HSOC 408 Health Research Methods and Research Practicum

Page 1 of 19 HSOC Fall/Winter 2017/18

The University of Calgary Academic Year 2017-2018 Bachelor of Health Sciences Cumming School of Medicine

HSOC 408 Health Research Methods and Research Practicum

Instructors: Dr. Tanya Beran, Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, Email: [email protected] Phone: 403 220-5667 Dr. Rita Henderson - (403)210-9874, Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, Email: [email protected] Phone: 403 210-9874 Office Hours Office hours : By appointment Time and Location: Fall semester September 13th to December 8th Tuesday and Thursday: 9:00-11:50 am Room: HS 1405A *with exceptions listed on the class schedule Winter semester: January 9th to April 13th Monday: 4:00-5:50pm Room: HS 1405A *with exceptions listed on the class schedule Prerequisite/Co-Requisite: MDSC 308 Course Description: An introduction to the research methods utilized in the Health Sciences. Students will begin to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct research in the Health and Society field. The importance of research design, qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods and the theoretical constructs that inform these approaches will be emphasized. Overarching Theme This third-year strand of the research stream of the BHSc degree, offered by the O’Brien Centre within the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, was developed through a unique collaboration involving the University and SEARCH (Swift Efficient Application of Research in Community Health) Canada. The course uses an inquiry-based format to give


students an opportunity to explore approaches, tools and techniques used to conduct applied research in the areas of health systems and services, and population and public health. Students will develop theoretical knowledge that will be applied in a practice setting working with independent researchers. It is hoped that relationships formed between students and researchers will lead to research opportunities long into the future. This course prepares students to work on a research team and or with a preceptor in a semester-long field practicum, and prepares them for their 4th year honours project where they will plan, conduct and write-up a research project. Global Objectives The aim of this course is to provide students in the 3rd year of the BHSc major in Health and Society with a basic understanding of health research processes as applied to an array of interdisciplinary practice contexts, towards developing knowledge and skills necessary to undertake an honours thesis. Although opportunities will be available to join clinical research teams, a majority of the research activities undertaken through this course will align with the 3rd and 4th pillars of health research as identified by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) as follows: 1. Biomedical 2. Clinical 3. Health Services and systems 4. Population and public health While the University of Calgary values all four pillars, the emphasis in HSOC 408 will be on examining evidence and advancing understandings and practices related to health policy, services and systems, and population and public health. Finally, through this course, students are supported to integrate theoretical and methodological elements, from their unique areas of concentration, into health-oriented research. The objectives below directly or indirectly constitute the evaluation for this course. a) Given a published article, the student should be able to identify the study question/purpose and rationale. b) Given a published article, the student should be able identify the study design as quantitative, qualitative, review or combined/mixed methods. In addition, the student should be able to describe the paradigms that inform these approaches. c) Given a published article, the student should be able to identify the study method/s employed. Students should be able to describe why the method(s) was/were chosen to answer the research questions and, list advantages and disadvantages of the chosen method/s. d) Given a research question, the student should be able to identify sources of information to be searched, and formulate a search strategy to investigate and evaluate existing evidence.


e) Students should be able to synthesize existing evidence on a given topic (in the form of a narrative or systematic review), identify the current state of knowledge/knowledge gaps, and make recommendations for future research and practice. f) The student should be able to develop a research proposal to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of scientific principles acquired from the course lectures, student workshops, and readings. g) The student should be able develop a research report to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of scientific principles acquired from the course lectures, student workshops, readings, and fieldwork experience. h) The student should be able to effectively communicate, both verbally and in written form, using scientific language, structure, and conventions. i) The student should be able to operate as an effective member of a research team. j) The student should be able to constructively contribute to classroom discussion and activities. Learning Objectives By the end of this course: 1. The student will demonstrate knowledge of, and be able to make distinctions between, quantitative, qualitative, review and combined/mixed methods approaches to health-oriented research. 2. With a particular research question in mind, the student will be familiar with the purpose and process of systematically searching the health and wellness literature. 3. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the issues associated with the terms “research” and “health program evaluation.” 4. The student will be able to assess the appropriateness and limitations of using various health-oriented research designs that encompass qualitative, quantitative, review and combined/mixed methods. 5. The student will become familiar with several data collection approaches such as surveys and interviews. 6. The student will demonstrate knowledge of ethical principles in the design of research.


