1. Introduction to Study Skills and Research Methods Unit Leader: Dr James Betts Unit Code: HL10040 J.Betts@bath.ac.uk

2. 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)

3. Lecture Schedule WeekTopic 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Recognising Research Descriptive Statistics II Reliability and Validity Measurement Errors Mid-Term Test Hypothesis Testing Revision Session Descriptive Statistics I

4. Computer Laboratory Classes (weeks 2-10) Mondays 1215 am Room EB 0.7 Mondays 1315 pm Room 1E 3.9 Mondays 1215 am Room EB 0.7 Mondays 1315 pm Room 1E 3.9 Surnames A-G (SES) Surnames P-Z (SES) Surnames H-O (SES) Surnames A-Z (HES)

5. CPU Lab Schedule WeekTopic 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Computer Skills I Literature Searching Introduction to SPSS Descriptive Statistics Computer Skills II Normal Distribution Inferential Statistics I Inferential Statistics II. Information Retrievals

6. 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’

7. 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’

8. 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’

9. www.bath.ac.uk/~jb335/

10. 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 (7 th November) –You will need to review the area of investigation, analyse the data and evaluate the research design.

11. 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

12. 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?

13. 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

15. J.Betts@bath.ac.uk@DrBSteamjets