Syllabus

Schedule

Course Weeks:

Week 1: Oct 23 – Oct 30
Week 2: Oct 30 – Nov 6
Week 3: Nov 6 – Nov 13
Week 4: Nov 13 – Nov 20
Week 5: Nov 20 – Nov 27
Week 6: Nov 27 – Dec 4
Week 7: Dec 4 – Dec 11
Week 8: Dec 11 – Dec 15

Each week opens on Wednesday at 12:01 AM Eastern Time. Each week closes on Wednesday at 11:59 pm ET, with the exception of Week 8, which ends on Sunday at 11:59 pm ET. Specific due dates can be found within the Blackboard.

The assignment/discussion descriptions mentioned below are summaries. Please make sure to review the full assignment prompts in Blackboard.  There may be additional readings/videos that are not mentioned in this weekly summary, make sure to carefully review the modules in Blackboard.

Week 1: Introduction to Research Methods and Human Subjects Research

Learning Objectives:

• Define research methods
• Identify approaches to conducting a research study
• Explain principles of responsible human subjects research

Lectures/Videos:

• Week 1 Lecture – Introduction to Research Methods
• CITI Training

Assigned Reading and Multimedia:

• Creswell & Creswell – Chapter 1, pages 3-4 and 11-16

Discussion:

Initial Post:

Research is often a much bigger part of our lives than we realize. Search a news outlet (not a peer-reviewed journal) and identify a news article published in the last 6 months that you believe reports results from a research study. Summarize the news article in your own words, including the research approach used in the study. In 2-3 sentences, explain how you know that the news article includes results from the identified research approach. Include the citation and a link to the news article.

Response:

Review a peer’s news article, thinking specifically about the research study approach and methods. State in 2-3 sentences what, if anything, reported in the article is part of the research methods. Also, describe in 2-3 sentences what you believe are the most challenging aspects of disseminating (sharing) the results of research studies with a broad audience, like through news articles.

Assignment:

Begin your CITI training (completion certificate due next week). Go to citiprogram.org and register for a new account or, if you have an account, log-in. Once you have logged in, you will associate your profile with the University of New England. You will then be able to view the required modules. The CITI training is expected to take several hours.

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Week 2: Conducting a Review of the Scientific Literature

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the purpose and the usefulness of a literature review
• Demonstrate the appropriate methods for conducting a review of the scientific literature

Lectures/Videos:

• Week 2 Lecture – Conducting a Review of the Scientific Literature

Assigned Reading and Multimedia:

• Creswell & Creswell – Chapter 2
• Greenhalgh, T. (1997). How to read a paper. The Medline database. BMJ : British Medical Journal, 315(7101), 180–183.
• OPTIONAL: Greenhalgh, T., & Peacock, R. (2005). Effectiveness and efficiency of search methods in systematic reviews of complex evidence: audit of primary sources. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 331(7524), 1064–1065.

Discussion:

None this week.

Assignment:

• Submit your CITI completion certificate (see instructions in Week 1).
• You will conduct a review of the scientific literature and synthesize your findings (~1 page). Select one of the research questions below. Using the steps outlined in this week’s lecture, conduct a literature review and select 3 important articles, published in the last 5 years, that are relevant to the selected objectives. Write a paragraph to describing the steps you took to conduct your literature review. Include sufficient detail that someone could replicate your literature review. State the total number of publications identified in your search and then briefly summarize what you did, if anything, to improve your search during the process (e.g., changing your search terms, using a different database). Lastly, select 3 publications of interest and read each publication to complete the spreadsheet found in Blackboard with key information from those studies.

Select one study objective:

1. 1. Examine differences in physical activity between US adult men and women who have had a heart attack.
   2. Examine the impact of telemonitoring on hospital readmissions for congestive heart failure
   3. Test the effectiveness of text messaging to asthma patients to reduce emergency department visits
   4. Identify predictors of high school graduation among teen parents in urban regions
   5. Examine differences in depressive symptoms between adults who receive in-person counseling and those who receive online counseling

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Week 3: Defining Research Questions and Hypotheses

Learning Objectives:

• State exploratory and measurable verbs appropriate for a specified research study
• Formulate research objectives for a research study

Lectures/Videos:

• Week 3 Lecture – Defining Research Questions and Hypotheses

Assigned Reading and Multimedia:

• Creswell & Creswell – Chapter 7 (Required); Chapters 5 and 6 (Optional)

Discussion:

Initial Post:

Select one of the below research study topics. Imagine you have unlimited funds to conduct a research study on this topic. Formulate a research question or objective; feel free to be creative. For example, you can pretend you have developed a new screening test, drug or program or that you hypothesize a new cause of a disease or condition. Be sure to include the key elements of a research questions and objectives discussed in this week’s lecture. For both questions, state the measurable or exploratory verb used and the overall intended research approach (quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods).

