animal experimental
contexts and substantiate the importance of ethical conduct including regulatory requirements; and
5.Interpret issues of scientific integrity and conflict of interest in a contemporary health research context.
Learning and teaching strategies
In this unit of study, the methods of teaching will be learner-centred and will incorporate classroom
activities, workshops, inquiry activities, and discussions as the basis for sharing information and
developing strategies to complete assessment tasks. Students will work individually and collaboratively to
critically review literature, develop research questions and testable hypotheses, analyse and interpret
data sets, and consider ethical questions in the class group.
HBM3101: Research Methods. Semester 1-B4, 2020
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Graduate capabilities
In addition to discipline knowledge, skills and their application, the study of this unit is intended to
contribute to students developing the capabilities needed to be:
GC1. Adaptable and capable 21st century citizens who can communicate effectively, work
collaboratively, think critically and solve complex problems
a) Identifying, anticipating and solving problems ranging from simple to important, complex and
unpredictable problems
b) Accessing, evaluating and analysing information
c) Effective communication using known and yet to be developed tools in many contexts
d) Using effective interpersonal skills, collaborate with and influence, their personal, work, and
community networks locally and globally
GC2. Confident, creative lifelong learners who can use their understanding of themselves and others to
achieve their goals in work and learning
a) Understanding of the role of culture, values and dispositions in affecting achievement of goals
b) Understanding how to initiate and develop new ideas
c) Planning and organising self and others
d) Decision-making
GC3. Responsible and ethical citizens who use their inter-cultural understanding to contribute to their
local and global communities
a) Respecting and valuing diversity
b) Developing capacities required to contribute to a more equitable and sustainable world, including
courage and resilience
c) Understanding the workings of local and global communities and individual's responsibilities within
these
d) Understanding the intricacies of balancing individual and public good
This unit of study offers students the opportunity to develop problem solving skills pertaining to the
identification and interpretation of simple to complex research hypotheses and data sets through a range
of small class-based assessment tasks. Students will be required to analyse and critically evaluate a
range of health and biomedical literature and data, and effectively communicate their interpretation of
these in both formative and summative assessment tasks.
This unit of study develops students' capacity to think laterally and critically to develop novel health and
biomedical research hypotheses and to formulate rigorous experimental designs in order to initiate
hypothesis testing. Small class-based formative and summative assessment tasks will provide feedback
to students on their development of these capabilities.
This unit of study will focus importantly on the conduct of health and biomedical research with honesty,
integrity and in consideration of the ethical issues involved with human and animal experimentation. As
such, students will have the opportunity to consider their individual responsibility to the scientific
community and the broader community at large, and develop an understanding of the intricacies of
balancing individual and public good.
Formative and summative assessment tasks will provide feedback to students on their understanding of
the issues facing modern health and biomedical researchers.
Prescribed texts
None
Support materials and resources
Resources will be referred to by the facilitator within VU Collaborate.
HBM3101: Research Methods. Semester 1-B4, 2020
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2. Summary of assessment
Assessment Learning Assessment Criteria Weighting Due Date &
Task Outcomes (LOs) (%) Time
& Graduate
Capabilities
(GCs)
Please refer to
Please refer to
Assessment 1 - assessment
LO's2, 3 assessment criteria
Test: Test 1 20% submission date
GC1, 2, 3 information within VU
(40mins) information within
Collaborate.
VU Collaborate.
Please refer to
Assessment 2 - Please refer to
assessment
Exercise: LO's2, 4, 5 assessment criteria
30% submission date
Research Design GC1, 2, 3 information within VU
information within
and Case Study Collaborate.
VU Collaborate.
Assessment 3 - Please refer to
Please refer to
Presentation: assessment
LO's1, 4, 5 assessment criteria
Group 15% submission date
GC1, 2, 3 information within VU
Presentation information within
Collaborate.
(20mins) VU Collaborate.
Please refer to
Assessment 4 - Please refer to
assessment
Assignment: LO's1, 2, 3, 4, 5 assessment criteria
35% submission date
Project Proposal GC1, 2, 3 information within VU
information within
(2000 words) Collaborate.
VU Collaborate.
Further details about assessment are provided in the VU Collaborate space for this unit.
This unit is not eligible for supplementary assessment
This unit is not eligible for a conceded pass.
For more details, please see the information provided in the UniversitySupplementary Assessment and
Conceded Pass Procedure.
3. Indicative teaching schedule
(Note:) Times and locations of classes are provided at enrolment. Any changes during the study period
will be notified via the unit Collaborate space.
HBM3101: Research Methods. Semester 1-B4, 2020
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4. Scholarly writing, plagiarism and copyright
Part of what it means to be a ‘scholar’ is to engage with the work of others, for example, to extend or
refine one’s own ideas, critique the work of others, or test and extend theories. Learning and assessment
activities therefore often require you to gather information from a number of sources. This may include
factual information, data or calculations, visual artefacts and written texts. Whenever you use the work of
another person, you must acknowledge that source using the correct referencing system. Failure to
acknowledge other people’s work appropriately may be regarded as plagiarism or academic misconduct.
