MCD8099 : Clinical Speciality Research Project and Dissertation
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Professor Giles McCracken
- Co-Module Leader: Professor John Whitworth, Dr Richard Holliday
- Owning School: Dental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| Semester 3 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 30.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To allow students to undertake a general training in research design, methods, management and reporting.
Outline Of Syllabus
Students will undertake a single research project in the field of the degree programme studied. Projects will offer experiences in research techniques and methods across the range of Research activities in the Faculty of Medical Sciences, School of Dental Sciences and if appropriate in the HASS or SAGE Faculties of Newcastle University.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 80:00 | 80:00 | Assessment preparation and delivery |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 100:00 | 100:00 | Reading relevant literature |
| Guided Independent Study | Project work | 1 | 400:00 | 400:00 | Development of research tools, data collection and analysis |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Dissertation/project related supervision | 20 | 1:00 | 20:00 | PiP monthly supervisory team meetings |
| Total | 600:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The students will develop a range of professional and key skills and will be trained and empowered to engage in research at an advanced level in higher education or in a senior professional capacity in other fields of employment. Students will be fully engaged in the project selection and development through a dialogue with their project supervisors. They will gain hands-on experience of a range of techniques used in research (appropriate to their own project) and will be required to maintain detailed records of their work and produce a short dissertation. Students will also prepare a lay summary, an oral presentation and an E-poster. This module will involve a significant amount of private study, including research-based fieldwork and practical experience of a range of clinical research techniques. The number of hours spent on practical work, fieldwork and private study will vary with the individual project but should be approximately as stated above.
Given the wide variety of project types, and professional situations that students find themselves in, there is no fixed timeline within the module - students determine their own planning and time management with advice.
As each dissertation project is unique and chosen by the student there are no set class activities.
This maps to IKOs 1-4 and ISOs 1-9.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dissertation | 3 | M | 80 | An 8000 word limit dissertation in publication format. |
| Oral Examination | 3 | M | 20 | PiP 20 minute oral examination of the research project and dissertation. |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 1 | M | 20 minute Presentation of research proposal to the School. Feedback via continuing professional development processes |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
First-hand knowledge of how research programmes are designed, implemented, adjusted and managed will be obtained and the outcomes reflected. The knowledge and practical skills generated are evaluated in all of the above assessments. Research outcomes are appropriately expressed in peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international meetings.
The assessment of this module reflects real-world of medical research and trains the students in the necessary skills required to write and submit: a lay summary, a short report or dissertation, and to present their project in an oral format. The lay summary tests the student’s ability to communicate their own work to a wider lay audience, a recognised and required skill in healthcare research. The dissertation tests the student’s ability to report and critically evaluate their own data and compare their own findings with the published literature, as well as their ability to present and analyse data and discuss their own work in a written format. The oral examination assesses the student’s ability to prepare and deliver a short summary of their project using appropriate software in clear way to an audience of peers in a time-limited and space-limited fashion. Interpersonal communication; planning & organising; initiative and adaptability are all qualities that contribute to the production of these outputs as on this course the entire research process from initial idea to final dissertation is the responsibility of the student, they do not just work an established project supplied by a supervisor. Computer literacy is assessed in the dissertation and oral presentation.
This maps to IKOs 1-4 and ISOs 1-9.
In order to pass this module students must obtain a mark of 50 or above for each summative assessment.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- MCD8099's Timetable