Protocol and Project Modules
MPH
MPH(IH)
Applied Epidemiology
Masters &Diploma students
/ Student Guide 2010-11Modules A34574, A34575, A34562 and A34580
Module Co-ordinators
Dr Heather Public Health
Ex 31341
CSB2: Room B 117
Professor Sarah Lewis
Applied Epidemiology
Ex 31387
CSB2: Room C 116
Essential information
The “My Grades” section of the Protocol and Project WebCT section is updated as the course progresses to show names of staff who will support you, deadlines and progress.
Please let Dr Roberts know if any of this information is inaccurate.
You will be notified of any corrections, alterations or additions to this guide on WebCT: please check regularly.
Contents
1Introduction to the Protocol and Project Modules......
1.1From the Module Co-ordinators......
1.2Aims and objectives......
1.3Time requirement......
2Module A34574, Protocol and Project Development......
2.1Assessment......
2.2Diploma students
3Timetable: attendance and activities for Modules A34574, A34575 and Diploma modules
3.1Full time students: your timetable for A34574 Protocol and Project development
3.2Year 1 Part time students entry 2010: your timetable for A34574 Protocol and Project development over both years
3.3Year 2 Part time students entry 2009: your timetable for A34574 Protocol and Project development in your second year
4How to be successful......
4.1Know what you will need to demonstrate in these modules......
4.2Know what you are aiming for: read......
4.3Acquire key skills......
4.4Integrate learning across the course......
4.5Be realistic….some pointers from experience......
4.6Take responsibility......
4.7Meeting deadlines......
4.8Don’t expect everything to go as planned!......
5A34574: types of protocols and projects to consider......
5.1Research Governance......
5.1.1The Research Governance Framework......
5.1.2Sources of advice about Research Governance......
5.2Projects that may not require approval via the Research Governance Framework
5.3University Ethical Approval......
5.4Complying with the Data Protection Act......
5.4.1Modules to follow......
5.5If you haven't got an area of study in mind......
5.6Academic support and guidance: roles and responsibilities......
5.6.1Project facilitators......
5.6.2Project supervisors......
5.6.3Who your project supervisor will be......
5.6.4The supervision you can expect......
5.6.5Supervision meetings......
5.6.6Keeping a record of your supervision......
5.6.7Liaising with your supervisor......
5.6.8Role of a co-supervisor, if appointed......
5.7Academic advice as you start to think about specific possibilities….
5.7.1Essential reading......
5.7.2Recommended reading......
5.7.3Reading around methodologies......
5.7.4Reading around your project topic......
6Protocol development: structuring your ideas......
6.1The structure of your protocol......
6.1.1Title......
6.1.2Introduction and background......
6.1.3Aim......
6.1.4Objectives......
6.1.5Method......
6.1.6Analysis......
6.1.7Resources......
6.1.8Timetable for Masters students......
6.1.9An example of a timetable for Masters to submission of your dissertation
6.1.10Timetable for Diploma students......
7Progress Reports – general comments......
7.1What and when you need to submit......
7.2Progress report 1 from all students......
7.3Progress Report 2 from Masters students......
7.4Progress Report 2 from Diploma students......
8Diploma students only......
8.1Submission of the literature review or short epidemiological study.
8.2Assessment......
9Peer Review : Masters student only......
10Your protocol: Masters students only......
11Project Conference for Masters students......
11.1Advice about verbal presentations......
11.2Advice about presenting posters......
12Self-assessment: Masters students only......
13Module A34575: The Dissertation......
13.1Assessment of Module A34575, Dissertation for Masters students
13.2Deadline and important dates......
13.3Get yourself well organised for the write-up......
13.4Length of the dissertation and its sections......
13.5Sequence of contents: an overview......
13.6Detailed advice for each section of the write-up......
13.6.1Introduction, background to and context of the project......
13.6.2Methods......
13.6.3Results......
13.6.4Discussion......
13.6.5Conclusions......
13.6.6Recommendations......
13.6.7References and copyright diagrams, tables etc......
13.6.8Use of quotations......
13.6.9Use Turnitin to check for similarities with published work on the web
13.6.10Editing and proof reading......
13.7Presentation of your finished work: your responsibilities......
13.7.1What to hand in by the deadline......
13.7.2Delivery of the dissertation......
13.8What if you miss the deadline?......
13.8.1Penalties for missing the deadline......
13.8.2Extenuating circumstances......
14After submission of your dissertation......
