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Scientific Methodology and Biostatistics

Code: 106104 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2500891 Nursing FB 1

Contact

Name:
Maria Feijoo Cid
Email:
maria.feijoo@uab.cat

Teachers

Albert Navarro

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

none


Objectives and Contextualisation

This subject contains the basic training in scientific methodology and biostatistics of the degree. Nurses, whenpracticing their profession, face a set of situations-problems that put their abilities to the test (selection ofinformation, organization of reasoning, distinction between the fundamental and the accessory, statisticalinterpretation of health problems, etc.)

The purpose is to structure a critical and thoughtful thinking that allows the critical reading of research in healthsciences and the analysis of health problems using statistics to promote a practice nurse of excellence.

The subject raises the basic knowledge and skills to apply in the accomplishment of the degree's final project.


Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Base nursing interventions on scientific evidence and the available media.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of health information systems.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Use scientific methodology in interventions.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse the problems, prejudices and discrimination in the short and long term in relation to certain people or groups.
  2. Critically analyse the principles and values that regulate the exercising of the nursing profession.
  3. Demonstrate skills in bibliographical searches.
  4. Describe the characteristics of the main information systems.
  5. Describe the concepts of science, scientific research and the scientific method.
  6. Describe the ethical principles involved in nursing research.
  7. Draw up research questions based on scientific evidence.
  8. Identify elements that belong to the research process.
  9. Identify the different research methods in the health sciences.
  10. Identify the need to research and use scientific evidence in care.
  11. Interpret statistical and qualitative data and their possible repercussions in clinical practice.
  12. Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.

Content

Below is a brief description of the subject:

  1. Bases of scientific knowledge: Sources and types of human knowledge. The scientific method. the scientific method's characteristics and limitations.
  2. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies: Introduction and differences between both.
  3. Research process: Relationships between the scientific method, the research process and a scientific article.
  4. Research problem and hypothesis formulation.
  5. Review and bibliographic search.
  6. Study design.
  7. Sample and Population.
  8. Methods of data collection.
  9. Evaluation of scientific articles: internal validity and external validity.
  10. Evidence Based Nursing. Gender-sensitive research
  11. General concepts of statistics: basic terminology of research and statistics. Principles of the measure
  12. Recollection, tabulation and graphic presentation of results. Basic principles of descriptive inferential statistics.
  13. Handling of statistical data files.
  14. Presentation and interpretation of results in scientific articles

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
CLASSROOM PRACTICES 8 0.32 2, 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12
LABORATORY PRACTICES 17 0.68 3, 4, 7, 12
SEMINARS 12 0.48 2, 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12
THEORY 28 1.12 2, 1, 5, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Supervised      
TUTORIALS 1 0.04 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Autonomous      
Self study 76 3.04 3, 5, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

The learning methodologies are the backbone for the achievement of both theoretical content and skills involved in reflective-critical thinking when solving nursing problems based on the scientific method. The following is a brief description of each learning methodology

In Theory, necessary theoretical contents of the scientific methodology and the biostatistics will be taught.

In the seminars (SEM) the students will work in small groups. They will be introduced to the critical and reflective reading of original articles in the field of nursing and/or health sciences. As an example look at the Impacto en la salud del programa de intervención comunitaria «Educación para la salud en la adolescencia». These seminars will help to identify and discuss about real examples (original/scientific articles) the theory  previously done. The original articles reflect the results of some of the nursing interventions. The critical reading of those articles will guide the nursing decision making based on the scientific method.

The laboratory practices (Plab): 17h, consisting of quantitative data analysis with analysis software, their interpretation and how to present the results in the scientific field. In addition, information searches in scientific databases will be carried out prior to planning. These laboratory practices are compulsory

In the classroom practices (PAUL),the research work in one of the research divulgation formats will be carried out. Durig the PAUL the writing and development of each corresponding part of the work will be guided: introduction, methods; results, conclusions and practice implications. The research problem will be previously defined by the subject coordinator and will be the same for theentire first course. In thePAUL, work will be done in the same small groups previously created in the seminars. These classroom practices are compulsory

 

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.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Evaluation by submitting written works (research project) 20% 2 0.08 2, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12
Objective written test evaluations (partial test) 40% 3 0.12 1, 3, 5, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Objective written test evaluations (partial test) 40% 3 0.12 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

ONGOING EVALUATION

All the evaluation activities are compulsory, in case of not presenting it will be graded as Not Evaluable (NA) and will be quantified as zero (0). The evaluation of the subject is structured as follows:

(OE1) Objective test (first partial): multiple-choice test: 40%.
(OE2) Objective test (second partial): multiple-choice test: 40%.
(OE3) Submission of assignments: 20%.

