Radiology

School of Health and Social Wellbeing

Assessment Brief
Assessment title: 2500 word written assignment.
Assessment weighting: 100% of total module mark
Size or length of assessment: 2500 words
Module learning outcomes assessed by this task:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the different types and sources of evidence to inform and advance professional practice

2. Critically evaluate evidence and discuss research principles, design, methodologies and methods

3. Discuss the application of research and evidence to your profession

4. Recognise ethical and governance issues and discuss relevant issues arising from the use of information/evidence

Completing your assessment
What am I required to do on this assessment?
This assignment requires you to identify a problem or issue related to your professional practice or discourse
to formulate a question that can be answered by a research or inquiry -based approach and to discuss your
choice of approach to address the question. Answering your question would be expected to contribute to
professional knowledge and have potential implications or applications to practice. You will write a 2500-word
assignment, and overall, you will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of how practice can be
advanced by research and inquiry.
A template is provided for you to complete this assignment. Assignment template. The following specific guidance will assist you to complete the template and to meet the learning outcomes of this module.

Title
The title will be reflective of the problem or issue that you have identified. The title can be phrased as a question or as a statement.

Outline the problem that you are addressing
Outline what the topic area that you are focusing on is and describe the reason(s) why you have chosen this topic area. The topic may be drawn from your experiences on practice placements or reading or discussions about practice or the theoretical basis of practice. You can cite evidence that explains or supports your topic choice.

Remember to refer to your lecture notes and associated resources on the topics listed below to help complete this section:
• Identifying a topic area

Exploration of existing evidence/literature
There are two parts to this section. In the first part, you are required to briefly explain the process that you have followed for identifying, selecting, and appraising existing evidence relevant to your topic. The areas to cover include developing a search strategy, selecting appropriate literature and reviewing the available evidence.

Questions to consider: How will you identify and source the literature? What is the quality of the available literature? How will you know if the literature you identified is valid, reliable and/or trustworthy? How will you decide if you have enough evidence to inform your practice or if further primary research is required?

Remember to use your lecture notes and associated resources on the topics listed below to help structure this section:
• Defining your study constructs/variables
• Formulating a search strategy
• Reviewing the evidence of quantitative, qualitative and new paradigm studies

In the second part, use the relevant literature that you have identified to discuss what needs to be further explored and why further inquiry is needed related to your profession. This exploration will inform development of a question and how best to answer the question. You will use and cite the evidence that you selected.

What is the proposed question(s)?
Formulate your question(s).
It is likely that it will take numerous attempts to write a sound question. Is the question clear about the issue that you are addressing? Is the question focused and specific (who, when, where)? Can the question be addressed by employing research or inquiry approaches?

Remember to refer to your lecture notes and associated resources on the topics listed below to help structure this section:
• Formulating a research question

Research/Inquiry approach
Explain the types of research/inquiry approaches that are best suited to address your question. For example, is primary research or secondary research needed or would you suggest a service evaluation or service improvement project be initiated practice? Can you suggest what type of research or inquiry design would be best suited to answer your question? While you may consider some options, ensure that you choose a preferred approach and that you discuss your preferred choice and the key features that will inform how you would use this approach.

Remember to use your lecture notes and associated resources on the following topics to help structure this section:
• Quantitative, qualitative and new paradigm research designs
• Looking forward: issues for the future inquirer

Ethical and Governance considerations
Describe and evaluate the ethical and governance considerations that may be applicable for your proposed approach to address your question.

Remember to use your lecture notes and associated resources on the following topics to help structure this section:
• Research ethics and governance

Conclusion
Explain how answering your question may inform and have potential impact on professional practice or discourse.

Remember to use your lecture notes and associated resources on the following topics to help structure this section:
• Putting evidence into practice

Format of Assignment
• Use the template provided (Assignment template) to prepare and submit your assignment.
• Ensure that you include your student number (NOT YOUR NAME) on the form.
• The total word count for the assignment must be declared. The limit is 2500 words, with 10% leeway. If the assignment exceeds the maximum word limit, the marker will stop reading and cannot give credit for anything past this point, in line with the assessment regulations outlined in the Faculty Student Handbook. The final reference list and the appendix are not included within the word count, but please note that any tables or annotated diagrams are included.
• Use Font size Arial 12, 1.5 or double spacing, appropriate margins used, page numbers.
• Reference list included
• Harvard referencing

Where should I start?
Start by identifying a possible research topic and formulate a research question.
What do I need to do to pass?
40% is the pass mark for this assignment. In marking your assignment, the marking team will focus on the following:
• That you mainly follow the above outline and structure of the assignment;
• Demonstrate evidence of active engagement with the module by showing an understanding of the module learning outcomes;
• The marking team will also use the level 2 QAA/HAS Marking Guidelines. In determining the overall grade for a piece of work, markers will assess the work against the QAA/HAS descriptors for level 2 and the indicative qualities corresponding with each grade/band.

How do I achieve high marks in this assessment?
Please refer to the Level 2 marking criteria Marking Criteria
How does the learning and teaching relate to the assessment?
Each taught session in this module links directly to your assignment. The guidance given above refers to the taught sessions that link to each section of the assignment.