Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Nursing, Midwifery & Social Wk
This course assists students to develop expert search strategies and advanced analytical and critical thinking skills to engage with scholarly literature. The course aims to enable students to source literature appropriate to their research field and to identify key themes, concepts, debates, gaps, and limitations within the existing body of knowledge. Through this process, students will be able to generate meaningful and clinically relevant research questions that contribute to the advancement of their field of study.
The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) specifies Australian educational standards and requires all masters level programs to equip graduates with specialised knowledge and skills for research and to extend a complex body of knowledge specific to the area of practice. HLTH7315 Advancing Research Inquiry, is a course used by the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work across their suite of masters level programs to provide students with the necessary skills to generate meaningful and clinically relevant research questions that contribute to the advancement of their field of study.
Course requirements
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
HLTH7310, HLTH7308
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
This course will be comprised of 10 weekly modules which will be labelled weeks 1 through 10. To accompany these modules, there will be 10 weekly lectures (weeks 1-8 [week 3 will have 2 lectures] and week 12) and 10 weekly tutorials (weeks 1-7; 10; 12-13). Course tutorials and lectures are optional - attendance should be guided by student knowledge and prior learning. The lectures will be recorded and available following their delivery. The tutorials will not be recorded and will be an opportunity to engage in content for that week and ask questions and embed knowledge.
Aims and outcomes
Demonstrate advanced analytical and critical thinking skills to engage with literature and identify key themes, concepts, debates, gaps and limitations to generate a meaningful and clinically relevant research question.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate advanced analytical and critical thinking skills to identify key themes, concepts, debates, gaps and limitations in the literature to generate a meaningful and clinically relevant research question.
LO2.
Demonstrate the ability to determine how to identify and source appropriate literature suitable to informing a research question.
LO3.
Demonstrate advanced communication skills to articulate complex ideas clearly, structure arguments logically, and use appropriate academic conventions and referencing styles.
LO4.
Analyse and critically reflect on literature to demonstrate a deep understanding of the selected research topic by critically reviewing and analysing relevant literature from multiple sources, including scholarly articles, books, and other academic resources.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay/ Critique | Library Search Assessment | 40% |
Week 4, Mon 1:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique, Presentation, Reflection |
Research Question Assessment
|
60% This is a sequenced assessment. Part A carries a 30% weighting and Part B carries a 30% weighting to total the 60%. |
Part A pre-submission Part A viva voce Week 7 Wed - Week 8 Thu Part B research question exploration
Part A pre-submission due 1pm Monday, Week 7 through BlackBoard. Part A viva voce assessed from 8am Wednesday Week 7 through till 7pm Thursday Week 8. Students will self-allocate to one 30 minute slot only on a first come, first served basis. Time slots will be released on Monday of week 3 at 1600 hours. Part B research question exploration due 1pm Friday week 13 through BlackBoard. |
Assessment details
Library Search Assessment
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
Week 4, Mon 1:00 pm
Task description
HLTH7315 Assessment 1 requires students to conduct a search on a pre-set research question. Students are required to demonstrate comprehension and proficiency in conducting an academic search which includes the ability to choose an appropriate search strategy (library/web searches versus database searches or a combination of both). Students are also required to reflect on their search process and outcomes.
Full 'Assessment 1: Library Search Assessment' details can be found on the course BlackBoard site.
Submission guidelines
This written assignment is to be submitted via Turnitin in BlackBoard Ultra.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
10% of maximum mark per 24 hour period or part thereof will be applied following the due assessment date.
Research Question Assessment
- Identity Verified
- Online
- Mode
- Oral, Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique, Presentation, Reflection
- Weight
- 60% This is a sequenced assessment. Part A carries a 30% weighting and Part B carries a 30% weighting to total the 60%.
- Due date
Part A pre-submission
Part A viva voce Week 7 Wed - Week 8 Thu
Part B research question exploration
Part A pre-submission due 1pm Monday, Week 7 through BlackBoard.
Part A viva voce assessed from 8am Wednesday Week 7 through till 7pm Thursday Week 8. Students will self-allocate to one 30 minute slot only on a first come, first served basis. Time slots will be released on Monday of week 3 at 1600 hours.
Part B research question exploration due 1pm Friday week 13 through BlackBoard.
Task description
The Research Question Assessment requires you to reflect on your area of practice and develop a research question considering which paradigm has informed your approach. Following the viva voce component of this assessment, you will have a research question which has been reviewed and confirmed by your course tutor; you will develop a critical background which informs and justifies the confirmed research question.
Full 'Assessment 2 Research Question Assessment' details can be found on the course BlackBoard site.
