Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- Herston
- Coordinating unit
- UQ Medical School
You will engage in a guided skin cancer research project within an established skin cancer research group or project. The project is designed to be flexible, with the specific setting, activities and outcomes negotiated between the student and advisor(s). You can enrol in this course in Semester 1 or 2. To discuss enrolling in this course, please email med.skincancer@uq.edu.au.
About this course
The Skin Cancer Research Project course is designed to enable you to complete a guided skin cancer research project, over a 13-week semester. For example, this could range from laboratory-based research, to clinical image analysis, systematic reviews, bioinformatic analysis of genomic datasets, statistical analysis, or patient recruitment and consent. The project is designed to be flexible, with the specific setting, activities and outcomes negotiated between you and advisor(s) and approved by the Course Coordinator. You are invited to submit a project proposal form for a project you have discussed with a potential supervisor to the Course Coordinator for approval to enter the courses - please be aware that new projects involving patient recruitment, consent and data collection during this course will require prior human ethics approvals which must be in place prior to project commencement.ﾠFrom time to time projects identified by supervisors may be advertised to the student body.
Rationale for course
Understanding the research process and developing critical thinking and analytical skills is vital to skin cancer clinicians in the evidence-based and ever-changing practice of medicine. The Master of Medicine (Skin Cancer) program has a diverse student cohort with varying levels of prior research experience. These courses will provide you with practical experience designing and/or conducting an individual project.
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
IMED7001, IMED7002, IMED7010 and IMED7011
Restrictions
Master of Medicine (Skin Cancer) students only
Course contact
Timetable
Additional timetable information
The course coordinator's permission is required to enrol in this course. Email: m.stark@uq.edu.au for further information. This course is delivered by directed study under academic supervision and there is no generic timetable. You will meet with your supervisor at regular intervals to monitor progress. You should contact your individual supervisors directly for matters relating to your research project lab work and research report. It is your responsibility to make contact and arrange meetings with your supervisor to discuss the progress of your work.
It is the supervisor's responsibility to supervise the research project and provide a mark for each of the following assessment items - project plan and laboratory performance. The research report will be marked by two independent examiners. The supervisor will be asked to mark the research report of a student they do not supervise. The supervisor should nominate two examiners for the research report and inform the Course Coordinator of theﾠexaminers' contact details. Any questions on the assessment requirements should be directed to m.stark@uq.edu.au.
Aims and outcomes
The Skin Cancer Research Project courses are designed to enable students in the Master of Medicine (Skin Cancer) to complete a guided skin cancer research project, over a 13-week semester. For example, this could range from laboratory-based research, to clinical image analysis, systematic reviews, bioinformatic analysis of genomic datasets, statistical analysis, development of research proposals, including preparation and submission of Ethics Approval documents, or patient recruitment and consent. ﾠ The project is designed to be flexible, with the specific setting, activities and outcomes negotiated between the student and advisor(s) and approved by the Course Coordinator. The courses are available in Semester 1 and 2.ﾠStudents are invited to submit a project proposal form for a project they have discussed with a potential supervisor to the Course Coordinator for approval to enter the courses - please be aware that new projects involving humans (e.g. patient recruitment, patient records, consent, and data collection)ﾠwill required prior human ethics approvals which must be in place prior to project commencement.ﾠFrom time to time projects identified by supervisors may be advertised to the student body. ﾠ Rationale for course ﾠ Understanding the research process and developing critical thinking and analytical skills is vital to skin cancer clinicians in the evidence-based and ever-changing practice of medicine. The Master of Medicine (Skin Cancer) program has a diverse student cohort with varying levels of prior research experience. These courses will provide students with practical experience designing and/or conducting an individual project.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Critically read the scientific literature and be able to recognise papers of great scientific merit
LO2.
Comprehensively evaluate work already done in that area, and to assess where deficiencies in the knowledge of the subject lie
LO3.
Critically review an area of research to detect its strengths and weaknesses
LO4.
Organise ideas derived from other people's work, and to write a clear, concise, readily understandable review in an objective manner
LO5.
