HWSC6001 Level 6 Challenging Evidence in Health and Social Care Module Handbookv3

Week 1,

Session 1

A critical exploration of evidence-based-practice and formulating a focused research question.

You will critically examine EBP, the steps involved in EBP and challenges to EBP in real world practice. In addition, you will explore contemporary issues within the health and social care sector and understand the research questions set to understand the issues.

You will also be introduced to setting a research question using different frameworks such as PICO. We will also explore how to design and refine search strategies for evidence-based research and write researchable questions by applying the PICO framework.

Practical Activities: we will review and evaluate a video on the NHS crisis and future trends, pair/group tasks on identifying issues, comparing sources, and formulating research questions, aims, and hypotheses.

You will build on your ability to identify real-world issues, formulate research questions, and justify research.

Group Activity: There will be opportunities for group and individual activities using the PICO framework to formulate research questions.

Assessing EBP Formative task (LO1, LO3): You will watch the video on EBP to enhance your understanding of why this module is relevant to your profession

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZyz-jObV8M

You will then write a 150-200 words reflection on EBP and post on moodle forum.

Reflective Journal: here’s an opportunity to reflect on the learning gained about EBP; think about how you will apply this learning going forward.

Read it: take out some time to read The Essential Guide to Evidence-Based Practice (2022) to develop your ability to critically engage with professional literature and evaluate the practical application of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP). You will explore the structured steps of EBP and consider the barriers that may affect its implementation in real-world settings. Post your findings onto this week’s Moodle Forum.

This reading will help you to prepare all of your assignments at this level because you now need to anticipate needs and propose solutions that apply evidence to a specific workplace or population. 

Week 1, Session 2

Hierarchy of evidence

You will revise the first session to reinforce your understanding of writing an appropriate research question with some quick activities including writing research questions for different scenarios, literature gap hunts and writing a rationale. You will look at the hierarchy of evidence to evaluate different study designs. You will also be introduced to the systematic literature review in this session, will help you develop your research skills for your Capstone project as well.

Reflective Journal:

Reflect on what you have learnt today about writing a strong research rationale using robust and credible evidence. In your reflection, think about what could happen if we do interventions without good quality evidence.

 Read it and try It: you will make time to read Rahmat et al., (2020) Exploring the Connection between Critical Thinking Skills and Academic Writing, and summarise its findings in 200 words applying the critical writing skills discussed, upload your summary to this week’s Moodle forum.

By reading Rahmat et al. (2020) and summarising its findings, you will practise identifying key arguments, analysing evidence, and expressing ideas clearly in your own words. These skills are essential for your assignments, where you are expected to make judgements in your professional work.

Additional reading: Read the paper in your own time by accessing the link

linkhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10875937/  

Engaging with this short research paper will help you develop the confidence, and academic skills expected at Level 6. Although it may initially feel like just another academic task, it demonstrates why some professionals feel capable of making and justifying decisions, while others feel uncertain and dependent on others.

Justify which methods best answers the research question:

This session helps you develop your ability to identify, evaluate, and apply appropriate evidence to justify your research question and construct a strong research rationale. This will give your ideas about how to make a critical argument for your chosen topic. You will also examine different types of study designs and analyse examples of research proposals to understand the features of effective academic justification and structure.

Practical Activities: Reading activity using databases, completing group task, proposal detectives’ activity and a Kahoot.

Group Activity: You will spend time justifying to your peers which studies will be most informative to your research question and give each other feedback on different angles of investigation you could include.

Building a Strong Rationale Formative Task (LO1, LO2 and LO3):

Individually you will produce a professionally designed PowerPoint presentation based on your draft research question/area of interest. Step 1: Build slides that explain:

➢ Your research question

➢ Your rationale: Why is this a important research question? ▪ What is the nature and extent of the issue? ▪ Who benefits from studying this topic? What study designs will be informative about your topic?

Reflective Journal: Identify some of the strengths and limitations of the different study designs you have looked at in this session and reflect on which are the strongest and most informative for your study.

Try it: Draft a short rationale section for your chosen research question. Ensure you include statistics related to your research question. In addition, explain why your research question is relevant, what gap it addresses, and how it links to your field and post it onto this week’s Moodle Forum

These tasks will feel intimidating at first because you are putting your ideas ‘out there’.  But writing for a forum is a very good way of getting our thinking in a logical order for writing an essay.  It will save you time later when completing your assignment. 

Comment on your colleagues’ posts to tell them what you like about their ideas – hopefully someone will encourage you in the same way.

Understanding the Systematic literature review: you will engage in a critical discussion of the importance of a systematic literature review, as well as analysing and synthesising literature from different academic sources.

This session will support you in developing advanced search skills by strengthening your understanding of the arguments for using different databases and the systematic aspects that need to be included at level 6.