7. The student will be able to list the steps, and identify challenges, involved in translating research to action. 8. The student will be able to articulate the importance of knowledge exchange and transfer. 9. The student will operate as a member of a research team working on a research project within a health and wellness framework. Required Textbooks Social Research Methods (2012; 4th Edition) - by Alan Bryman. Copies of the textbook are available for loan from the Health Sciences Library and available for purchase from the Medical Sciences Bookstore. Students will be required to read assigned journal articles, along with corresponding text book chapters, in preparation for each student-led workshop. Citation information for these journal articles is listed on page 13. All journal articles are available through the University of Calgary Library. Recommended Textbooks/Readings Required readings are listed in the Fall Session Goals and Reading table. Evaluation The University policy on grading and related matters is described in Section F.2 of University of Calgary Calendar. This course entail six formal assessments. Assignment rubrics can be found on Desire 2 Learn (D2L). There is no final exam for this course during the exam period. There is no minimum grade requirement for any assessment in order to pass this course. Description Percentage of Grade Due Date 1. Student workshop 15% Refer to class schedule and D2L 2. Research proposal 20% December 8 (Friday, 4pm) 3. Oral presentation (1) 10% Nov 30, Dec 5 & 7 4. Oral presentation (2) 15% March 26, April 2, 9 5. Written report 30% April 13 (Friday, 4pm) 6. Class/fieldwork participation

10% September 12 to April 9

Assignment Details 1. Student Workshops (fall semester) Two students together will present a paper and lead discussion on a particular health-oriented research theme or issue (30-minute PowerPoint presentation plus 20-minute class discussion). Student presenters will ask the class questions about the reading, and facilitate corresponding discussion. Students will be assessed on presentation content as well as ability to facilitate discussion. All students, including non-presenters, will be expected to have read the papers presented in class and students who are not facilitating must submit two questions at the start of class for each reading being facilitated. Presenters will act in a lecture/leadership role. Content from the paper should be presented and explicitly linked to knowledge obtained from


the assigned readings (article and chapters) and previous lectures. Students may also use class activities to support their presentation/facilitate discussion. This assignment is a developmental one, thus as well as assessing students, instructor(s) will moderate/contribute/draw linkages to previous and upcoming content. Guidelines for student workshops are available on D2L. 2. Research Proposal (fall semester) The student will write a research proposal based on the work being undertaken for the fieldwork practicum. The proposal will include a literature review, research aims and objectives, rationale and significance of the study, methods, limitations and timeline. A proposal template is available on D2L. 3. Oral Presentation 1 (fall semester) The oral presentation provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate understanding about the fieldwork setting, the research interests of the preceptor, and the project for the year. Students will have 10 minutes for the oral presentation plus 10 minutes for questions. Timing of presentations will be strictly enforced. All students are required to attend all presentations. Grading criteria for this oral presentation are available on D2L. 4. Oral Presentation 2 (winter semester) Students will give a 15-minute oral presentation (plus 10-minutes for questions) on findings/ outcomes of the fieldwork. This should include a brief description of the background/rationale, research question/objectives, methods (research design, sample, data collection, analysis), and findings. Discussion of the findings/outcomes and policy/intervention/research recommendations should constitute the bulk of the presentation. Timing of presentations will be strictly enforced. All students are required to attend all presentations. Grading criteria for this oral presentation are available on D2L. 5. Written Report (winter semester) Students will submit a written report of their fieldwork in the form of a journal manuscript. This report will follow the manuscript guidelines used by the American Psychological Association. Students are encouraged to seek feedback from their preceptors as they develop their manuscripts. Grading criteria for the written report are available on D2L. Note that students must complete the course on Research Ethics (CORE) Tutorial and include the certificate in the appendix of their final report (http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/research-services-office-rso/ethics-compliance/tcps2-core-tutorial). 6. Class and Fieldwork Participation (fall and winter semesters) Marks for active participation during workshops and presentations will be awarded based on: 1) constructive contribution to class discussion, and; 2) submitting thoughtful questions based on each reading prior to the beginning of workshop classes. For a missed workshop (with a valid medical reason provided), the student’s average participation mark will be awarded; however, if a valid reason is not provided, the student will receive zero for the missed workshop. The instructors use a checklist to monitor class participation. Marks for fieldwork participation will be awarded based on the student providing: 1) a record of hours spent on fieldwork activities


