Course syllabus for Degree project in Clinical medical science

Examensarbete i klinisk medicinsk vetenskap

Specific entry requirements

Admitted to the Master Programme in Clinical Medical Science. Completion of the general scientific course 15 HE credits with a Pass grade, and an elective general and/or specific course of 15 HE credits with a Pass grade or the equivalent skills within clinical medical science.

Outcomes

The aim of the course is for the student to advance his/her knowledge and his/her ability within the interdisciplinary field of clinical medical science by carrying out and presenting a relevant independent scientific paper in the form of a theoretical project, a minor empirical study or a systematic review study.

Knowledge and understanding
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
- show knowledge of the interdisciplinary field including both an overview of the area and specific knowledge of the chosen advancement field,
- demonstrate advanced knowledge in scientific methodology of relevance for the own degree project

Skills and ability
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
- independently plan, carry out and present a degree project in a timely manner,
- show ability to systematically search, critically evaluate, and interpret information as a basis for the degree project ,
- apply research-ethical principles and guidelines,
- identify, formulate, analyse, reflect and assess problems of relevance to the interdisciplinary field and the society,
- choose, discuss and argue for the choice of a research design and method.

Assessment ability and attitudes
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the meaning of research-ethical principles and guidelines,
- discuss and argue for the scientific and clinical relevance of the own work in relation to own and other professions.

Content

The contents of the course
- identification and delimitation of relevant research questions
- collection, analysis and compilation of data
- research-ethical considerations
- writing an independent scientific paper
- presentation and defense of a degree project
- opposition of another student's degree project

Teaching methods

Teaching is based on a problem-oriented and collaborative approach to learning in which forms of work provide opportunities for the student to take active responsibility for their learning. The teaching methods of the course consist of planning, carrying out and reporting an independent scientific work in the form of a theoretical work, a minor empirical study or a systematic literature study. Compulsory teaching in the form of seminars and supervision occur. In case of absence from compulsory parts, turn to the course director.

Examination

The examination consists of a presentation and argumentation (thesis defence) of an, independently written degree project of relevance to the interdisciplinary field and examination and discussion (opposition) of another student's degree project. The degree project, thesis defence and critical oral review should cover all learning outcomes of the course. The examination is assessed both on the written contents and active participation (respondent and opponent) in the seminar.

The grading system is Failed/Passed/Passed with distinction. A Pass in the course requires a Pass for the critical oral review, the thesis defence and the written report. A Pass with distinction in the course requires a Pass with distinction for the critical oral review, the thesis defence and the written report.

Students who have not passed the regular examination are entitled to participate in five examinations. Students without approved results after three examinations can be offered to retake the course or parts of it once more; subject to availability.

If the student has failed six examinations, no additional examination will be offered.

Submission of a blank examination is regarded as an examination. Examination for which the student registered but not participated in does not count as an examination. Home examination that has been opened via the learning management system counts as an examination session even if the examination is not submitted.

Late submissions of examinations are not accepted. Students who have not submitted on time are referred to re-examination.

Other directives

Course evaluation takes place in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board of Education.

Literature and other teaching aids

• Skrivregler för svenska och engelska från TNC, Solna : Terminologicentrum (TNC), 2001 - 236 s. ISBN: 91-7196-100-3, LIBRIS-ID: 8372003, *

• Day, Robert A.; Gastel, Barbara, How to write and publish a scientific paper, 6., [updated and enlarged] ed. : Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2006 - xv, 302 s. ISBN: 0-521-67167-1 (hft.), LIBRIS-ID: 10148844,
• Ethics in qualitative research, Mauthner, Melanie, London ; a Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage Publications Ltd, 2002 - x, 172 s. ISBN: 0-7619-7309-5 (hft.), LIBRIS-ID: 8954442,
• Gustafsson, Bengt; Hermerén, Göran; Petersson, Bo, Good research practice - what is it?: views, guidelines and examples, Stockholm : Vetenskapsrådet, 2006 - 89 s. ISBN: 91-7307-086-6, LIBRIS-ID: 10161165, http://www.cm.se/webbshop_vr/pdfer/Rapport%201.2006.pdf,

• Creswell, John W.; Plano Clark, Vicki L, Designing and conducting mixed methods research, Thousand Oaks, Calif. ; a London : SAGE, cop. 2007 - xviii, 275 p. ISBN: 9781412927918 (hbk.), LIBRIS-ID: 10467450, http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/ecip0610/2006008436.html,
• Hulley, Stephen B., Designing clinical research, 3. ed. : Philadelphia : Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, cop. 2007 - xv, 367 p. ISBN: 9780781782104, LIBRIS-ID: 10535344,
• Maxwell, Joseph A., Qualitative research design: an interactive approach, 2. ed. : Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage Publications, cop. 2005 - 175 s. ISBN: 0-7619-2607-0 (cloth), LIBRIS-ID: 9527020,
• Polit, Denise F.; Beck, Cheryl Tatano, Nursing research: generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice, 8. ed. : Philadelphia : Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, cop. 2008 - xviii, 796 s. ISBN: 978-0-7817-9468-8 (alk. paper), LIBRIS-ID: 10504332, http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/ecip0711/2007006184.html,

