Critical evaluation of evidence of a summarized study.

Learning outcomes assessed in this assessment
1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the key uses of epidemiology in public health.
3. Recognize and critically interpret the findings of epidemiological studies.
Assessment Guidelines
The Part 1 task is as follows:
Based on the same topic chosen for the assessment 1, identify an epidemiological study that has been
published in a peer-reviewed journal within the past 5 years: Summarise the study and then critically evaluate the evidence that it provides to public health practitioners. In
doing so, identify and explore its weaknesses and limitations,
and make robust recommendations for how the study could have been improved (2000 words). Please note
that the epidemiological study that you choose to focus on for this
assessment should not have been considered in the first assessment point.
Your work should include and cover the following sections/aspects and content (as shown and stated in the
table below). The specific percentage marks allocated to each
section/aspect of your work is stated below. Please also note that the Level 7 marking criteria (located
towards the end of this assessment brief) will also be used to reflect this
overall grade. Please remember that achievement and demonstration of both learning outcomes (1 and 3) is
being assessed in this assessment.
Section/aspect Content to cover and Marks available
1. Introduction: An introduction to the assignment that clearly states what the communicable or
noncommunicable disease, or health condition of interest is (as the assessment task is based on the same
topic chosen for assessment 1), introduces the selected epidemiological study and establishes the
importance
of the selected epidemiological study for public health research
and/or practice. Relevant information should aim to
provide a brief summary of the selected epidemiological study
and discuss its relation to contemporary public health
research and/or practice. Please make sure that the
epidemiological study that you
select for this assessment has been published in a peer-reviewed journal within the past 5 years. Also, please
note that the epidemiological study that you choose to focus on for
this assessment should not have been considered in the
first assessment point. (15 Marks).
2. Discussion: Critical evaluation of the quality of the evidence (with a focus on the findings) offered by the
selected epidemiological study taking into account what it provides for public health practitioners and key
uses of this epidemiological evidence in public health (for example, (epidemiological evidence on
environmental health risk assessment used in the
development of environmental health policies, or that from
clinical studies on the use of drugs and placebos to discover
information that is critical for improved medical decision-making, etc.). With reference to relevant
epidemiological theory,
identify and explore the weaknesses and limitations (for
example, study methodology, up-to-date applicability etc.) of
the selected epidemiological study. (35 marks).
3. Implications: In relation to the selected epidemiological study, critically discuss recommendations able to
minimize the identified weaknesses and limitations (for example, study methodology, up-to-date applicability
etc.) and therefore improving the epidemiological study.
Relevant recommendations should be based on contemporary epidemiological theory and practice. (25
Marks).
4. Conclusion: Effective summary of key points. (10 marks).
5. Presentation and Referencing:
High quality presentation that conforms to principles of
academic writing and contains minimal errors in sentence
construction, grammar and punctuation. The assignment
followed appropriate academic conventions regarding in-text
citations and referencing. (15 marks).