and, 2) a brief paragraph summarizing oral feedback received from the preceptor/members of the preceptor’s research team regarding the student’s overall fieldwork performance. Assignment Submission 1. Specific instructions for each written assignment are provided in the grading criteria rubrics. All assignments must be "typewritten", and written in formal, academic style. Instructional workshops on using referencing software are offered at the Health Sciences library and on main campus. 2. In accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP), students should identify themselves on written assignments by placing their name on the front page and their ID number on each subsequent page. 3. Students must submit one electronic copy (i.e. on D2L) of all assignments. All written assignments should be uploaded in as a Microsoft Word file with the student’s full name and name of the assignment included in the filename. A Note regarding Writing Assignments: Writing skills are important to academic study in all disciplines. In keeping with the University of Calgary’s emphasis on the importance of academic writing in student assignments (section E.2 of 2017-18 Calendar), writing is emphasized, and the grading thereof in determining a student’s mark in this course. The Bachelor of Health Sciences values excellence in writing. Competence in writing entails skills in crafting logical, clear, coherent, non-redundant sentences, paragraphs and broader arguments, as well as skills with the mechanics of writing (grammar, spelling, punctuation). The University of Calgary offers a number of instructional services through the Students’ Success Centre’s Writing Support Services (http://www.ucalgary.ca/writingsupport/) for students seeking feedback on assignments or seeking to improve their general writing skills. Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of these programs. Grading Scheme: A+ 97-100% B+ 80-84% C+ 65-69% D+ 54-56% A 90-96% B 75-79% C 60-64% D 50-53% A- 85-89% B- 70-74% C- 57-59% F 0-49% Missed Components of Term Work: At each instructor’s discretion, late assignments will not be accepted and will automatically receive a mark of zero, (or students will lose 5% per day late past the deadline for all assignments). In this case, assignments will NOT be accepted more than 72 hours after the posted deadline and students failing to submit any assignment within this time frame will receive a mark of zero. There will be NO exceptions to this policy. Extensions will NOT be granted on any assignment or quizzes. The only exceptions to this are those in keeping with the University Calendar (illness, religious conviction, or domestic


affliction) that are received in writing and with supporting documentation. Please be advised that students should notify the instructor before the assignment deadline to discuss. Desire2Learn (D2L) Desire 2 Learn is located on the University of Calgary server and will be used extensively for communication with students. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that s/he gets all posted communications and documents and that s/he receives emails sent by instructors or fellow students through D2L. Only your @ucalgary.ca email address may be linked to D2L. Please ensure that you are regularly checking your @ucalgary.ca account. If you need help accessing or using D2L, please visit the Desire2Learn resource page for students: http://elearn.ucalgary.ca/d2l-student/. Policies Governing the Course: Conduct During Lectures Students are expected to conduct themselves in a mature and courteous manner during ALL lectures. Students are expected to frame their comments and questions to lecturers in respectful and appropriate language, always maintaining sensitivity towards the topic. Students are expected to take notes during each session and should not rely solely on handout material supplied by the instructors. Electronic Devices The Bachelor of Health Sciences program aims to create a supportive and respectful learning environment for all students. Research studies have found that student use of electronic devices (laptops, tablets, etc) in the classroom negatively affects the learning of both the user and those sitting nearby. Inappropriate use of laptops is also disruptive to your fellow classmates and disrespectful to the lecturer. The use of laptops and other electronic note-taking devices is permitted; however, their use in the classroom should be for course-related work/note-taking only. Please do NOT surf the web, check email or do other unrelated work. Students who use their laptops inappropriately or are otherwise disruptive during lectures will be asked to leave. Cell phones (or similar devices) should be turned off (not merely silent) upon entering the classroom. Sending/receiving text messages or leaving the class to take calls is disruptive to the entire class and will not be tolerated unless absolutely necessary. Students who disregard this rule during lectures or tutorials will be asked to leave. These items are not permitted under any circumstance during exams/quizzes, etc. Copyright It is the responsibility of students and professors to ensure that materials they post or distribute to others comply with the Copyright Act and the University’s Fair Dealing Guidance for Students (library.ucalgary.ca/files/library/guidance_for_students.pdf). Further information for students is available on the Copyright Office web page (http://library.ucalgary.ca/copyright)


