Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

None

Co Requisite Comment

None

Aims

Writing is a key skill for anyone in clinical research. This module aims to familiarise students with the many different processes involved in clinical academic writing. The module is designed to allow the students to experience clinical academic writing and to enable them to develop a range of key skills that will prepare them for writing research proposals, grant applications, case reports and manuscripts for both medical textbooks and journals.

Outline Of Syllabus

Writing standard operating procedures and study protocols
Practical information skills
Writing standard operating procedures and study protocols
Developing a research idea
Writing papers and grant applications
Writing lay summaries
Preparing graphical abstracts
Peer review including responding to referees comments
Authorship and ownership – responsibilities
Plagiarism how to avoid it and how to detect it

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

Upon completion of this module students will be able to:

• Describe the processes of critical and peer review as applied to published works
• Explain how to source guidelines for production both of manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed papers and of grant applications.
• Describe the issues of authorship and copyright ownership of published ideas
• Explain the importance of avoiding plagiarism in preparation of published works and how to detect plagiarism in their work and that of others.
• Explain how to perform a literature search using Medline and other databases.

Intended Skill Outcomes

Upon completion of this module the students will be able to:

• Write manuscripts in their own area of specialist interest;
• Perform a literature search in an area of interest;
• Formulate an outline of a research idea in their own area of specialist interest;
• Prepare an article for publication in a peer reviewed journal;
• Submit an article for publication;
• Write a grant application in their own area of specialist interest.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This module will be delivered online via Blackboard VLE through a series of guided learning opportunities including e-based lectures or tutorials. Students will learn fundamental principles of writing in a research setting. Through Blackboard, students and academics will be able to take part in and where appropriate advise on; review, critical appraisal and writing skills in both one-to-one and group discussions. The students will be able to practice review, critical appraisal and writing skills in a self-directed fashion. The students’ work will be assessed electronically and the students will receive formative feedback.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

In order to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be able to complete clinical academic writing, students will complete three summative assessments. The first is an abstract for a paper to be submitted to a peer reviewed clinical academic journal; second an original research proposal for a grant application; third a recorded presentation (5-10 minutes) with PowerPoint (10 slides)on their own research idea. In addition students will be formatively assessed on writing a standard operating procedure.

General Notes

N/A