Submission guidelines
Part A 'pre-submission' and Part B 'research question exploration' are to be submitted via Turnitin in BlackBoard Ultra.
Part A 'viva voce' will be undertaken via zoom requiring students to attend one 30 minute assessment time slot to which they have previously self-allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
For Part A pre-submission AND Part B research question exploration, 10% of the maximum assessment mark per 24 hour period or part thereof will be applied following the due assessment date. For Part A viva voce failure to attend the scheduled zoom session will result in a 100% of maximum mark penalty.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | <p>0</p> - |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>0-29.9%</p> |
| 2 (Fail) | <p>30</p> - |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>30-46.99%</p> |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | <p>47</p> - |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: <p>47-49.99%</p> |
| 4 (Pass) | <p>50</p> - |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>50-64.49%</p> |
| 5 (Credit) | <p>64.5</p> - |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>64.5-74.49%</p> |
| 6 (Distinction) | <p>74.5</p> - |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>74.5-84.49%</p> |
| 7 (High Distinction) | <p>84.5</p> - |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>84.5-100%</p> |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
By submitting your assignment you are certifying that it is your original work and that where you have used the ideas or writing of other authors this has been acknowledged according to accepted academic guidelines. Further, it has not been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at university (unless resubmission is part of the requirements for the course assessment). You need to ensure you have completed the University’s Academic Integrity module before you submit your assignment. The module can be found at:
https://www.uq.edu.au/integrityﾠ
Penalty for word count outside required length
Students can gain advantage through submitting written pieces that are longer than the specified word limit in the assessment instruction/criteria. For this reason, it is necessary to include deterrents to these practices to ensure fairness and equity. A word count that is within the set range for each assessment is acceptable. A word count outside this range will be penalised through an automaticﾠresult of 0 (out of the possible 10 marks) in the presentation criteria of the assessment marking rubric.
Presentation
If the presentation instructions for each assessment have not been followed exactly (e.g. no introduction or conclusion and use of underlined headings only), a maximum of 5/10 will be awarded for the presentation criteria based on student performance against the presentation criteria.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
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Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Lecture |
Library searching and sourcing literature part 1 This first lecture will provide the basis as to how to conduct an expert search of databases on any topic of interest. Learning outcomes: L03 |
Tutorial |
Library searching and sourcing literature part 1 Tutorials provide an opportunity for small group work with peers in this course and academic access and support on a weekly basis. Learning outcomes: L03 |
|
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Lecture |
Library search and sourcing literature part 2 This second lecture will provide the basis as to how to manage search findings with Endnote. Learning outcomes: L03 |
Tutorial |
Library searching and sourcing literature part 2 Tutorials provide an opportunity for small group work with peers in this course and academic access and support on a weekly basis. Learning outcomes: L03 |
|
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Lecture |
Research paradigms and research approaches + second lecture Linking research paradigms to methodologies This weeks first lecture addresses how we think about philosophical questions such as what is truth and how we have structured our knowledge. We then consider how this orientates our approach to research. The second lecture links research paradigms to research methodologies. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Tutorial |
Research paradigms and research approaches Tutorials provide an opportunity for small group work with peers in this course and academic access and support on a weekly basis. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
|
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Lecture |
Developing a research question This lecture explains how to write a research question. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Tutorial |
Developing a research question Tutorials provide an opportunity for small group work with peers in this course and academic access and support on a weekly basis. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
|
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Lecture |
Local context of research and inquiry This lecture addresses how the local context of the area we are interested can shape the research question we ask as we consider local challenges, questions and opportunities. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Local context of research and inquiry Tutorials provide an opportunity for small group work with peers in this course and academic access and support on a weekly basis. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Lecture |
Quality literature and reading strategically This lecture examines what is quality literature, how planning your search strategy will yield quality literature and reading strategically and critically. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Tutorial |
Exploring student research questions and topics? Tutorials provide an opportunity for small group work with peers in this course and academic access and support on a weekly basis. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Lecture |
Critically evaluating literature What does the literature really say and is there a collective direction it is taking? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Exploring student research questions and topics? Tutorials provide an opportunity for small group work with peers in this course and academic access and support on a weekly basis. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Lecture |
Ethics This lectures examines ethics and how these underpin, impact and shape research. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Tutorial |
Bringing it all together Tutorials provide an opportunity for small group work with peers in this course and academic access and support on a weekly basis. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Lecture |
Answering your questions Students questions about Part B of the research question assessment will be addressed. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Tutorial |
Bringing it all together Tutorials provide an opportunity for small group work with peers in this course and academic access and support on a weekly basis. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Tutorial |
Bringing it all together Tutorials provide an opportunity for small group work with peers in this course and academic access and support on a weekly basis. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.