A Note Regarding Instructor Intellectual Property Generally speaking, course materials created by professor(s) (including course outlines, presentations and posted notes, labs, case studies, assignments and exams) remain the intellectual property of the professor(s). These materials may NOT be reproduced, redistributed or copied without the explicit consent of the professor. The posting of course materials to third party websites such as note-sharing sites without permission is prohibited. Sharing of extracts of these course materials with other students enrolled in the course at the same time may be allowed under fair dealing. Academic Accommodations Based on Disability or Medical Condition It is the student’s responsibility to register with Student Accessibility Services to be eligible for formal academic accommodation in accordance with the Procedure for Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (https://www.ucalgary.ca/policies/files/policies/procedure-for-accommodations-for-students-with-disabilities_0.pdf). If you are a student who may require academic accommodation and have not registered with Student Accessibility Services, please contact their office at (403) 220-8237; http://www.ucalgary.ca/access/. Students will be provided with all necessary accommodations to ensure equal opportunity to succeed in this course. Please provide the instructor your accommodation letter from Student Accessibility Services within 14 days after the start of this course so that all needed arrangements for exams and assignments can be made. Accommodations on Protected Grounds other than Disability Students who require an accommodation in relation to their coursework based on a protected ground other than disability, should communicate this need, preferably in writing, to the designated BHSc program contact, Mrs. Jennifer Logan (jljlogan@ucalgary), or to Dr. Ebba Kurz, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Health and Science Education, Cumming School of Medicine. Students who require an accommodation unrelated to their coursework or the requirements for a graduate degree, based on a protected ground other than disability, should communicate this need, preferably in writing, to the Vice-Provost (Student Experience). For additional information on support services and accommodations for students with disabilities, visit www.ucalgary.ca/access/. Academic Misconduct The University of Calgary is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. The University of Calgary has created rules to govern all its members regarding the creation of knowledge and the demonstration of knowledge having been learned. These rules are contained principally in Sections J to L of the University of Calgary Calendar. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. The Calendar also stipulates the penalties for violating these rules. Please know that the University and the Cumming School of Medicine take these rules seriously. All incidences of academic dishonesty in this course, such as cheating and plagiarism, will be reported to the Associate Dean for investigation; infractions will be noted on the record of a student found to be guilty.


Recording of Lectures Audio or video recording of lectures is prohibited except where explicit permission has been received from the instructor. Other Important Information Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act This course is conducted in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP); students should identify themselves on written assignments (exams and term work) by their name and ID number on the front page and ID on each subsequent page. Work assigned to you by your course instructor will remain confidential unless otherwise stated before submission. The assignment cannot be returned to anyone else without your expressed permission to the instructor. Grades will be made available on an individual basis and students will not have access to other students’ grades without expressed consent. Similarly, any information about yourself that you share with your course instructor will not be given to anyone else without your permission. See http://www.ucalgary.ca/policies/files/policies/ privacy-policy-2011.pdf for more information. Appeals If there is a concern with the course, academic matter or a grade, first communicate with the instructor. If these concerns cannot be resolved, students can proceed with an academic appeal, as per Section I of the University Calendar. Students must follow the official reappraisal/appeal process and may contact the Student Ombuds’ Office (http://www.ucalgary.ca/ombuds) for assistance with this and with any other academic concerns, including academic and non-academic misconduct. Students should be aware that concerns about graded term work may only be initiated within 15 days of first being notified of the grade. Resources for Support of Student Learning, Success, Safety and Wellness Student Success Centre http://www.ucalgary.ca/ssc/ Student Wellness Centre http://www.ucalgary.ca/wellnesscentre/ Distress Centre http://www.distresscentre.com/ Library Resources http://library.ucalgary.ca Wellness and Mental Health Resources The University of Calgary recognizes the pivotal role that student mental health plays in physical health, social connectedness and academic success, and aspires to create a caring and supportive campus community where individuals can freely talk about mental health and receive supports when needed. We encourage you to explore the excellent mental health resources available throughout the university community, such as counselling, self-help resources, peer support or skills-building available through the SU Wellness Centre (Room 370 MacEwan Student Centre, https://www.ucalgary.ca/wellnesscentre/services/mental-health-services) and the Campus Mental Health Strategy (http://www.ucalgary.ca/mentalhealth/). Student Ombuds’ Office


The Student Ombuds’ Office supports and provides a safe, neutral space for students. For more information, please visit www.ucalgary.ca/ombuds/ or email [email protected] Student Union (SU) Information The SU Vice-President Academic can be reached at (403) 220-3911 or [email protected]; the SU representatives for the Cumming School of Medicine can be reached at [email protected]. Emergency Evacuation/Assembly Points Assembly points for emergencies have been identified across campus. Assembly points are designed to establish a location for information updates from the emergency responders to the evacuees; and from the evacuated population to the emergency responders. The primary assembly point for the Health Sciences Centre is the Health Research Innovation Centre (HRIC) Atrium. For more information, see the University of Calgary’s Emergency Management website: http://www.ucalgary.ca/emergencyplan/assemblypoints. Safewalk Campus security will escort individuals, day or night, anywhere on campus (including McMahon Stadium, Health Sciences Centre, Student Family Housing, the Alberta Children's Hospital and the University LRT station). Call 403-220-5333 or visit http://www.ucalgary.ca/security/safewalk. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot pay booths. Please ensure your personal safety by taking advantage of this service.


