HWSC4001 – Introduction to using Research and Evidence in Health & Social Care Module Handbook | OBU

Module learning outcomes:

LO1 Demonstrate access to relevant information to support practice in health and social care.
LO2 Identify key databases for searching relevant literature and resources.
LO3 Differentiate academic research study types and how they inform the body of knowledge.

Specific guidance on the task

To enable you complete this task, you should know how to access:

• GBS Moodle – to access the teaching session resources and submission link.  
• Accessing academic search engines via the GBS and OBU online library

Outline of the task

An annotated bibliography of three academic papers with a focus on improving practice in health and social care, this will help students build research skills essential for evidence-based practices in health and social care. 

The report will:

• Reflect on an area of practice in health and social care
• Demonstrate an effective search strategy using three academic databases.  
• Evaluate three academic papers with different study designs
• Develop an annotated bibliography. 
• Conduct a literature review summary 

Your Annotated bibliography and literature review must:

• Highlight how the findings from each study inform an area of practice
• Evidence the different study designs used in academic research. 
• Critically evaluate the three selected sources by identifying the strengths and limitations 
• Produce a literature review that assesses the research aim, methodology and outcome 
• Identify different study designs used in academic research. 

Recommended Reading

Suggested Framework to structure the task

Cover page:

Student ID, module title, word count, selected topic and submission date.

Contents page:

Introduction: (650 – 700 words)

• Justify your topic choice and explain how it will support an understanding of an area of practice in health and social care. 
• Provide background information to establish context, for example, what is the evidence saying are the issues in this area of practice 
• Outline your search strategy, detailing:
• Databases searched (e.g., PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EBSCO).
• Keywords and Boolean operators used to refine search results.
• Inclusion and exclusion criteria using PICO (e.g. only peer-reviewed articles from the last 5 years).
• Study types considered (e.g. quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method studies).
•  Discuss any challenges faced in the search process and how they were resolved.

Annotated Bibliography: (800 – 1000 words, approx. 250 – 300 words per source)

For each of the three selected academic sources, you should provide:

Citation: Full reference using the OBU Harvard referencing style.
Summary: Research aim/question, methodology, and key findings.
Evaluation: Strengths and limitations of the study type; would another study type improve the results achieved’
Reflection: ‘how do the findings inform practice? How has the findings changed how you think about your future role as a professional

Literature Review Summary: (1000 words)

For each of the three selected academic sources, you should provide:

• Identify and discuss key themes across the three sources.
• Compare and contrast methodologies, findings, and conclusions.
• Critically evaluate the quality of the evidence and its implications for practice.
• Highlight gaps in the research and areas for future study.

Conclusion: (150 - 200 words)

• Summarise key insights from the review.
• Highlight gaps in the literature and areas requiring further research.
• Suggest a methodology that could be used in a follow-up study

Submission details

This assignment should be submitted electronically via Moodle (module lecturers will discuss this process with you during class time).

• All submitted work should remain anonymous; therefore, please ensure that you only include your student ID on your assignment.
• You can submit your work as many times as you like before the submission date. If you submit your work more than once, the most recent version will replace your earlier submission. 
• Once you have submitted your work, you will receive a digital receipt as proof of submission, which will be sent to your forwarded e-mail address (provided you have set this up). Please keep this receipt for future reference, along with the original electronic copy of your assignment
• You are reminded of GBS’s regulations on academic conduct, which can be viewed on: GBS Academic Good Practice and Academic Conduct: Policy and Procedure

Formatting Guidelines

This assessment should be submitted as a Microsoft Word Document.

Assignment Template:

• Use Arial or Times New Roman font.
• Set the font size to 12pt for the main text.
• Apply 1.5 or double spacing throughout the document.
• Clearly indicate each part of the assessment, following the template structure
• OBU Harvard referencing should be applied throughout the assessment.

Additional Guidance

Search Strategy Expectations
Learners must clearly demonstrate how they search for literature, including:

• Use academic databases (Not just Google Scholar).
• Keywords & Boolean search techniques (e.g. AND, OR, NOT).
• Apply filters (e.g. publication date, peer-reviewed).
• Selection Criteria (e.g. relevance, methodology, journal credibility).

Accuracy of Referencing & Source Checking

• Students must ensure that all citations match their content.
• Incorrect or mismatched references may result in a deduction of marks.
• A reference checking process will be in place to validate sources.

Use of Templates & Standardisation

Only the approved annotated bibliography template should be use.

Formative Feedback & Support

• Learners are encouraged to attend tutorials and submit drafts for feedback.
• For additional guidance on annotated bibliographies

Marking Criteria