Introduction to Study Skills and

Research Methods
Unit Code: HL10040

Unit Leader: Dr James Betts

J.Betts@bath.ac.uk
 Lecture Schedule
Tuesdays 1115
All in room 8W 1.1 (i.e. here)
Weeks 1-9.
Reading for next week:
Greenhalgh 2006 (at least Ch. 3 & 4)
 Lecture Schedule
Week Topic
2 Recognising Research
3 Descriptive Statistics I
4 Descriptive Statistics II
Reliability and Validity
5
Measurement Errors
6
Hypothesis Testing
7
Mid-Term Test
8 Revision Session
9
Computer Laboratory Classes (weeks 2-10)
Mondays 1215 am
Room EB 0.7 Surnames A-G (SES)

Mondays 1315 pm
Room 1E 3.9 Surnames H-O (SES)

Mondays 1215 am
Room EB 0.7 Surnames P-Z (SES)

Mondays 1315 pm
Room 1E 3.9
Surnames A-Z (HES)
 CPU Lab Schedule
Week Topic
2 Computer Skills I

3 Computer Skills II
Literature Searching
4
Information Retrievals
5
Introduction to SPSS
6
Descriptive Statistics
7 Normal Distribution
8 Inferential Statistics I
9 Inferential Statistics II.
10
 Seminars and Tutorials
These are scheduled for on Mondays or Thursdays
Exact time and location dependent on personal tutor
Seminars in weeks 4, 7 & 10 (PG)
Tutorials in weeks 5, 8 & 11 (Personal Tutor)

Topics:

Critically Evaluating Scientific Literature

 Seminars and Tutorials
These are scheduled for on Tuesdays at 0915
Exact time and location dependant on personal tutor
Seminars in weeks 4, 7 & 10 (PG)
Tutorials in weeks 5, 8 & 11 (Personal Tutor)

Topics:

Referencing Styles
 Seminars and Tutorials
These are scheduled for on Tuesdays at 0915
Exact time and location dependant on personal tutor
Seminars in weeks 4, 7 & 10 (PG)
Tutorials in weeks 5, 8 & 11 (Personal Tutor)

Topics:

Scientific Writing
www.bath.ac.uk/~jb335/
 Assessment
Mid-Term Test (40%)
A variety of short answer questions covering the
lecture material delivered up to week 6.

Coursework (60%)
A range of research scenarios will be described to
you in week 6 (7th November)
You will need to review the area of investigation,
analyse the data and evaluate the research design.
 Scientific
Truth
-Women expend >50,000 kcal
during childbirth

-Your body is made up of 10 x

more microbes than human cells

-The gastrointestinal tract is the

largest endocrine organ
Research Questions:
1 - Does smoking cause cancer?
2 - Is it safer to give birth at home or in hospital?
3 - Does regular breakfast facilitate weight-loss?
4 - Does homeopathy alleviate backache?
5 - Does the MMR vaccine cause autism?
6 - Do Statins reduce heart disease risk?
7 Is cranial osteopathy necessary for new-borns?
Possible Considerations:
-Study Population (who, how many & why?)
-Experimental Design (what to compare & how?)
-Context (where, when & why?)
-Intervention (define and justify)
-Outcomes (define and justify)
-Sources of Bias
-Ethics
J.Betts@bath.ac.uk @DrBSteamjets