Class Schedule

DATE DAY TOPIC Readings

Sept 12 Tuesday Intro to Inquiry: Course introduction (Drs. Beran & Henderson)

Ch. 1

Sept 14 Thursday From problems to questions (Dr. Henderson) Chs. 2, 3 & 4

Sept 19 Tuesday Qualitative approaches (Dr. Henderson) Chs. 17 & 18 Sept 21 Thursday Qualitative data collection (Dr. Henderson) Chs. 20 & 21

Sept 26 Tuesday Student workshop 1: Qualitative approaches (Dr. Henderson) Ch. 5 Sept 28 Thursday Conducting literature searches (Ms. Toews, Dr. Beran) Starks & Trinidad

Oct. 3 Tuesday Critical appraisal of evidence (Dr. Lorenzetti; Dr. Beran) TBD Oct 5 Thursday Student workshop 2: Qualitative data collection (Dr.

Henderson) Raibee

Oct 10 Tuesday Ethical conduct in research (Dr. Page; Dr. Henderson) Ch. 6 Oct 12 Thursday Qualitative approaches (Dr. Henderson) Student workshop 3: Ch. 19; Brien et al; de

Bono et al.

Oct 17 Tuesday Literature reviews (Dr. Beran) Oct 19 Thursday Fieldwork Catch up on readings

Oct 24 Tuesday Research process: Academic writing workshop (Ms. McDougall; Dr. Beran)

Ch. 29

Oct 26 Thursday Quantitative approaches (Dr. Beran) Ch. 7

Oct 31 Tuesday Quantitative data collection: surveys and questionnaires (Dr. Beran)

Chs. 8 & 9

Nov 2 Thursday Student workshop 4: quantitative approaches (Dr. Beran) Marmot et al.

Nov 7 Tuesday Student workshop 5: quantitative data collection: surveys and questionnaires (Dr. Beran)

Chs. 26 & 27 Lindstrom

Nov 9 Thursday Fieldwork

Nov 14 Tuesday Fieldwork Nov 16 Thursday Quantitative data collection: surveys and questionnaires (Dr.

Beran) Chs. 10 & 11

Nov 21 Tuesday Mixed methods research (Dr. Henderson) Nov 23 Thursday Student workshop 6: Mixed methods

research (Dr. Henderson) Benoit et al.

Nov 28 Tuesday Evaluation Research (Dr. Scott; Dr. Henderson) Ch. 29 Nov 30 Thursday Oral presentation 1 (Drs. Beran & Henderson)

Dec 5 Tuesday Oral presentation 1 (Drs. Beran & Henderson) Dec 7 Thursday Oral presentation 1 (Drs. Beran & Henderson)

Fall class times: 9:00am-11:45am (Tuesday & Thursday) Class location: HS 1405A (*note exceptions)


Class Schedule (Winter Semester) Date TOPIC

Jan 8

Winter semester overview

Jan 15

Individual student meetings/fieldwork *Room 3D20, TRW

Jan 22

Individual student meetings/fieldwork *Room 3D20, TRW

Jan 29 Fieldwork

Feb 5 Fieldwork

Feb 12 Fieldwork

Feb 19 No class scheduled (Family Day/Reading Week)

Feb 26 Fieldwork

March 5 Fieldwork

March 12 Class Review of Final Report and Oral Presentation Requirements

March 19 Fieldwork

March 26 Oral presentation 2

April 2 Oral presentation 2

April 9

Oral presentation 2

Students are expected to attend all planned winter semester classes.


Workshop Readings (Fall Semester)

WORKSHOP READINGS

1

• Starks and Trinidad (2007). Choose your method: A comparison of Phenomenology,

Discourse Analysis, and Grounded Theory. Qualitative Health Research, 17(10), 1372-1380

2

• Rabiee (2004). Focus-group interview and data analysis. Proceedings of the Nutrition

Society, 63, 655–660

3

• Brien et al. (2010). Overview of a formal scoping review on health system report

cards. Implementation Science, 5:2 • DeBono et al. (2012) Does the Food Stamp Program cause obesity? A realist review

and a call for place-based research. Health and Place, 18:747-756.