14.1Assessment......
14.2Failure of the dissertation at the first or second attempt......
15Interviews with the External Examiners......
16When and how you receive your result......
16.1Payment of fees, receiving results and graduation......
17Other matters......
17.1Writing-up for publication......
17.2Further studies......
17.3Retention and storage of your dissertation......
17.4Finally…......
1Introduction to the Protocol and Project Modules
1.1From the Module Co-ordinators
Welcome to Protocol and Project work!
This handbook covers the work Masters students need to undertake in the modules that, first, cover the development of your protocol and project (A34574) and, secondly, the assessment of your dissertation (A34575).
For Diploma students following the Diploma in Public Health or Diploma in Applied Epidemiology the information covers the development of a protocol and your literature review or short epidemiological study (A34562 or A34580 respectively).
Each module is assessed and there are important "Progress Reports" so that we can monitor your progress and pick up any potential problems earlier rather than later.
This guide gives you comprehensive advice about how to succeed with this major piece of work. It is based on the experience of both staff and students. As you work through the sections, any suggestions about how it can be made more helpful are welcome.
As Module Co-ordinatorswe thoroughly enjoy watching students' ideas being shaped into concrete proposals and then into the final dissertation, and are looking forward to finding out about your interests.
Protocol and project work gives you the opportunity to explore a topic or learn a method and skills in depth. It is therefore important that you choose the focus of your project carefully. We hope that,collectively, this guide, the taught content of the course, the key skills you will be taught, other protocol and project-related contact sessions with supervisors and advisors and information on WebCT
will help you with these challenges.
We expect high standards and sustained effort from you, but know that you will need help and, possibly, motivation to achieve these. That is why there are structures in place to make sure that you have the opportunity to acquire the skills and support you need. We also encourage you to contact us as soon as possible if problems arise: if we don’t know we can’t help.
As well as being fascinating and rewarding, project work can be lonely and frustrating, and particularly difficult for people who have never undertaken this type of work before - but our students tell us that ultimately they learned a lot.
Weare confident that the aims of the module laid out below will be met as we work together through the time you are with us.
Dr Heather Roberts and Professor Sarah Lewis
NB
Returning students: please note that the assessment of Module A34574 has been altered and you are being asked for just one report-back rather than 2.
1.2Aims and objectives
On completion of the relevant modules, all students will:
- know what elements are required in a protocol
- have experience of planning and producing an acceptable written project protocol
- have experience of peer review
- have experience of critiquing a range of proposed studies
- know and understand library resources, including electronic facilities, and have experience of using them
- know how to access the Internet and have experience of accessing it
- understand and experience the process involved in carrying out a literature search
- understand and experience the process of writing a literature review based on a protocol’s aim and objectives.
- know how to reference texts
- develop other key skills in project planning, development and presentation
Masters students will also:
- experience the process of carrying out a project
- understand and experience the process of writing-up the whole project in an appropriate form as a dissertation
1.3Time requirement
For Masters students these Modules together make up more than a third of your course – for Diploma students it is a sixth. You therefore simply cannot leave this independent piece of work to the last minute!
2Module A34574, Protocol and Project Development
2.1Assessment
Full details of what is required are given later in the Guide.
Your final mark is composed of the elements as show below.
Element / Activity / % awarded on completion / Nature of assessment1.
Up to 25% of the final grade / Progress Report 1 / 5% for satisfactory progress / Compulsory and assessed / Masters and Diploma students
Progress Report 2 / 5% for satisfactory progress / Compulsory and assessed / Masters and Diploma students
Peer review / 5% for satisfactory participation / Compulsory / Masters students only
Project Conference: evidence of participation / 10% for satisfactory participation / Compulsory / Masters students only
2.
Up to 60% of final grade / Final protocol / 40% / Assessed by supervisors and submitted formally as course work / Masters students only
Conduct during supervision period / 20% / Assessed by supervisors / Masters students only
3.
Up to 15% of final grade / Self Assessment / 15% / Assessed by students using standardised form / Masters students only
Returning students : please note that the assessment of Module A34574 has been altered and clarified, and that you no longer need to produce 2 reports on progress.
2.2Diploma students
Diploma students follow the elements shown above as part of Modules A34562 and A34580 and submit the 2 Progress Reports as shown above. The remainder of your mark, 90%, comes from a 2,500 word literature review or short epidemiological study.
