This information should be read in conjunction with the general Assessment Guidelines, which may be found in your Programme Handbook (available on Moodle)
Assessment Title
Analytic report: 50% of the total module mark (- the remaining 50% are assessed by a test)
Assessment Specification
For this coursework you need to write an analytic (a research study) report based on the data and findings that are provided. There are two tasks and you will need to complete both of these.
The required elements for this assignment incorporate the content covered within this course – you will see that quantitative research design and methods, systematic review methods, and approaches to the analysis and presentation of quantitative findings comprise the first part, and that approaches to qualitative analysis and presentation of qualitative findings comprise the second part.
Please note that the style and format for this assignment should be that of a research report, rather than a traditional essay.
You need to submit the work onto Moodle using the assignment box provided by the date and time specified on Moodle.
1) Research design and analysis (60%)
Background: Using the SPSS data file that is provided (or the descriptive findings provided in this document), devise a topic area that this data set could relate to, and re-label any of the variables accordingly.
The data is described with unedited SPSS outputs at the end of this document – you will see there are 27 participants – and you may choose whether they are ‘child’ or ‘adult’ or ‘older adult’ study participants. Look at the data that is available and use any elements that suit your proposed study.
Please choose to base your report on either children, OR middle aged adults, OR older adults. The data you have been given are relatively neutral and most can be applied to either (only exception is age). You do not have to use all the variables. The participants have been given an assessment and reassessed after 8 weeks. A key score has been measured before and after and *you need to decide/ invent what has been measured and make it clear what this is in your report*.
- Introduction and Literature Review (20%)
You will:
- provide a brief overview of your area/topic of choice including at least 2 papers to inform the background and rationale. Follow this with a brief description of the present study design and methods (i.e. the study you have designed to examine your topic) and one research question you will be answering.
- describe briefly the approach you would use to undertake a systematic literature review for this topic and research question (including, for instance, the study characteristics, information sources, and process for selection. You do NOT need to do a systematic review – but you must provide clear and precise details of how you would do a review for your study/review question.
- Study design and descriptive analysis (40%)
You will address the following questions:
- Note the study design and methods you will use to answer your research question, and what broad approach to analysis you would use.
- Choose two variables, one ordinal and one continuous, and create a table with the appropriate midpoints and range (use and where appropriate edit from the data outputs in this document; or, if you are able, use SPSS).
- Create a graph of a variable relevant to your research, and describe this data and its distribution (skewness) (again, you can select a graph from the outputs).
- Participant number 20 scored 31 in timescore1 and 30 in timescore2. When looking at the whole sample, is it correct to say that their performance worsened in the second period?
2) Analysis of interview transcripts (40%)
Background: A qualitative study was carried out among a group of mental health users who attended art workshops at a major London art gallery.
The interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed.
Three sample transcripts (amended to ensure complete anonymity) are provided.
- Task details
You will:
- read through the three transcripts and describe briefly (with reference to the relevant literature) your approach to coding and identifying themes.
- after initial coding, identify key concepts, behaviours and phrases/words from each transcript, and provide up to five major themes shared across the transcripts. You should also add any subthemes you think are appropriate for each of the major themes you identify.
- present these as findings in an appropriate structured format (i.e. format suitable for the analysis and findings section of a published study), including explanations of your main themes and presenting data to illustrate your findings; you may wish to put your themes and sub-themes in the form of a list or conceptual map