Use of one's own previous work in satisfaction of a new assessment requirement is also not be allowed
unless it is an explicit requirement for the unit.
VU deals with plagiarism according to theAcademic Integrity and Preventing Plagiarism Policy.
VU uses Turnitin for the review of written assessments. Turnitin checks submitted work against sources
from across the world, and provides a report detailing the use of third party text and references. Written
assessments are automatically submitted via Turnitin in the unit site. You may be provided access to
submit assessments early and review the reports, to help you understand where referencing should
occur.
All students and staff of Victoria University are also bound by the requirements of the Copyright Act
(1968) and the University’s Copyright Material (the Use of) Policy when using third party copyright material
in the course of their research and study. Please ensure that you familiarize yourself with this policy and
the rules around use of materials produced or owned by others. For information on copyright entitlements
and responsibilities for study and research please see vu.edu.au/library/referencing-copyright/copyright.
Referencing requirements within this unit
The referencing convention that is applicable to this unit is:
(No referencing requirements supplied)
Academic writing and referencing guidelines
VU provides tools to assist you in understanding appropriate referencing, including those linked below.
More can be found on the library website and under ‘Support and Resources’ on your unit site.
vu.edu.au/library/referencing-copyright/referencing-guides
vu.edu.au/campuses-services/student-support/language-learning/academic-writing
5. Important information about assessment
Your unit of study assessment conforms to the Student Assessment for Learning Policy and procedures,
which are available in the University policy library: https://policy.vu.edu.au.
Submission procedure
All paper-based assessments must be submitted with the completed assessment cover sheets.
All on-line assessments must have the Student Disclaimer accepted at the point of submission.
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Adjustment to assessment arrangements
If you are unable to undertake or complete an assessment due to adverse circumstances the following
arrangements may apply:
Late submission of assessments - Short extension of time
If you are unable to submit an assessment item on time, due to circumstances outside your control, you
may apply for a short extension of time of less than five (5) days. The standard penalty for late submission
without an approved short extension will be 5% of the total possible mark per day. If submission is
overdue by more than ten (10) days, five (5) days for VU Online and three (3) days in a Block, the work
will not be assessed. Full details of the procedure for applying for a short extension are available here.
You can download the form from the policy library or use the quick link here.
Special Consideration and Alternative Examinations
Special consideration is available for students who experience acute unexpected circumstances which
have an adverse impact on their performance in assessable tasks, submission of assessment tasks or
examination attendance; or who require an extension of longer than five (5) days from the due date for an
assessment.
In exceptional circumstances, alternative examinations within the current examination period are available
for students who apply at least five (5) working days prior to the commencement of the examination
period.
You can find information and forms for special consideration and alternative examinations at
http://www.vu.edu.au/student-life/exams-results/special-consideration-supplementary-exams.
Ongoing modified assessment
Ongoing modified assessment arrangements are available if you have a disability or medical condition
that may impact upon your studies. See Disability Support at https://www.vu.edu.au/campuses-
services/student-support/disability-support.
You may need to contact a student counsellor to assist you with this process. For further information
please see vu.edu.au/student-life/getting-help/counselling.
If you wish to be considered or apply for one of the above adjustment to assessment arrangements you
should refer to the relevant procedure associated with the Assessment for Learning Policy.
Supplementary assessment and conceded pass
Supplementary assessments and conceded passes are available in some circumstances. If you wish to
be considered for a supplementary assessment you should refer to the Assessment for Learning -
Supplementary Assessment and Conceded Pass Procedure. Important note: Supplementary
assessment is not available in First Year College (Block) Units.
Review of assessment outcome
The Assessment for Learning - Review of Individual Assessment Outcomes Procedureprovides a
process by which you may request a review of an assessment outcome.
HBM3101: Research Methods. Semester 1-B4, 2020
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6. Getting help and providing feedback
Support resources
Victoria University is committed to providing all students with the opportunity and support required to
succeed in their studies. If you require any support regarding academic progress in your unit during the
semester you are advised to speak to your unit co-ordinator.
We also offer a range of support, development and guidance services for all students. The portal
(vu.edu.au/student-tools/myvu-student-portal) provides detailed information on a range of student services
that you may find helpful. More information is also available in your unit site under ‘Support and
Resources’.
Providing feedback: Student Evaluation System (SES)
Your feedback on your experiences within this unit is important, because it assists VU to improve the
learning experience of units and courses for future students.
We encourage you to provide informal feedback directly to your unit and course co-ordinators. The
University also collects your anonymous feedback systematically through the Student Evaluation Survey
(SES), which is comprised of two student evaluation instruments: the Student Evaluation of Unit (SEU)
and the Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET). Students are asked to complete the SEU and SET near
the end of each unit. SEU and SET results are anonymous, and are not made available to the teaching
staff in the unit until after the University has released your final grades.
Examples of actions taken recently to improve this unit, that were based on or influenced by
student or other feedback
Not applicable
Student complaints resolution
Victoria University has a Student Complaints Resolution Policy to guide you through the steps you can
take to resolve issues related to your time at the University. You can find more information on this process
at: vu.edu.au/student-life/getting-help/student-complaints-resolution.
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