3Timetable: attendance and activities for Modules A34574, A34575 and Diploma modules
The tables below give dates for Module activities by year group. Find yours, and put the dates in your diary now. See WebCT for the detailed daily timetable and for any changes.
If you are following an alternative route you must ensure that all elements are completed.
All contact sessions and activities are:
- compulsory for full-time students
- compulsory for part-time students unless statedotherwise
We do try and keep activities to normal attendance days whenever possible. The 2 optional Tuesday sessions are very strongly recommended if you are not already competent in these skills.
- Important progress monitoring dates are shown in bold.
- Venue will beB122
- Full-time students (FT) need to attend as specified: occasionally on days other than Wednesday or Thursday
- Part time year 1 (PT1) students usually need to attend on Wednesday
- Part-time year 2 (PT2) students usually need to attend on Thursdays
- Students taking an alternative route need to ensure that all elements are covered during the course of study so that they accrue the percentages awarded for their completion.
3.1Full time students: your timetable for A34574 Protocol and Project development
Sem 1 / Sem 2Week and date / Full time students / Week and date / Full time students
1 / - / 1 Thurs 10 Feb 2011 / Progress report 2
2 Thurs 7 Oct / Dissertation exercise / 2 / -
3 Mon 11 Oct / Discussion about ideas / 3 / -
4 TUES 19 Oct / All day workshop on process, protocol and literature reviews: compulsory / 4 / -
4 Thurs 21 Oct / Feedback re dissertation exercise / -
5 / - / 5 / -
6 TUES 2 Nov / All day: sessions on searching the literature and using Endnote: compulsory / 6 / -
7 TUES 9 Nov / Data handling: compulsory / 7 / -
8 Thurs 18 Nov / Progress report 1 / 8Thurs 31 March / Protocol for assessment by your supervisor.
9 / - / 9 / By Easter
Masters students: you need to submit your form to indicate the type of presentation you will make at the Project Conference. If you do not hand this in on time you will be allocated a poster presentation.
10
In your own time / Table of Contents - self directed learning / 10
Thurs 14 April
11 / - / 11 / -
12 / - / 12 / -
13 / - / 13 / -
14 / - / 14 / -
15 Wed 20 Jan 2011 / Peer review / 15 Thurs June 2 / Project Conference
Monday August 15 by noon / Submission of dissertation
3.2Year 1 Part time students entry 2010: your timetable for A34574 Protocol and Project development over both years
Year 1Sem 1 / Sem 2
Week and date / PT Year 1, 2010 entry / Week and date / PT Year 2, 2010 entry
1 / - / 1 Thurs Feb 10 / Progress report 1
2 / Dissertation exercise / -
3 / - / -
4 TUES 19 Oct / All day workshop on process, protocol and literature reviews: compulsory / 4 / -
4 Thurs 21 Oct / Feedback re dissertation exercise / -
5 / - / 6 / -
6 TUES 2 Nov / All day: sessions on searching the literature and using Endnote: strongly recommended / 7 / -
7 TUES 9 Nov / Data handling: strongly recommended / 8 / -
8 / - / 9 / -
9 / - / 10 / -
10In your own time / Table of Contents - self directed learning / 11 / -
11 / - / 12 / Peer review depending on own timetable
12 / - / 13
13 / - / 14
14 / - / 15 / Progress report 2
Year 2 Summary
2011-12 / PT Year 2, 2010 entry / PT Year 2, 2010 entry
Sem1 / Sem 2
Week
2 Thurs Oct 6 / Dissertation exercise / -
4 Thurs Oct 20 / Feedback re dissertation exercise / -
15 Thurs of final week / Protocol for assessment by supervisor / 15 Thurs of final week / Project Conference
Mid August / Submission of dissertation
3.3Year 2 Part time students entry 2009: your timetable for A34574 Protocol and Project development in your second year
Year 2 / PT Year 2, 2009 entrySem1 / Sem 2
Week
1 / - / 1 / -
2 Thurs Oct 7 / Report on progress to be submitted before the end of Week 7 / 2 / -
2 Thurs Oct 7 / Dissertation exercise
3 / - / 3 / -
4 / Feedback re dissertation exercise / 4 / -
5 / - / 5 / -
6 / - / 6 / -
7 / - / 7 / -
8 / - / 8 / -
9 / - / 9 / By Easter
Masters students: you need to submit your form to indicate the type of presentation you will make at the Project Conference. If you do not hand this in on time you will be allocated a poster presentation.
