96092 Research Project
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 96084 Sub-acute Rehabilitation AND 96085 Outpatient Rehabilitation AND 96088 Acute Physiotherapy Care AND 96086 Research Design in Physiotherapy
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject provides an opportunity for students to conduct a supervised research project in an area related to physiotherapy. Under supervision, students participate in the collection of data and use current technology to perform statistical analysis to interpret the information gained. Students learn how to present the results of their analysis by independently writing a research paper and delivering a poster presentation. The research paper typically includes an abstract, introduction, a description of the methods used, a description of the results obtained plus any analysis undertaken, figures and tables of the results, and a discussion of the results in the context of the relevant literature using an appropriate reference style. The poster presentation and paper defence provide students with leadership and verbal skills required to educate other healthcare professionals, academics, and first-year physiotherapy students. The research paper provides students with an understanding of how to write a research paper for publication using scientific and academic language.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 039. | Maintain professionalism in verbal and written communication |
|---|---|
| 044. | Educate physiotherapists and other health professionals including students |
| 059. | Locate scholarly literature relevant to a given topic |
| 060. | Critique selected research |
| 061. | Formulate a research question |
| 063. | Select a research methodology relevant to a given research question |
| 066. | Conduct a research project |
| 067. | Interpret research data |
| 068. | Evaluate research findings in the context of the literature |
| 069. | Disseminate findings of a research project to a range of audiences |
| 070. | Write a research paper suitable for journal publication |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
The learning outcomes for this subject are as follows:
- Critical thinker: Critically analyse the evidence underpinning practice and effectively apply new knowledge to practice; conduct and disseminate high-quality research to improve professional knowledge and influence direction of future practice. (02.05)
- Research-enabled: Apply scientific research skills to advance the evidence base supporting physiotherapy practice. (02.09)
- Communication: Communicate effectively using high-level interpersonal skills in both traditional modes of communication and when integrating advances in technology and methods of intervention delivery into patient care. (03.06)
- Teamwork and leadership: Engage in leadership and collaboration, representing the profession in interprofessional teams and seeking advanced practitioner roles to ensure the future vitality of the profession. (03.07)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
Research-enabled
Graduates of the Master of Physiotherapy effectively integrate research evidence into practice, are proactive in identifying gaps in knowledge and are competent to undertake research to advance the evidence base and inform future physiotherapy practice.
Professionally Competent
Graduates of the Master of Physiotherapy embody professional and ethical practice, maintaining knowledge and competence at local and global standards. Graduates embrace opportunities for leadership and advanced roles, utilise deliberate practice to optimise physiotherapy care and advocate for the profession in interdisciplinary contexts.
Teaching and learning strategies
Prep work
Prep work is undertaken prior to masterclasses and workshops. Prep work can include watching a video, reading a blog entry/website/textbook chapter/journal article/magazine article and/or listening to a podcast/video/interview. Questions often accompany the prep work so students read with intent which encourage deep reading. Content covered in prep work is strongly linked to content covered in masterclasses and workshops. Please ensure prep work is carried out so that you have spent some time accessing and making sense of ideas. Attending the masterclasses and workshops will allow you to test these ideas and get feedback from your teachers and peers which will further consolidate your learning. Your knowledge and understanding of the prep work will be tested and applied using quizzes, group discussions and practical activities in masterclasses and workshops.
Masterclasses
Masterclasses are conducted in groups of 60 or more. There is usually a presentation of content by the teacher followed by activities which build on the prep work and the content presented. These activities are varied and require students to work alone, work in pairs or work in groups of 3 or more. Examples of these activities include class presentations, group discussions and “One Minute Paper” where students reflect on what they have learnt in class and share this with the class. Group discussions often involve solving a problem or answering a question based on their research project or the content topic. All activities are facilitated by the teacher. Feedback is provided by the teacher where there is discrepancy in the knowledge and understanding of the content or disagreement in opinions between groups. Feedback can also be provided by peers.
Workshops
Workshops are conducted in groups of 15-35. Content in classes often include the practice of practical skills and further consolidation of information gained in masterclasses. These activities are varied and often require students to work in pairs or work in their assigned research groups. Examples of these activities include the practice of research skills (i.e., making figures, using statistical software), class presentations, group discussions, and brainstorming sessions. In the classes where practical research skills are taught, the teacher demonstrates these skills and provide guidance on how feedback should be provided. After the demonstration, students work in their research groups of 3 or more to practice. Feedback on their progress is provided by the teacher or their peers. Feedback on common errors and suggestions for improvement will also be included. In the classes where theoretical content are consolidated and applied, feedback is provided by the teacher where there is discrepancy in the knowledge and understanding of the content or disagreement in opinions between groups. Feedback can also be provided by peers.
Content (topics)
This subject makes a major contribution to producing research enabled and practice ready physiotherapists. The subject builds on knowledge gained in 96086 Research Design in Physiotherapy, by advancing knowledge and putting knowledge into practice.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Poster presentation
| Intent: | Dissemination of research is a key capability for practitioners and researchers. This assessment task gives students the opportunity to present their research project in a format commonly used at conferences and professional gatherings. Further, the timing of this task allows students to gather feedback on their preliminary data and make required adjustments if necessary. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 044, 059, 060, 061, 063, 067 and 069 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 02.05, 02.09, 03.06 and 03.07 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Group, group assessed |
| Weight: | 20% |
Assessment task 2: Journal article
| Intent: | Dissemination of research is a key capability for practitioners and researchers. This assessment task gives students the opportunity to present their research project in a written format using formal/academic language relevant to the scientific/academic community. Students will work collaboratively in a group to co-author their journal article. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 059, 060, 066, 067, 068 and 070 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 02.05, 02.09, 03.06 and 03.07 |
| Groupwork: | Group, individually assessed |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Criteria: | Available in Canvas |
Assessment task 3: Oral Defence of Article (Must Pass)
| Intent: | Dissemination of research is a key capability for practitioners and researchers. This assessment task gives students the opportunity to verbally communicate and defend their research project to an educated but non-expert audience. Students will be asked questions on various aspects of the project and submitted journal article to ensure they have an understanding of all aspects of their research project. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 039, 044, 068 and 069 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 02.05, 02.09, 03.06 and 03.07 |
| Type: | Examination |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | 15 min viva/interview |
| Criteria: | Available in Canvas |
Assessment task 4: Online quiz
| Intent: | This individual assessment task will give students the opportunity to consolidate their understanding of various aspects important for physiotherapy research. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task is aligned with the following subject learning objectives: 060, 063 and 067 This task is aligned with the following course learning outcomes: 02.05 and 02.09 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 10% |
| Length: | 2 x 30 min quizzes |
| Criteria: | Available in Canvas |
Minimum requirements
Attend 85% of compulsory classes.
Note that submission of each assessment task is compulsory. If you fail to submit one of the assessment tasks below you will fail this Subject, regardless of your performance in the remaining tasks.
There is a must-pass assessment in this subject. Please check assessment descriptions for details.
Required texts
Coursework Assessments Procedures
Graduate School of Health Policy, Guidelines and Procedures (login required)
Recommended texts
Hoffmann T, Bennett S and Del Mar C (2013) Evidence-Based Practice across the Health Professions (2nd ed. NSW: Churchill Livingstone.
Hicks C (2009) Research Methods for Clinical Therapists: Applied Project Design and Analysis (5th edition). London, UK: Churchill Livingston, Elsevier.