1. Screening test for HIV infection
2. Causes of housing instability
3. Effectiveness of a text-messaging intervention to improve adherence to allergy medication
4. Comparison of two testing methods for elementary students
5. Response Post:

For at least 1 peer, state 2-3 key elements of a peer’s research question or objective. Name at least one other verb that could work for each of the stated questions or objectives and explain why this verb could be used. Name a verb that would not appropriate for this research question or objective and, in 2-3 sentences, explain why it would not be appropriate. Lastly, state which of the two versions of your peer’s objective you think is better and why.

Assignment:

Formulation of research objectives takes practice and also often occurs among interprofessional teams of experts. For this assignment, your instructor will pair you with 1-2 of your peers. Your team has the opportunity to apply for funding to be part of a team that will conduct population-based telephone survey with 10,000 US residents ages 13 and older.

You must write a broad research objective and 2-3 sub-objectives. Your research objectives must leverage your interprofessional expertise; in other words, the research objectives must be of interest each professional on your team.

You should schedule a time to speak with your team before Sunday in order to submit the first portion of the assignment (use zoom for a free conference room if needed). Additional work can be accomplished through email or phone.

Part 1, Due Sunday by 11:59PM ET:

1. A brief (2-3 sentences) description of the expertise of each member of your team (you may assume that you have completed your degree program and are in your ideal career) and
2. A draft of a broad research objective for your study.

Part 2, Due Wednesday at 11:59PM ET:

1. A team document, to include:
   1. Your revised (if needed) broad research objective.
   2. 2-3 sub-objectives
   3. A brief 3-4 sentence description of how these objectives leverage your team’s expertise.
2. An individual document, to include:
   1. A reflection on how you interacted with your team members and how working as a team impacted the process of developing your objective & sub-objectives (150-200 words).

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Week 4: Quantitative Research Studies: Designs, Sampling and Data Collection Procedures

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the study design used in a quantitative research study
• Define sampling strategies for quantitative studies
• Describe quantitative data collection strategies

Lectures/Videos:

• Week 4 Lecture – Quantitative Research Studies: Design, Sampling and Data Collection Procedures

Assigned Reading and Multimedia:

• Creswell & Creswell – Chapter 8, pages 147-156

Discussion:

Initial post:

Consider a research topic of interest to you. Identify a peer-reviewed publication related to this topic that uses a quantitative study design discussed this week. State the study design. Name at least two aspects of the study procedures that help you identify the study design. These must be study methods, not simply that the researchers stated the study design. Include the full citation to your publication in your post.

Response:

Review the publication identified by at least one peer. State if you agree with your peer’s assessment of the study design. State why you believe the authors chose this design over the alternative design; be specific, stating why another design would not be suitable to the given study.

Assignment:

Not only do you need to understand quantitative research study methods for the purposes of designing your own studies, but you also need to be able to understand these methods in order to evaluate other studies. For this assignment, you will select one of the peer-reviewed research publications below . Carefully read the publication and do the following:

1. Describe in your own words the population and sampling strategy used by the researchers. Be specific, including eligibility criteria and method for sampling. Name another sampling strategy the researchers could have used to identify study participants. Compare and contrast the two methods, naming at least two ways in which a sample collected using your strategy might be different from the sample collected using the researchers’ strategy. State which strategy you think is better for this study and why.
2. Describe the data collection procedures, including the mode of data collection and types of instruments used. State two advantages and two disadvantages of the data collection procedures.

Your report should be written in paragraph format and 1.5-2 pages, double-spaced using AMA formatting style.

Choose from the following peer reviewed publications:

1. Pamela C. Griesler, Mei-Chen Hu, Melanie M. Wall, and Denise B. Kandel. 2019. Medical Use and Misuse of Prescription Opioids in the US Adult Population: 2016–2017. Am J Pub Health. 109; 1258-1265. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305162
2. Makelarski JA, Abramsohn E, Benjamin JH, Du S, Lindau ST. 2017. Diagnostic Accuracy of Two Food Insecurity Screeners Recommended for Use in Health Care Settings. Am J Public Health. 2017 Nov;107(11):1812-1817. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2017.304033.
3. Moschella PC, Hart KW, Ruffner A, Lindsell CJ, Wayne DB, Sperling MI, Trot AT, Fichtenbaum CJ, and Lyons MS. Prevalence of Undiagnosed Acute and Chronic HIV in a Lower-Prevalence Urban Emergency Department. Am J Public Health. 104(9): 1695–1699.doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.301953

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Week 5: Quantitative Research Studies: Designing Surveys and Interpreting Results

Learning Objectives:

• Describe principles of survey design
• Evaluate the validity and reliability of a quantitative survey item(s)
• Interpret results of a quantitative analysis

Lectures/Videos:

• Week 5 Lecture – Quantitative Research Studies: Designing Surveys and Interpreting Results

Assigned Reading and Multimedia:

• Creswell & Creswell – Chapter 8 156-77

Discussion:

None this week.