10 / - / 10 Thurs 14 April
11 / - / 11 / -
12 / - / 12 / -
13 / - / 13 / -
14 / - / 14 / -
15 / - / 15 Thurs June 2 / Project Conference
Monday
August 15 by noon / Submission of dissertation
Please note that
- only one progress report is now required
- you are welcome to attend the new Tuesday sessions early in Semester 1 – see the Full-timers’ timetable.
4How to be successful
4.1Know what you will need to demonstrate in these modules
You need to be aware of what it is that Examiners look for in a successful project and dissertation. Ultimately, no matter what the nature of your dissertation, you will need to demonstratesome or all of the following:
- ask a sensible question in a public health or epidemiological domain, drawing on existing scientific and other knowledge. This does not necessarily mean that you need to carry out original research though your work should be original whatever the nature of your dissertation.
- be critically aware of the strengths and weaknesses of relevant literature and/or data set that you are using, and show critical appraisal skills – poor critical appraisal skills are often a weakness that Examiners and supervisors comment on
- answer your question using an appropriate method and appropriate analyses
- present the information you obtain to answer your question in a clear and sensible way using clear and concise methods of presenting your data. You may need to use suitable basic statistics or advanced statistics if appropriateto interrogate any data fully: Examiners appreciate data that have been summarised and presented to highlight the important points
- make sense of the information you have obtained
- interpret and discuss the implications of the information you have obtained with reference to existing policies, strategies and epidemiological evidence that form the context of your work
- understand the limitations of what you have done
- show that you have learned from the experience about the process of carrying out a project that is transferable to similar exercises
- write up a dissertation in a conventional academic style.
4.2Know what you are aiming for: read
There is a reading list that gives details of a number of key texts that you should use to inform the development of your work. This can be found at More information is given in Section 5.
As important is to read previous dissertations. Particularly good examples from our Division are those written by students who have gained distinctions in previous years.
These are used in an exercise at the start of Semester 1 (Year 2 for part-timers) to help youto appreciate the nature of the dissertation work and give you the opportunity to critique an example.
4.3Acquire key skills
There are key skills that you will be taught on Tuesdays on this module by library staff and Divisional staff and you are given the opportunity to develop through self-learning packages. Other skills are taught in other modules. You will benefit from these. Theymake tasks quicker and so make your life easier as you put your dissertation together, and present your project to your peer group and staff. They are transferable skills that will be useful in other parts of the course and when you move on from the University.
To make the most of the skills teaching youwill need to make sure that you understand the basics from the taught session or handouts, and then practice independently. Key skills include:
- Writing a protocol
- Constructing a literature review and appreciating the difference between that and a systematic review of literature
- Handling data
- Presenting numerical data and statistical test results in appropriate ways
- Searching for, and keeping a record of peer-reviewed good quality literature
- Using a referencing package to keep accurate, easy to access and use references
- Using “Table of Contents” to help you organise long documents – it is recommended that from early December when you are presenting your dissertation in the following August you find time to follow the self-learning package found on the CHS main page, going to “Resources” and then “Study Skills” where you will find the material you need
- Using PowerPoint for presentations and posters
- Making verbal presentations
These are generic skills, many of which you may use time and time again in your working life.
4.4Integrate learning across the course
You will be successful if, as you plan your work you:
- make links between your study and the relevant content of taught modules
- bear in mind the broad public health and epidemiological relevance of the question you have set yourself
- know in depth the specific context and evidence related to your study
- identify relevant theories, concepts and statistical techniques that you will be introduced to and that you can use as academic underpinning for your dissertation
- build up your knowledge about, and skills in, critical appraisal of policy, strategy and opinion papers, data sets from various sources and systematic reviews of published evidence.
4.5Be realistic….some pointers from experience
- You need to feel confident in the “ownership” of your protocol and project: if you don’t really understand what you are doing then you can’t expect others to understand either. If the protocol or project feels uncomfortably vague to you, then it probably is!
- Some students are overambitious in what they think they can achieve and try to do far too much. Doing something highly focused in detail, and doing it really well, is far better than having a very large and vague protocol or project. Getting this balance is not always easy – keep asking!
- Sometimes students find it difficult to disentangle a dissertation from a work-based activity, such as a health needs assessment when one part of that may be sufficient if the right question is asked.
- The write-up of your dissertationis not as a report and so, if you are familiar with that style, you need to be aware that you will need to adopt a different approach.
- Everything takes longer than you anticipate - especially if you need to get ethical approval.
4.6Take responsibility