4

• Marmot et al. (1991). Health inequalities among British civil servants: the Whitehall

II study. Lancet, 337:1387-1393

5

• Lindstrom (2007). Means of transportation to work and overweight and obesity: A

population-based study in southern Sweden. Preventive Medicine, 46, 22-28

6

• Benoit et al. (2007). Social factors linked to postpartum depression: A mixed-

methods longitudinal study. Journal of Mental Health, 16(6), 719-730

Reminder: Not only workshop facilitators, but all students must complete the required readings in preparation for each workshop facilitation and those not facilitating must submit two questions, at the start of class, for each of the readings being facilitated. STUDENT AND PRECEPTOR GUIDE TO THE FIELDWORK COMPONENT OF HSOC 408 The fieldwork component of HSOC 408 gives students a distinct and extensive opportunity to use and solidify knowledge and skills gained through the classroom portion of this course by working collaboratively with “real-world” researchers in a wide variety of settings, from community organizations to academia. This portion of the course is intended to prepare students for their 4th year honours project where they will be required to plan, conduct and write up a piece of independent research.


Students will be provided with information about the field practicum placements on the first day of the fall semester. By the end of the first week of the fall semester students will identify four preceptors/projects of interest and submit these to the instructor. Students will be matched with one of their selected preceptors and are expected to contact their preceptor within one week after being matched. During the fall semester, the student will become familiar with their chosen area of research. Students will use their scheduled fieldwork days to meet with their preceptor and/or research team and engage in a variety of learning activities such as reading project proposals, engaging with published literature, attending research meetings/journal clubs, participating in discussions about project planning and data gathering. Students will be required to make a presentation about their chosen research area, and the team with whom they are working, in HSOC 408 class late in the fall semester (i.e. November/December). The purpose of the presentation is to demonstrate an understanding of research questions, methods, ethical considerations and context. During the winter semester, the course focus is on students working on their research project to complete activities described in their fall semester presentation and corresponding research proposal. Both the preceptor and course instructors will monitor student progress. Preceptors will be asked to provide verbal feedback to the student, by the end of winter semester, pertaining to: the student’s level of participation, enthusiasm, initiative and professionalism. The student’s final assignment for the fieldwork component of the course is a comprehensive review of the literature, or a research report, on a topic related to research being conducted by the preceptor. This will be presented as both a written report and an oral presentation in March/April of winter term. Throughout the course, students should apprise their course instructors of their progress with their research including any difficulties in communication or scheduling with preceptors/research teams. Professional communication with preceptors is imperative. * students working in AHS-associated environments, even if it does not involve contact with the public, are obligated to meet immunizations standards as outlined in the AHS-University of Calgary Student Placement Agreement.


STUDENT’S FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. When and how do I choose my preceptor? You will be provided with a list of field preceptors and brief descriptions of their research, at the beginning of the course. You will choose four potential preceptors whose work interests you. You will be assigned to preceptors based on their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th preferences. You are then required to contact the preceptor to arrange a meeting. 2. What questions should I ask my field preceptor when I first meet her/him? When you first meet your preceptor, you should ask about his/her program of research. Ask specifically about the role that he/she sees you playing and the topic, on which to concentrate. Ask the person to provide you with resources related to the topic, such as a study protocol or a list of publications/articles. Ask about supplemental activities, for instance, seminars or journal clubs, in which you could participate. After the meeting, you should have a clear picture of the aims and objectives of your preceptor’s research. 3. What am I expected to submit at the end of my field practicum? The final product of your field practicum experience will be a comprehensive literature review (e.g., narrative, systematic, realist, scoping), a research report, or a policy document, due in April. In the fall semester you will be expected to become familiar with your preceptor’s area of research, meet the research team and engage in activities such as reading project proposals, attending team meetings, participating in discussions about planning and conducting your project. You will be required to make a presentation to the class in November/December on the project you will be undertaking where you are expected to show understanding of the research questions, methods, ethical considerations and context. During the winter semester, you will take a greater part in your preceptor’s program in order to become familiar with the processes of research. Your activities might take the form of basic data gathering, analysis, searching the literature and attending team meetings. The main assignment for winter semester will be a comprehensive review of the literature, a research report, or a policy document on a topic related to your preceptor’s research. This will be presented in both oral and written format in March/April. 4. How much time per week should I spend on my field practicum? In the fall semester, you are expected to spend at least 3 hours per week on your field practicum. This should include meeting with your preceptor, their research team, subsequent research meetings, reviewing material provided by your preceptor and preparation for your oral presentation in November/December. In the winter semester, you are expected to spend at least 10 hours a week on your field practicum. This time should include ongoing meetings with your preceptor and team, your research activities such as data gathering and work on your systematic review or research report. This time excludes class time and individual meetings with class instructors. 5. How will my work on my field practicum be assessed? In the fall semester assignments relating to the field practicum include your written research proposal and your first oral presentation and in the winter semester, assignments relating to the field practicum include your written research report and your second oral presentation. 6. What happens if I have to change the topic of my research and start a new one?


