Course Details in 2023/24 Session

Module Title	Introduction to Research Methods for Bioethics
School	Institute of Clinical Sciences
Department	Institute of Clinical Sciences
Module Code	01 23525
Module Lead	Dr Greg Moorlock
Level	Honours Level
Credits	30
Semester	Full Term
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites	Biomedical Ethics and Law - (02 23528) Ethics in Research - (01 18351)
Restrictions	Must have completed successfully Year 2 of MBChB/BDS, and not have progressed beyond Yr 4
Exclusions
Description	This module has two aims. First to enable students to developed more advanced skills of philosophical argument and critical reasoning than they can be expected to have developed during their MBChB learning to date. Second to provide students with sufficient knowledge of modern bioethical research methods and skills to be able to make a reasoned and justified decision about which method (qualitative or purely analytical) is most appropriate for their dissertation. Students will be introduced to different means of mounting a robust philosophical argument. They will be provided with the tools for critical analysis including how to read and critique ethics and law papers/materials, and for developing the skills necessary to complete the assessements for the programme as a whole. Students will be introduced to a variety of qualitative research methods, as well as to theoretical and practical issues in combining ethical analysis and qualitative data. They will be shown how to critically appraise current empirical bioethics research, and to plan and carry out their own independent research project. The integration of ethics and qualitative data gathering will enable students in the healthcare ethics and law stream to gain some experience of empirical research, and will introduce students to a new and developing area that is at the cutting edge of modern bioethics, as well as ensuring that they understand how to read and write effectively using traditional philosophical methods.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module the student should be able to: Mount and defend an argument Be able to read, understand and critique the standard research resources (publications, cases etc) ethics and law Understand commonly used qualitative research methods used in empirical bioethics Demonstrate an understanding of methods used to integrate ethical analysis and empirical data, and why doing might be desirable Demonstrate an understanding of the limitations of these methods in the context of bioethical research and appropriate compromises which may be made to methods Critically appraise empirical bioethics research conducted by others Demonstrate awareness of the issue of feasibility and acceptability in research design Select and utilise appropriate analyses for qualitative studies and understand the different theoretical underpinnings of these Contribute constructively to a discussion of his/her own and others research ideas and protocols.
Assessment	23525-01 : module mark : Mixed (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessments: 2 x contribution to formal debate (one statement one response) = 20% 1 x qualitative interview analysis 3000 - 3500 words = 40% 1 x dissertation/research protocol (4 pages font Arial 12) = 40% Reassessment: This module belongs to a programme that is considered in the same way as a final year of a three-year degree programme in regards to assessment. No opportunity for resubmission is available.
Other
Reading List