• Altman, Douglas G.; Gardner, M. J. q (Martin John), Statistics with confidence [Elektronisk resurs] b confidence intervals and statistical guidelines., 2nd ed. / b edited by Douglas G. Altman .. [et al.]. : [Great Britain] : BMJ Books, 2000. - xii, 240 p. LIBRIS-ID: 9773694, http://ezproxy.its.uu.se/login?url=http://site.ebrary.com/lib/uppsala/Doc?id=10033071 z Tillgänglig för användare inom Uppsala universitet,
• Cohen, Jacob, Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences, 2. ed. : Hillsdale : L. Erlbaum Associates, 1988 - xxi, 567 s. ISBN: 0-8058-0283-5, LIBRIS-ID: 8310412,
• Handbook of health research methods: investigation, measurement and analysis, Bowling, Ann; Ebrahim, Shah, Maidenhead : Open University Press, 2005 - x, 625 s. ISBN: 978-0-335-21461-7 (hbk.), LIBRIS-ID: 9951075,
• Howell, David C., Fundamental statistics for the behavioral sciences, 6. ed. : Belmont, CA : Thomson/Wadsworth, cop. 2008 - xiv, 594 p. ISBN: 0495099007 (hbk.), LIBRIS-ID: 10469533,
• Nunnally, Jum C.; Bernstein, Ira H., Psychometric theory, 3. ed. : New York : McGraw-Hill, cop. 1994 - xxiv, 752 s. ISBN: 0-07-047849-X, LIBRIS-ID: 8273692,
• Pett, Marjorie A., Nonparametric statistics for health care research: statistics for small samples and unusual distributions, Thousand Oaks : Sage, cop. 1997 - 307 s. ISBN: 0-8039-7038-2, LIBRIS-ID: 5691752,
• Streiner, David L.; Norman, Geoffrey R., Health measurement scales: a practical guide to their development and use, 3. ed. : Oxford : Oxford University Press, cop. 2003 - xii, 283 s. ISBN: 0-19-852847-7, LIBRIS-ID: 9079866,
• Vittinghoff, Eric, Regression methods in biostatistics: linear, logistic, survival, and repeated measures models, New York : Springer, cop. 2005 - xv, 340 p. ISBN: 0-387-20275-7 (acid-free paper), LIBRIS-ID: 9962279,

• Dahlberg, Karin, Reflective Lifeworld Research, 2. uppl. : Studentlitteratur AB, 2008 ISBN: 91-44-04925-0, LIBRIS-ID: 10616729,
• Interpretive phenomenology: embodiment, caring and ethics in health and illness, Benner, Patricia E., London : Sage, cop. 1994 - 372 s. ISBN: 0-8039-5723-8 (hft.), LIBRIS-ID: 5691132,
• Krippendorff, Klaus, Content analysis: an introduction to its methodology, 2. ed. : Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Sage, cop. 2004 - xxiii, 413 s. ISBN: 0-7619-1544-3 (inb.), LIBRIS-ID: 9415626,
• Kvale, Steinar; Brinkmann, Svend, Den kvalitativa forskningsintervjun, 2:a : Lund : Studentlitteratur, 2009 LIBRIS-ID: 9607320,
• Morse, Janice M; Field, Peggy-Anne; Field, Peggy-Anne. t Nursing research, Qualitative research methods for health professionals, 2nd ed : Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Sage Publications, c1995. - 254 s. ISBN: 0-8039-7326-8, LIBRIS-ID: 5691888,
• Phenomenology and psychological research, Aanstoos, Christopher; Giorgi, Amedeo, Pittsburgh, Pa. : Duquesne University Press, 1985 - x, 216 s. ISBN: 0-8207-0174-2, LIBRIS-ID: 5782272,
• Strauss, Anselm L.; Corbin, Juliet M., Basics of qualitative research: techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory, 2. ed. : Thousand Oaks, Calif. : SAGE, cop. 1998 - xiii, 312 s. ISBN: 0-8039-5939-7 (inb.), LIBRIS-ID: 5691227,
• Writing in the dark: phenomenological studies in interpretive inquiry, Van Manen, Max., London, Ont. : Althouse, 2002 - 252 p. ISBN: 0-920354-49-1 (pbk.), LIBRIS-ID: 8424780,

• Day, Robert A.; Gastel, Barbara, How to write and publish a scientific paper, 6., [updated and enlarged] ed. : Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2006 - xv, 302 s. ISBN: 0-521-67167-1 (hft.), LIBRIS-ID: 10148844,

• Cooper, Harris M, Synthesizing research: a guide for literature reviews, 3. ed. : Thousand Oaks : SAGE, cop. 1998 - 201 s. ISBN: 0-7619-1347-5, LIBRIS-ID: 5601608,
• Higgins, JPT; Green, S editors, Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions 4.2.6: [updated September 2006]. In: The Cochrane Library, 4 : Chichester, UK : John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 2006
• Users' guides to the medical literature: a manual for evidence-based clinical practice, Guyatt, Gordon; Rennie, Drummond, Chicago b American Medical Association, c cop. 2002 : American Medical Association, cop. 2002 - 706 s. ISBN: 1-57947-174-9, LIBRIS-ID: 8842951,