Practical Activities: you will locate a systematic literature review on a topic of your choice and analyse the structure of a literature review (themes, chronology, methodology, etc.) and what strategies the author uses to synthesise sources (comparison, contrast, grouping of ideas) and how the review highlights gaps in knowledge or justifies the need for further research.

Group Work: you will work in a small (3-4) and search and select 3-4 academic resources on an assigned research theme (e.g., digital health tools, equity in education, mental health support in higher education) and map the findings from each using the attached worksheet Literature_Review_Worksheets.docx

Designing and Justifying Project Plans: you will critically evaluate Gantt charts as project management tools, applying advanced planning skills to design and adapt them for complex projects. You will get the opportunity to prepare your own Gantt chart using excel for your own research project.

Reflective Journal: reflect on the factors that informed your research plan timelines and how you ensure the timelines are followed

Read it and try it: in your spare time at home, read the King’s Fund briefing on NHS and social care staff shortages Staff Shortages | The King's Fund   The paper illustrates a topic that benefits from EBP.

Write a short paragraph (150–200 words) explaining what the evidence shows and how it could justify a research topic or explain its importance for practice or policy. This task helps you by strengthening your research rationale with evidence, something we look for at level 6. Post your paragraph on the Moodle Forum and respond to at least one peer to compare how evidence can be used to support research justification.

Additional reading: you will find a relevant literature review study on your chosen research topic (e.g., workforce planning, recruitment, retention, mental health staffing). A literature review is the best way of locating a lot of evidence quickly. It is the first step taken by researchers and people in practice when they start a new topic which is why it is valuable first step for your work in this module.

Week 3, Session 1

Compare evidence from multiple studies: This session helps you to compare different research methods and ask the questions, does the numerical evidence answers the question fully? Were there design flaws? In qualitative studies does the depth of insight provide meaningful understanding that justifies the smaller sample? Are the interpretations credible? This will help you evaluate research more effectively in your literature review and choose appropriate methods for your own research question. It also supports your ability to use evidence critically to inform your assignment and future professional practice.

Practical Activities: group activity on classifying study designs.

Testing your Knowledge Formative Task (LO1, LO2 and LO3): you will now get a chance to test your knowledge on research methodologies; who will get the most points?

https://wayground.com/join/quiz/68d6a50e2019a660ad8ae469/start?studentShare=true

Critical Appraisal using Academic phrase bank: you will be able to identify the strengths and limitations of previous studies so that you are able to write critically in your introduction. Academic Phrasebank | Being critical

Reflective Journal: write a brief reflection of use of academic phrase bank.

You will need to be able to express the differences between types (paradigms) of research for your assignment when you evaluate what evidence is needed for your practice.  It will also be useful for your capstone project.  Time spent understanding these things now will save you time later! 

Read it and try It: select and read 2–3 short research articles (abstracts only) related to your research interest and complete the reflective tasks outlined in this week’s Moodle Forum.  Share your findings with your peers.

Completing this task will help you build confidence in reading, communicating thinking and understanding research, key skills at Level 6.

Week 3, Session 2

Narrowing the research question:

you will revisit your research question to ensure it has a clear outcome of what you can achieve in your search and interpretation of your findings.

This session focuses on supporting you to critically refine and narrow your research question so it is clear, focused, and achievable within the scope of your project. By revisiting your original question, identifying key concepts and variables, and aligning your focus with available academic literature, you gain a clearer understanding of what your research can realistically achieve. The session develops Level 6 skills by strengthening critical thinking, academic judgement, and research design capability, enabling you to justify your decisions, manage project scope effectively, and establish a strong foundation for systematic literature searching and meaningful interpretation of findings.

Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches: Critical Analysis of Mixed Methods: you will critically evaluate mixed methods research by examining its key features, the integration of quantitative and qualitative approaches, and its use in health and well-being. You will assess its strengths and limitations and learn to justify methodological choices for independent projects.

Qualitative Investigator Formative Task (LO2): you will search for short qualitative research abstracts related to health and well-being (e.g., interviews, focus groups, ethnography).

Reflective Journal: write a reflection of 100-150 words on your research design and justify your choice. This will enable you understand the best method for your own research question in the proposal

Try it: in your own time, scan the QR code to read more about different methodologies, watch some videos to get in depth understanding of different methodologies. Alternatively, you can click on the link provided to access the page. https://www.brookes.ac.uk/students/academic-development/online-resources/research-methods

Post your findings to this week’s Moodle Forum. This will help you recognise which methods are most appropriate for answering different research questions, strengthen your literature review, and support you in choosing suitable methods for your own proposal. Post a short summary of one key thing you learned on the Moodle Forum and read at least one peer’s post to compare insights.

Week 4, Session 1

From Search to Synthesis: This session helps you develop skills to find, organise, and analyse research evidence so you can build a clear, critical, and practice-relevant literature review. You will refine your search strategies, use a literature matrix to organise key information, and identify themes across studies. These skills will help you justify your research question and use evidence effectively in your assignment and future professional practice.

