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2022/2023

Research Methods and Designs Applied to Communication and Language Disorders

Code: 44390 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
4315497 Communication and Language Disorders OB 0 1

Contact

Name:
Jaume Vives Brosa
Email:
jaume.vives@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)

Other comments on languages

If there are students not competent in the Catalan language, lectures will be in Spanish

Teachers

Cristina Mumbardó Adam
Josep Maria Vila Rovira

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for taking this module.

Objectives and Contextualisation

The aim of this module is for students to acquire the competences needed to do research in the field of communication disorders, as well as to act professionally according to evidence-based practice.

Students learn to formulate relevant questions, to properly define research objectives and hypotheses, and to discriminate which research methods and designs are most appropriate based on these objectives and hypotheses. Competences related to the search, selection, quality assessment and synthesis of information relevant to conducting research and acting professionally are also developed.

Finally, students learn to identify and discuss the health, methodological and technical implications of research, as well as its repercussions on evidence-based care and on the progress of scientific knowledge of the discipline.

Competences

  • Apply the fundamentals of bioethics and act according to the ethical code of the profession considering the cultural diversity and the limitations associated with various diseases.
  • Apply the scientific method in professional practice.
  • Knowing the activities necessary for the establishment, implementation and management of a company, its different legal forms and legal, accounting and tax obligations associated.
  • Knowledge and understanding that provide a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and / or applying ideas, often in a research context.
  • That students have the learning skills that enable them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.
  • Understand and critically analyze the law covering the professional field.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Ask relevant questions and adequately defined research objectives and hypotheses to solve problems in the context of performance.
  2. Conduct a critical reading of a scientific publication on the basis of methodological quality of the research design used and the scientific practice of their results or contributions and relevance.
  3. Conduct a research plan minimizing threats to validity.
  4. Conduct a systematic review to summarize the best available scientific evidence.
  5. Discriminate what methods, quantitative, qualitative or mixed, and research designs are better suited to meet a goal or hypothesis.
  6. Include in the research planning concurrent aspects of bioethics and the ethics code of the profession.
  7. Know the different processes involved in creating a business plan.
  8. Know the different types of businesses suitable for the practice of speech therapy.
  9. Know the legislation and administrative procedures required for starting a business.
  10. Knowledge and understanding that provide a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and / or applying ideas, often in a research context.
  11. Perform critical and comparative legislation on professional profile and analysis functions.
  12. Perform critical and comparative legislation on the framework for performance analysis.
  13. That students have the learning skills that enable them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.
  14. Use the documentary to obtain relevant for the purpose of research information sources, assessment or speech therapy, selecting the most appropriate and arguing screening criteria and quality of them.
  15. Write reports adapting to the standards of major scientific associations.

Content

-Systematic literature searches and synthesis of scientific evidence

-Methods, designs and research techniques applied to the field of language and communication disorders.

-Skills of methodological quality appraisal (risk of bias) and critical reading of scientific publications.

-Procedure for grading the evidence and evaluating its applicability.

-Evidence implementation

Methodology

Both the learning resources and the content of the training activities are geared towards learning by doing. The synchronous sessions will combine lectures that lay the foundation for acquiring the skills, with hands-on activities to put them into practice. The evidence of learning is also oriented to evaluate in a practical way the competences to be achieved.

“N.B. The proposed teaching and assessment methodologies may experience some modifications as a result of the restrictions on face-to-face learning imposed by the health authorities. The teaching staff will use the Moodle classroom or the usual communication channel to specify whether the different directed and assessment activities are to be carried out on site or online, as instructed by the Faculty”.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Computerized practice 5.5 0.22 4, 1, 13, 3, 14
Critical analysis and discussion of cases 11 0.44 5, 2, 6, 13, 12, 11, 10, 14
Expositive 15 0.6 7, 9, 8, 5, 15, 1, 13, 3, 10
Type: Supervised      
Tutorship 7.5 0.3 5, 2, 4, 15, 1, 6, 13, 12, 11, 3, 14
Type: Autonomous      
Design, preparation and execution of evidences 66 2.64 4, 1, 13, 3, 14
Work on materials proposed by the teachers 45 1.8 7, 9, 8, 5, 2, 4, 15, 1, 6, 13, 12, 11

Assessment

Definition of evaluable student
A student is considered evaluable when he/she has submitted evidence of learning with a weight equal to or greater than 4 points.

Definition of passing grade
A student has passed the course when he/she meets the following two conditions:
a) He/she has obtained a minimum score of 5 points.
b) He/she has obtained a minimum score of 1,5 points in the first two evidences (Ev1, Ev2), and 1.5 points in Ev3. In case of not reaching these requirements, the maximum score to be recorded on the student’s academic transcript ("actas") will be 4.9 points.

Reassessment

The following two conditions must be met for students to be eligible for reassessment:

a) Not reaching the criteria established to pass the subject.

b) Have submitted evidences with a weight equal to or greater than 2/3 of the total grade.

* No unique final synthesis test for students who enrole for the second time or more is anticipated.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Ev1. Written individual test. Search and selection of studies 3 points 0 0 5, 4, 1, 13, 10, 14
Ev2. Written individual test. Search and interpretation of results. 2.5 points 0 0 5, 2, 4, 1, 3, 10
Ev3. Written indvidual assignment. Systematic review. 4.5 points 0 0 7, 9, 8, 5, 2, 4, 15, 1, 6, 12, 11, 3, 10, 14

Bibliography

Basic:

Higgins, J. P. T., & Cochrane Collaboration (Eds.). (2019). Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions (Second edition). Wiley-Blackwell.

Portell, M. & Vives, J. (2019). Investigación en psicología y logopedia: introducción a los diseños experimentales, cuasi-experimentales y ex post facto. Servei de publicacions. UAB.

Complementary:

Bono, R. & Arnau, J. (2014). Diseños de caso único en ciencias sociales y de la salud. Síntesis.

Cooper, H. M., Hedges, L. V., & Valentine, J. C. (Eds.). (2019). Handbook of research synthesis and meta-analysis (3rd edition). Russell Sage Foundation.

Shaughnessy, J.J, Zechmeister, E.B, & Zechmesiter, J.S (2007). Métodos de investigación en Psicología (7ªEd.). McGraw Hill

 

Software

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