The final mark of the course is the weighting of the 3 ongoing assessment tests. In order to pass the course a minimum of 5.0 in the final grade is required. If the ongoing assessment is failed, the student may sit the retake exam. It must be taken into account that, according to general regulations, in order to take part in the final exam, students must have been previously assessed in a set of activities whose weight is equivalent to a minimum of two thirds of the total grade of the subject. This retake exam will include the entire syllabus of the failed assessment test.

Any student who has taken at least 60% of the assessment tests is entitled to retake the exam. The final mark will be the result of the weighting of the retake tests with the continuous assessment tests passed.In order to pass the course having taken a recovery test, it is necessary to obtain a minimum of 5.0 in the final mark.

Definition of NOT ASSESSABLE (NA): it will be understood as Not Assessable (NA) that situation in which the student does NOT present 50% or more of the evaluation activities.

Test Review: all students have the right to review the evaluation tests by appointment with the corresponding teacher. The review will consist of an individual tutoring session in which students will receive feedback regarding their evaluation.

The treatment of particular cases will be made from a teaching committee (formed by the subject coordinator,and 2 of the teachers of the same, 1 from each department involved) where the particular situation of each student will be evaluated and the mostappropriate decisions will be taken.

 

ONE-TIME EVALUATION:

Students who wish to add to the single evaluation must do so following the deadlines established by academic management. The same day of the single evaluation will be evaluated the whole course with its corresponding evaluation activities.  The evaluation activities are the following:

    One-time test 1 (OT1) multiple-choice exam with questions related to the overall content of the subject.
    One-time test 2 (OT2) multiple-choice exam with questions on the critical reading of an original article. This original article will be made available to students via Moodle and must be printed out on the day of the  evaluation. As an example, look at the health Impacto en la salud del programa de intervencióncomunitaria «Educación para la salud en la adolescencia»

The final mark for the one-time assessment is the average of OT1 and OT2. In order to pass the subject with One-time evaluation it is necessary to obtain a minimum of 5.0 in the final grade.

The retake of the one-time evaluation takes place on the same day as the retake of the ongoing evaluation. In the retake exam, the student is assessed on the failed test/s. The number of exams and structure will be the same as for the one-time evaluation. The calculation of the final mark for the subject follows the same criteria.

The review of the final score (including that of the retake) follows the same procedureas for the ongoing evaluation.


Bibliography

Selected references:

  1. Albert Navarro Giné, Sergio Salas Nicás. Iniciación a la bioestadística para enfermería y otras profesiones sanitarias. Bellaterra: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Servei de Publicacions, 2021.
  2. Josep M. Argimon Pallás, Josep Jiménez Villa. Métodos de investigación clínica y epidemiológica.  5ª ed. Barcelona: Elsevier, España,SA, 2019.
  3. Susan K. Grove, Jennifer R. Gray, Nancy Burns. Investigación en enfermería. Desarrollo de la práctica enfermera basada en la evidencia. Madrid. Elsevier. 6a ed. 2019
  4. Bee, P.; Brooks, H.; Callaghan, P. and Lovell. K. A research handbook for patients an public involvement. Manchester, Manchester University Press, 2018.
  5. Denise F. Polit, Cheryl Tatano Beck. Essentials of nursing research: Appraising Evidence for Nursing Practice. Philadelphia : Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott/Williams & Wilkins Health. 8th ed. 2018

Referral bibliography:

  1. Nancy Burns, Susan K. Grove. Investigación en enfermería. Madrid. Elsevier 5a ed. 2016.
  2. Wayne W. Daniel. Bioestadística: base para el análisis de las ciencias de la salud. México: Limusa, 2002.
  3. Erik Cobo, Pilar Muñoz, José Antonio González. Bioestadística para no estadísticos: principios para interpretar un estudio científico P, González JA. Barcelona: Elsevier Masson, 2007.

Internet Sources

  1. https://doaj.org/
  2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
  3. http://www.scopus.com/home.url
  4. http://www.easp.es/exploraevidencia/
  5. http://www.fisterra.com/

Software

The Jamovi statistics program is used in the biostatistics laboratory practices.


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 101 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 102 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 103 Catalan second semester afternoon
(PAUL) Classroom practices 104 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 105 Catalan second semester afternoon
(PAUL) Classroom practices 106 Catalan second semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 101 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 102 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 103 Catalan second semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 104 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 105 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 106 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 107 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 108 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 109 Catalan second semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 110 Catalan/Spanish second semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 111 Catalan second semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 112 Catalan/Spanish second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 101 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 102 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 103 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 104 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 105 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 106 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 107 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 108 Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 109 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 110 Spanish second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 111 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 112 Spanish second semester afternoon
(TE) Theory 101 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 102 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 103 Catalan second semester afternoon