Individual Activity

You will create a literature matrix from two peer-reviewed articles on your chosen topic. This will help you compare research findings, identify key themes, and strengthen the evidence base for your research proposal.

Reflective Journal:

 You will reflect on your experience of completing the literature matrix and how it helped you understand and organise research evidence. This will support you in developing a more critical and structured literature review.

Read it.

Formulating research questions for evidence-based studies.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949916X23000464

Try it: read the scenarios on mindfulness, exercise and obesity, and vaccine hesitancy and break the topics down into PICO elements, generate potential search terms and suggest appropriate databases to search for literature. Post your responses on the Moodle Forum.

Completing this activity will help you develop one of the most important skills required at Level 6: the ability to formulate clear, focused research questions. Return to this activity when doing your capstone project.

Week 4, Session 2

Introduction to analysis in a systematic Literature review.: This session helps you understand the processes of summarising your search findings, developing the narrative synthesis,

Practical Activities: throughout the session you will read, do group work and take part in think, pair and share activities.

Implications of research: you will be able to demonstrate independent judgement and critical reflection in evaluating how research findings are translated into implications and recommendations. You will distinguish academic significance, professional practice, and policy relevance, while assessing the quality, feasibility, and ethical dimensions of recommendations, and consider how evidence informs complex real-world decision-making.

Reflective Journal

 Reflect on how thinking about research implications has changed the way you read and interpret research. Why is it important to go beyond findings and consider what research means for practice in health and social care? Link your reflection to your future role and explain how using research can support safe practice, improve patient outcomes, and ensure effective use of resources

Read it: The Rise of Digital Health Tracking Apps: Trends, Benefits, and the Impact on Market Research and Health Apps, the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: The Importance of information – Digital Health. London. Summarise each extracts’ main argument and identify the points of agreement and points of conflict between the two extracts and write a brief critical comparison on which perspective you find more convincing. Use the template to help with the summary Week 4 Session 2 Worksheet.docx  and upload it onto the Moodle Forum.

Completing this task will help you develop the critical analysis and comparison skills expected at Level 6. By summarising and comparing the extracts, you will learn how to identify key arguments, evaluate different perspectives, and justify your own viewpoint. These skills are essential for your level 6 work, where you must use evidence to support your arguments. The worksheet will help you organise your thinking and improve your academic writing. Overall, this task will build your confidence and help you produce stronger, more critical work.

Week 5, Session 1

Revisiting and enhancing your research proposal through databases, literature and library: You will use this session to strengthen your research proposal by engaging critically and systematically with academic databases, library resources and health and social care literature. You will develop advanced searching skills, including forming effective search strings, using Boolean operators, and applying clear inclusion and exclusion criteria to justify your choice of sources. The focus is on moving beyond description to synthesising and challenging evidence, enabling you to identify gaps and debates in the literature, refine your research question, and justify your methodological choices. This will help you enhance the clarity, rigour and academic quality of your proposal in line with Level 6 expectations

Practical Activities: you will login into different databases and use search terms, form search strings related to your research topic.

Group Activities:

You will work in groups to identify and compare different types of academic and professional sources. This will help you recognise which sources are stronger and more appropriate for your assignments, and understand what markers expect. These skills will support you in selecting credible evidence and improving the quality of your own academic work

Reflective Journal: Reflect on what you learned about your literature search skills and how you will improve your future searches. Consider how using different keywords, filters, and databases can improve the quality and relevance of your results. Consider what would happen to patients and service users if we do not search thoroughly for evidence before we make decisions about what treatment we use.

Constructing Scholarly Arguments Using Critical Appraisal Tools/Checklist: You will look at how critical appraisal tools help you identify the strengths and limitations of studies.

Practical Activities: you will search for 2-3 academic sources on the topic “The effectiveness of lifestyle interventions in reducing obesity in adults” and write a description of the resources and a 200-300-word critical piece using the guidelines discussed in class.

Reflective Journal: which aspect of critical writing (balancing perspectives, questioning assumptions, justifying arguments) do you feel most confident in? Which do you need to develop further?

Read it and try it:

“Spot the Difference”: read the two articles by Mahindra et al., (2023) and White et al., (2024), extract purely descriptive data (without evaluation) and critical data (evaluation of the sources), the main characteristics of the writing and assess the strengths and weaknesses. Reflect on this exercise by answering the question, “why is critical writing more effective than descriptive writing at level 6?” Upload your reflection to this week’s Moodle Forum. Review one of your peer’s post to test your own critical reviewer skills.

This activity will help you understand the difference between descriptive and critical writing, a key skill at Level 6. You will learn how to analyse evidence, identify strengths and weaknesses, and evaluate sources rather than just describe them. This will improve the quality of your writing and help you achieve higher grades. Overall, this task will build your confidence and help you meet Level 6 academic expectations.