NS6300 - Research Theory and Practice

Credit points:	06
Year:	2012
Student Contribution Band:	Band 1
Administered by:	School of Nursing, Midwifery & Nutrition

This subject will advance students' knowledge of theoretical aspects of research, and introduce new and emerging approaches to research practice. It is specifically designed to give students with postgraduate research skills, a greater insight into the ethical, social and political aspects of research culture, and to develop their understanding of the intellectual background from which it has arisen. It also introduces techniques and methods that are gaining currency in contemporary research practice.

Learning Outcomes

• outline the main fields of philosophical inquiry and explain the contribution they make to the formulation, conduct, interpretation and critique of nursing research;
• describe the main ethical and socio-political features of contemporary research culture, and critically assess the ways in which they influence nursing research;
• explain and critique national, state and local policies and strategies that affect nursing research, including those which refer to funding, research performance, and the research agenda;
• identify and critique emerging methods of using information technology to collect and analyse data in nursing research.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to define and to solve problems in at least one discipline area;
• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The ability to deploy critically evaluated information to practical ends;
• The ability to find and access information using appropriate media and technologies;
• The ability to evaluate that information;
• An understanding of the economic, legal, ethical, social and cultural issues involved in the use of information;
• The ability to select and organise information and to communicate it accurately, cogently, coherently, creatively and ethically;
• The acquisition of coherent and disciplined sets of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics from at least one discipline area;
• The ability to generate, calculate, interpret and communicate numerical information in ways appropriate to a given discipline or discourse;
• The ability to select and use appropriate tools and technologies;
• The ability to use online technologies effectively and ethically.

Availabilities
External, Study Period 1
Census Date 22-Mar-2012
Coordinator:	Professor Colin Holmes
Method of Delivery:	CDROM and WWW - LearnJCU
Assessment:	assignments.
External, Study Period 2
Census Date 23-Aug-2012
Coordinator:	Professor Colin Holmes
Method of Delivery:	CDROM and WWW - LearnJCU
Assessment:	assignments.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.