Bear in mind that research is a development process. If you and your preceptor decide to change your research topic dramatically, please make an appointment with one of the instructors to discuss the feasibility of the new topic and your revised timeline. 7. If my preceptor has questions who should he/she contact?

§ You should refer your preceptor to a course instructor (initially Rita Henderson: (403)210-9874 or [email protected]).

8. If I have communication problems with my preceptor, who should I contact? You should initially discuss the matter with one or both of your course instructors who will recommend a course of action. 9. If my preceptor is not giving me enough guidance who should I contact? You should initially discuss the matter with your preceptor. If the problem continues then consult your course instructors. 10. How often should I meet with my preceptor? After your initial meeting, you and your preceptor should negotiate a meeting schedule that is convenient to both of you. There is no minimum number of meetings required; the schedule should work for both of you. Researchers are busy and it is important that you endeavor to meet at your preceptor’s convenience. In addition, it is advisable that you have up-to-date contact information for your preceptor in the event that you cannot attend scheduled meetings. If your preceptor is not located at the University of Calgary or Health Sciences campuses, it is your responsibility to travel to meet him/her or to negotiate an alternate meeting place. Again, professionalism in communication is of utmost importance. 11. Can I be paid for activities I undertake as part of my fieldwork? Fieldwork is a course requirement for HSOC 408, and, therefore, you cannot be paid for this work. If you currently undertake paid work for a preceptor (e.g., research assistant, summer employment), it is the responsibility of you and your preceptor to ensure that this work remains independent from the fieldwork undertaken as part of the course. Stated differently, fieldwork undertaken as a student, and work undertaken as an employee, must be kept separate. It is the student’s responsibility to inform instructors of situations where an employer will also act as a preceptor. 12. How much feedback should I expect to receive from my preceptor? The amount of feedback you receive from your preceptor should be negotiated, and will depend on, the learning style of the student and the supervisory style of the preceptor. Student performance during the fieldwork is assessed through two oral presentations, one written proposal and one written report. Students should not receive editorial feedback on work to be submitted for grading (including draft or final documents). The preceptor is encouraged to provide general feedback about grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, layout and content and this feedback should be presented verbally, or written as a summary. The preceptor should not correct/revise the student’s written drafts. Stated differently, student fieldwork that contributes to the student’s written proposal and report should be considered separately from the written assignments submitted for grading purposes as it is important that assignments submitted for grading reflect the knowledge and writing ability of the student.


FIELD PRECEPTORS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. What are the aims and objectives of this course? The primary aim of this course is to provide Health and Society students with a basic understanding of health research processes as applied to practice contexts. It is designed to develop the competencies, knowledge and research skills necessary to undertake an honours thesis. Although opportunities will be available to join clinical research teams, a majority of the research activities will align to the 3rd and 4th pillars of health research as identified by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR):

1. Biomedical 2. Clinical 3. Health Services and systems 4. Population and public health

While the University of Calgary supports the value of all four pillars, our Health and Society stream emphasis is on evidence and practices which align with policy, health services and systems research, and population and public health and manifest as practice enhancement and health improvement. Finally, this course encourages students to integrate theoretical and methodological elements from their respective areas of concentration (i.e. sociology, psychology, anthropology, geography, political science, disability studies) into their health focused research. 2. When will I meet my student? Project summaries will be posted on the course website during the first week of the fall semester and your prospective student will contact you by the third week of September. 3. What information should I give my student when I first meet him/her? The student will initially require general information about your research program, including project proposals/protocols, pertinent reviews of the literature, ethics applications and any other material that you believe is relevant. Some preceptors find it useful to refer the student to other members of their research team for further support and information. You should also inform the student about additional research activities occurring at your research site, such as journal clubs, workshops or research seminars. 4. What is the student expected to produce, how will the student’s work be assessed, and how will I be

