Course Syllabus

Course Description

This course will assist the student in developing an understanding of the research process while preparing the student to conduct research of their own. Students will review and critically analyze research designs with a conceptual review of data collection and overall research methodology.

The instructor will expose the student to research proposal creation. Emphasis is on the professional as a producer and consumer of research.

Tentative Course Schedule in Course Overview

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Recognize the value of research and the role of the methods of systematic inquiry in advancing health care delivery.
• Develop the knowledge base and skills necessary to carry out valuable, valid and ethical research.
• Define research problems and articulate specific research questions
• Articulate hypotheses
• Employ the tenets of the scientific method to design well-controlled research plans, weighing the impact of experimental bias against practical considerations
• Identify appropriate sampling plans for scientific research, including sampling characteristics, bias and determination of appropriate sample size using modern statistical methods of power analysis
• Choose the appropriate test statistics for most common research designs and apply the calculation of the test statistic to the criteria for statistical significance.
• Distinguish between meaningful and statistical significance and choose from among possible research conclusions the ones that most appropriately fit the findings of the research.
• Learn to critically analyze the research literature on the bases of the research design, employment of experimental control, soundness of statistical procedures, generalizability of the findings and appropriateness of the discussions
• Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the most common research designs and select from among these research designs the one most appropriate for the hypotheses under question.
• Learn how to professionally present research findings in publication format.

Rationale

Research Methods in Health Care is an essential component in the graduate students’ core curriculum, with emphasis on the fundamental subject matter utilized in the research process: research design, sampling, statistics, measurement, and library (locating and summarizing published research) and writing skills (critique of published research). The course includes experimental/quasi-experimental design, descriptive/inferential statistics, and meta-analysis. We will also examine key issues in quantitative research, design; instrument reliability and validity, sources of artifact and bias, and ethical issues. This is of particular importance since all graduate students are expected to be knowledgeable about the process, are required to complete an approved research thesis in order to meet their degree requirements, and as a professional be expected to be both a consumer and a producer of research in your area of expertise in the health sciences.

Required Texts

You must purchase the required course textbook  Exploring Research (Links to an external site.): 9th Edition. Pearson Prentice Hall, 2017  by Neil J Salkind.

Description

• The basics of research in the social and behavioral sciences, describes how to collect and analyze data, and providing thorough instruction on how to prepare and write a research proposal and manuscript. You can either rent (180 Day @ $42.99, expires  at the end of the semester) or buy the eTextbook (a la Carte edition: a convenient, three-hole-punched, loose-leaf text @ $79.99. 

Optional Texts

The AMA Manual of Style, 11th edition is a must-have guide for those seeking to publish research findings and anyone involved in medical, health, or scientific writing and publishing. The manual offers guidance on nuts-and-bolts topics including punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. It also provides recommendations on how to navigate the dilemmas that authors, researchers and their institutions, medical editors and publishers, writers, and members of the news media who cover scientific research confront on a daily basis. 

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Print Publication Date: Feb 2020 Print
• ISBN-13: 9780190246556
• Published online: Feb 2020
• DOI: 10.1093/jama/9780190246556.001.0001  © American Medical Association

The Montante has in its collection  an eBook and in print. You can search in the library catalog for it, or search in the search box on the library main page. Enter AMA style manual and it’s the first thing that comes up. This is a link directly to the ebook record in our catalog. From the record, simply click on the link that says “connect to full text of ebook”   https://dyc.bibliovation.com/app/work/446228

Ebooks work like print though, Only one student can read a section at a time. You cannot have several students access it at once.  

Links to an external site.

 Optional Resources

Assessment of Students

Below are illustrative examples, not suggested assessment types, grading schemas, response time, etc

1. Participation & Discussions 10%
2. Activities/Assignments 30%    
3. Midterm/Final Exam 60%    

*Most assignments post automatically to the Canvas Calendar – however not all of them do. Because of this, the Weekly Overview’s are supplemental and will explain in more detail what is due for the week.

Students will be assigned grades based on the grade definition identified in the Catalog.