State clearly the aims and significance of the proposed line of research, and prepare a convincing case for its support in a clear, concise, readily understandable and objective manner;
LO6.
Summarise the relevant literature which justifies the importance of the proposed line of research or musters evidence both for and against a proposed hypothesis. Assess this published work and thus evaluate the strengths, weaknesses and likely value of the proposal
LO7.
Comply with expectations and responsibilities of a professional working environment and engage effectively in the workplace.
LO8.
Communicate research outcomes orally to a small group
LO9.
Communicate research results in a written report
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project | Mini Literature review and Project Plan (Research) | 35% |
19/08/2024 1:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project | Final report | 65% |
25/10/2024 1:00 pm |
Assessment details
Mini Literature review and Project Plan (Research)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project
- Weight
- 35%
- Due date
19/08/2024 1:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L09
Task description
Abstract (max 350 words)
• Mini Literature review (4 pages)
• Project Plan and expected outcomes (1 page)
Format to be discussed with Course Coordinator and assigned Supervisor
Submission guidelines
Submission is made via Turnitin.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
You are required to submit all assessment items on time. Assessments submitted after the due date without an approved extension will receive a late penalty.
Final report
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project
- Weight
- 65%
- Due date
25/10/2024 1:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L09
Task description
Full Literature Review OR Completion of research proposal and documentation required for submission for Ethics Approval OR Written Research Report which includes data collection and analysis completed during the semester. Maximum of 20 pages - format and style to be determined by the course coordinator, in consultation with the project supervisor.
Submission guidelines
Submission is made via Turnitin
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
You are required to submit all assessment items on time. Assessments submitted after the due date without an approved extension will receive a late penalty.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Achieving a combined grade of <25% in the assessment tasks Demonstrates faulty understanding of the fundamental concepts of the assessment task; presents undeveloped, inappropriate or unsupported arguments; communicates information or ideas with lack of clarity and/or inconsistent adherence to the conventions of the discipline |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 39 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Achieving a combined grade of at least 25% but less than 40% in the assessment tasks Demonstrates partial understanding of the fundamental concepts of the assessment task; presents undeveloped or inappropriate or unsupported arguments; communicates information or ideas with lack of clarity and/or inconsistent adherence to the conventions of the discipline |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 40 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Achieving a combined grade of at least 40% but less than 50% in the assessment tasks Demonstrates superficial understanding of the fundamental concepts of the assessment task; presents undeveloped arguments; communicates information or ideas with lack of clarity and/or inconsistent adherence to the conventions of the discipline |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Achieving a combined grade of at least 50% but less than 65% in the assessment tasks Adequate quality work, but with significant deficiencies in understanding, critical skills, literacy, organisation and presentation. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Achieving a combined grade of at least 65% but less than 75% in the assessment tasks Good quality in all aspects of the assessment task, but with inadequacies in understanding, critical skills, literacy, organisation and presentation. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Achieving a combined grade of at least 75% but less than 85% in the assessment tasks Work of very good quality in all aspects of the assessment task, but showing lesser critical skills and personal insights into the assessment task. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Achieving a combined grade of 85% or higher in the assessment tasks Work of superior quality in all aspects of the assessment task, containing clear examples of excellent critical skills and personal insights into the assessment task. |
Additional course grading information
The supervisor may be asked to mark the research report of a student they do not supervise.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Please note that all submission dates for assessments are in Brisbane time - Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).
Both written assessments are to be submitted via Turnitin. Submit your report through the course Turnitin submission point in Blackboard. Before submitting your assessment item to Turnitin please name your file in the following way.:
- FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName
- For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides emerging tools that may support students in completing some assessments. Students may appropriately use AI in completing their assessment tasks for this course unless otherwise indicated by the Course Coordinator. Students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance. A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. Refer to the following guide regarding referencing ofﾠAI:ﾠOverview - ChatGPT and other generative AI tools - Library Guides at University of Queensland Library (uq.edu.au).
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.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks |
Practical |
Mini Literature review and Project Plan Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L09 |
Practical |
Final Report To be discussed with Supervisor Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L09 |
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.