involved in the assessment? The student will complete six formal assignments for assessment during the course (as tabulated below) and your input on five of these is very valuable. Your student will show you drafts of their research proposal (fall semester) and research report (winter semester), and you are encouraged to provide general feedback about grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling, layout and content. This feedback should be presented verbally, or written as a summary. The preceptor should not correct/revise the student’s written drafts. Stated differently, student fieldwork that contributes to the student’s written proposal and report should be considered separately from the written assignments submitted for grading purposes as it is important that assignments submitted for grading reflect the knowledge and writing ability of the student. Further, the preceptor is encouraged, although not required, to attend and comment on the student’s in-class research presentations. Your student will provide you with date, time and location details. Finally, at the end of the research practicum, preceptors are asked to meet with their students to provide them with verbal feedback on their overall performance. Students will use your feedback as part of their self-report about their fieldwork performance.


Assessment Month Evaluator Preceptor

input Weight

1. Student workshops September - December Instructors No 15%

2. Written proposal December Instructors Yes 20%

3. Oral presentation 1 December Instructors Yes 10%

4. Oral presentation 2 March/April Instructors Yes 15%

5. Written report April Instructors Yes 30%

6. Class and fieldwork participation

September - April Instructors Yes 10%

5. How much time should I spend with the student, and how much time is the student expected to

spend on the fieldwork? In the fall semester, students are expected to spend at least three hours per week on their research fieldwork. This time should include meeting with you, attending research meetings, reviewing background material related to your research and writing their research proposal. In the winter semester, students are expected to spend at least 10 hours per week on their fieldwork. This should include ongoing meetings with you and your research team, agreed upon research activities such as reviewing literature, gathering and/or analyzing data, and writing their research report. These hours exclude class time and individual meetings with the instructors. 6. How much feedback should I give my student? The amount of feedback you provide your student should be negotiated and will depend on the learning style of the student and your style of supervision. It is up to your student to help you anticipate their course work requirements and deadlines and where your feedback is needed. Again, your input into the student’s two written assignments, two presentation assignments, and overall fieldwork performance are very valuable. Please provide general feedback on your student’s work, verbally and/or as a written summary, as often as fits with your style and schedule. 7. If I have a questions who should I contact?

§ You should contact course instructor Rita Henderson at [email protected] or (403)210-9874. 8. If I have communication problems with my student whom should I contact? If there is an ongoing failure of communication between you and the student, such as failure on the student’s part to keep you apprised of his/her progress or incorporate your feedback, you should contact Rita Henderson - (403)210-9874. 9. If the student is not spending enough time on the field research who should I contact?


If the student’s level of participation in their fieldwork does not meet your expectations, you should bring your concerns first to the student’s attention. If the situation does not improve, you should schedule a meeting with the course instructor and the student. 10. Are students paid for the work they undertake as part of their fieldwork? Fieldwork is a course requirement for HSOC 408; therefore, students cannot be paid for this work. If a student is currently undertaking paid work for you (e.g., research assistant, summer employment), it is the responsibility of the student and preceptor to ensure that the paid work remains independent from the fieldwork undertaken as part of the course. Stated differently, fieldwork undertaken as a student, and work undertaken as an employee, must be kept separate. 11. Is ethics approval required for student projects? Most research projects in which students become involved will already have ethics approval. However, it is up to the preceptor to ensure that the student’s involvement in the project is covered by their most recent approved ethics application. Amendments to ethics applications might be needed in order to allow students to be involved in the collection of data or to have access to data or other personal information. Some projects, such as those undertaken for quality improvement in a service setting, or those that do not involve primary data collection (e.g., literature reviews), may not require ethics approval. Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of the preceptor to determine whether ethics approval for the student’s involvement is required. Please note that as a requirement of the course, all students will have undergone a Criminal Records Check. Given the time limited nature of this course, we discourage preceptors from offering projects to students that require a full ethics review (i.e., new ethics applications). The course instructors should be notified of such instances. 12. What if funding for a student project is pending? Preceptors should only offer projects to students that are already funded or that do not require funding. In the past, some students have invested considerable time in projects where grant funding is pending, but the preceptor has not been awarded the grant. It was then necessary for the student to find an alternative project, which can be stressful for the student and preceptor. In conclusion, your preceptorship “brings to life” the methodological content taught in this course and we are immensely appreciative for your work.

Documents

HSOC 408 Health Research Methods and Research Practicum