Late Assignments

• Extensions are granted because of catastrophic emergencies for those who reach out prior to the scheduled due date of an assignment.
  • NO work will be accepted 1 week after assigned, .
• ALL assignments should be submitted via Canvas. Please give yourself some lead-time when submitting assignments.
• It is the student’s responsibility to adhere to the deadlines for course assignments. When deadlines are not met, grade penalties and delays in grading may result
• ALL work is due at 11:55 PM, EST on the date it is scheduled.
• A “0” will be automatically submitted for anything not submitted on time. Due to the necessity of submitting final grades immediately after the course ends, the 7-day late submission policy does not apply the last 2 weeks of class.
  • No late assignments will be accepted in those last 2 weeks. 

Response Time and Feedback on Assignments

Feedback on assignments is typically within 48 hours for all submissions, although with larger class sizes there may be additional time required. Students can expect the following response times:

• Discussions will be graded within 72 hours using both a comment and rubric.
• Calls and emails will receive a response within 24 - 48 hours, except on major holidays which I will respond within 72 hours
• Grades and feedback on assignments and tests will be provided no more than 5 days after submission.

Plagiarism

Students are expected to comply with the D'Youville plagiarism policy.

Any student who submits an assignment that meets the criteria for plagiarism will receive a grade of zero/no credit for that assignment. Plagiarism includes papers copied directly from another source; papers which take material in part or in whole from other sources without sufficient documentation.

Faculty may use computer-based software to review papers for plagiarism. Students will not be permitted to rewrite any written assignment once it has been submitted and graded.

Students are encouraged to seek guidance from the faculty teaching the course when working on an assignment. In addition, the Writing Tutor and the Learning Center can help students with writing, grammatical concerns and APA format. Students who are referred by faculty to a writing tutor may be asked to bring proof of attendance before future assignments are accepted for grading.

Attendance

Your success in this class is dependent upon your active participation in the virtual classroom. Each week begins on Sunday at 12:05 am, EST and ends on Saturday at 11:55 pm, EST.

During that time, you should log into the class frequently to complete your assigned readings, activities, and post to discussion boards.

Unless appropriate drop/add or withdrawal forms have been processed, a grade of “F” for the course is noted if students just stop attending classes.  Financial obligations will remain as well.  Merely informing the instructor of the intention to withdraw does not constitute official withdrawal.

Canvas Learner Requirements and Proficiencies

You are required to be able to navigate the course by clicking links on the site.

Students may need to be able to write assignments, copy and paste, create documents using Microsoft Office and be able to upload to Turnitin.com, email attachments and the ability to upload to the LMS. If you are not able to do so, please contact me before an assignment is due.

Students must be able to work as instructed to ensure you are properly prepared.  You should have self-discipline, problem solving skills, critical thinking skills and enjoy communicating in the written world.

Additional Resource Links

Additional Resources available to students include the following:

1. Help Desk
   1. Email and Outlook
   2. Administrative Computing
   3. Computer and Networking Services
2. Canvas (LMS) Resources
   1. Getting Started in Canvas
   2. Canvas FAQs
   3. Canvas Student Mobile App - Describes what features are available to use through Mobile devices
   4. Canvas Student Training
3. Microsoft Office 

Role of Netiquette

The following outlines some key strategies for effective netiquette:

• Use standard grammar and spelling and avoid “text speak” such as “lol” or “idk.”
• Be professional. Respectfully address the person you are speaking to, and avoid rude language, a confrontational tone, and all caps, which is the online equivalent to shouting.

• Write concisely. Develop your point with details and examples, but do not ramble or use unnecessary words. Your readers should be able to understand your point quickly.

• Do not dominate discussion. Allow others to speak and read their input carefully before responding.
• Provide a link or reference for your sources so your readers know where you are getting your information.
• Use fonts that are easy to read (e.g., Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri).
• Format your writing in a consistent, clear, and readable manner. Avoid large blocks of text by using paragraphs and consistent spacing and making your writing welcoming for readers.
• Proofread. Carefully review what you have written and correct any errors or unclear wording. Small mistakes are unprofessional and potentially confusing.
• Think twice before sending or posting. Most messages cannot be retracted, and even editing a discussion board post will show a record of your changes, so do not commit to anything that you will regret later.
• Reply to others promptly.

Technical Requirements for Courses May Include 

• Laptop or Desktop with a modern web browser HTML5 capabilities
  • Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Edge, and/or Safari
• A webcam (your phone can be used as a webcam if you do not have one). Please contact Onlinelearning@dyc.edu for more info. 
• Microphone (your phone can also be used as a microphone)
• Internet connection (or ask for our portable MiFis for students by contacting IT at techsupport@dyc.edu). 
• Computer Plugins
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Video Players
  • Windows Media Player, QuickTime Player
• Software
  • Microsoft Office. (No worries if you do not have it. Your My D'Youville package comes with it!) Please contact IT (techsupport@dyc.edu) for more information.  
  • DYU Credentials (E-mail, My D'Youville, and LMS)

Technical Support

Support is offered in the following locations:

• Help Desk - If you need assistance with your computer contact them at (716) 829-8282 or submit a Help Desk ticket at the link here.
• Canvas – If you need assistance, please contact the 24/7 support line at (877) 703-3455.
  • Canvas Student Training available via your Dashboard or the link here
  • Canvas Frequently Asked Questions can be accessed here. 

Sharing of LMS Content Resources

Sharing content from the LMS classroom is strictly prohibited. All instructor and classmate postings are considered private and should not be shared. The content is to be only used to meet the learning objectives of the course by enrolled students.

Office of Accessibility Resources

At D'Youville one of our most important core values is making sure that you succeed. As a student at D’Youville, you’ll be challenged every day, but you’ll also know that we have your back, no matter what you need to succeed. If you need extra help, our Learning Center is available to help you with tutoring, workshops, and one-on-one support.  Students for whom English is a second language are also urged to utilize the resources of the Office of Accessibility Recourses.  

Students with Special Needs: Students who believe they may be eligible for Special Testing Conditions, such as extended time and/or a distraction reduced environment, must contact the Office of Accessibility Resources to determine whether they qualify. Students with disabilities need to contact the Coordinator of the Office of Accessibility Resources and provide documentation of their disability(ies) from a qualified professional.  Based on that information and the course requirements, Accessibility Resources will determine if special testing conditions are warranted. Students who are determined to be eligible for special testing conditions will be provided with an accommodation form detailing the special conditions. Students must provide the faculty with appropriate documentation from the learning center.  Visit this link to learn more about Accessibility Resources.

Links to an external site.

D’Youville Library

The Montante Family Library at D'Youville is the ideal research destination for students, faculty, and staff searching for access to research tools, materials, and professional instruction.  Visit this link to learn more about the Library

Digital Information Literacy Skills Required for Online Courses

Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information (including being able to identify, locate, and critically evaluate sources), the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge (synthesis) and participating ethically in communities of learning.

You can visit the Library Resources page directly in Canvas via the Help menu in the site navigation, or linked here.

Sexual Misconduct & Harassment

D’Youville College prohibits its employees (faculty, administrative, support staff and maintenance), and undergraduate and graduate students from engaging in any form of sex discrimination, which includes sexual harassment and sexual assault/violence. This policy provides information regarding the college’s prevention and education efforts related to sexual harassment and sexual assault/violence (collectively referred to in this policy as “sexual misconduct”). Should the college become aware of sexual misconduct impacting its employees, undergraduate students or graduate students, the college is committed to promptly and effectively addressing the situation.

In furtherance of that commitment, this policy explains how the college will proceed once it is made aware of possible sexual misconduct in keeping with our institutional values and to meet our legal obligations under Title IX, the Clery Act, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, and other applicable law. In all instances in which sexual misconduct is found to have occurred, the college will take appropriate steps to end such conduct, prevent its recurrence and redress its effects.  See this link for additional information.

BIAS-INCIDENT REPORTING PROCESS

D'Youville is committed to providing an environment where every person is treated with dignity and respect. Every student, administrator, staff and faculty member, and visitor has the right to be in a safe and secure environment where education and growth can flourish.

Use the Bias Incident Reporting and ProtocolLinks to an external site. to register a complaint. for internal and external parties. The Register Complaint formLinks to an external site. is for students to report unresolved issues about an online course, professional practicum, internship or fieldwork assignment , or any other problems.

Whenever possible, you are urged to contact the correct department directly. If you don't know which department to notify about your complaint, you may use this form instead.  

Privacy Policies & Accessibility Statements

The following are links to Privacy Policies and Accessibility Statements for the technologies used in this course:

Permission for Materials

Insert permission statements here for all digital materials, PDFs, Articles etc.