Assignment:

One of the biggest challenges in research is finding the right survey items for your survey. Typically you do not develop your own survey item if you can instead leverage those used in prior studies. Choose from one of the below publications and:

1. Describe two primary variables used by the researchers in their analysis. Describe what, if anything, has been done to test the validity and reliability of the survey items used to generate these variables, citing published studies as needed.
2. For one of the survey items (or set of items), identify an alternate measurement tool from the peer-reviewed literature. Describe this tool, including any work that has been done to test its validity and reliability. Compare this tool against the tool used by the researchers. Which is better and why?
3. Interpret the study results in your own words. Name at least one interpretation you think the authors missed. Secondly, considering all findings, state an objective for a research study the researchers might conduct next. Describe specifically how this study would build on what was done in the current study.

This assignment should be in paragraph format and 2.5-3.5 pages double spaced, using AMA style.

Choose for the following research articles:

1. Taveras EM, Marshall R, Sharifi M, et al. Comparative Effectiveness of Clinical-Community Childhood Obesity Interventions: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. Published online August 01, 2017171(8):e171325. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.1325
2. Brock, R. L., O’Hara, M.,W., & Segre, L. S. (2017). Depression treatment by non-mental-health providers: Incremental evidence for the effectiveness of listening visits. Am J Community Psychol, 59(1), 172-183. doi:http://dx.doi.org.une.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/ajcp.12129
3. Davis, J. P., Dumas, T. M., Berey, B. L., Merrin, G. J., Cimpian, J. R., & Roberts, B. W. (2017). Effect of victimization on impulse control and binge drinking among serious juvenile offenders from adolescence to young adulthood. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 46(7), 1515-1532. doi:http://dx.doi.org.une.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0676-6

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Week 6: Qualitative Methods: Design, Sampling and Data Collection Procedures

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss qualitative research designs
• Define sampling strategies for qualitative studies
• Describe qualitative data collection procedures
• Design a qualitative interview guide

Lectures/Videos:

• Week 6 Lecture: Qualitative Methods: Design, Sampling and Data Collection Procedures

Assigned Reading and Multimedia:

• Creswell & Creswell – Chapter 9, 179-190
• Greenhalgh, T., & Taylor, R. (1997). Papers that go beyond numbers (qualitative research). BMJ : British Medical Journal, 315(7110), 740–743.
• OPTIONAL Greenhalgh, T., & Hurwitz, B. (1999). Why study narrative? BMJ : British Medical Journal, 318(7175), 48–50.

Discussion:

Initial Post:

Select one of the following qualitative research study designs: narrative, phenomenology, ethnography, case study and grounded theory. Write a brief summary of the study design (<200 words), highlighting the key characteristics of the selected approach. Identify a peer-reviewed publication for a study that uses this qualitative design.

Response:

Read the initial post and selected publication from a peer. Choose a peer who summarized a different qualitative study design than you. Review the publication and state the study’s sampling strategy and data collection procedure. Describe if/how the sampling strategy and data collection procedure might be different if the study had used the design you selected for your initial post.

Assignment:

This week’s lecture and readings described qualitative data collection procedures. Developing a data collection protocol to ensure consistent data collection is important for qualitative research. For this assignment, you will select one of the below research topics and: 1) choose a specific qualitative data collection procedure from Table 9.2 in the text, 2) justify why you chose this particular procedure for the research topic you selected (<250 words) and 3) draft an observation or interview data collection guide (depending on the selected data collection procedure) with 4-6 questions or prompts.

1. Experiences of stigma in health care
2. Experiences of access to healthcare
3. Food selection practices in a grocery store
4. Experiences in accessing substance abuse treatment
5. Experiences in working with socially excluded populations

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Week 7: Qualitative Studies: Analyzing Data and Interpreting Results

Learning Objectives:

• Conduct qualitative analysis
• Interpret qualitative analysis results

Lectures/Videos:

• Lecture Week 7: Qualitative Studies: Analyzing Data and Interpreting Results
• Using Excel for Qualitative Data Analysis
• OPTIONAL: ATLAS.ti Overview (Windows) or ATLAS.ti Overview (MAC)
• OPTIONAL: Quick Help Tutorials for Specific Tasks

Assigned Reading and Multimedia:

• Chapter 9, pages 190-211
• Qualitative Data Overview for Life on antiretroviral therapy: People’s adaptive coping and adjustment to living with HIV as a chronic condition in Wakiso District, Uganda
• OPTIONAL: Friese S, Soratto J, Pires D. Carrying out a computer-aided thematic content analysis with ATLAS.ti

Discussion:

None this week.

Assignment:

Part 1

You and your partner should decide which two interviews you will read for your team analysis. (You will both read the same 2 interviews.) Working independently, you will read the 2 interviews to identify meaningful units of text and create codes to group these text units into categories. You should generate at least 15 codes or categories. You will then sort these codes into groups to generate themes (5-7 themes total). Define each theme with a clear description.

You should submit a copy of your code list in an excel file file that includes your themes and definitions.

This independent portion of the assignment is due by Sunday at 11:59PM ET.

Part 2

Next, you will work with your peer to refine your list of codes or categories and themes. You will likely need to speak by phone or zoom to do so. Track your process refining your results; you will need to submit your final list of codes and themes (as an Excel file). Lastly, you will work together to write a brief description of your steps for refining your results and a brief summary of your findings, selecting 2-3 exemplary quotes to support your findings. The Word document with your methods and findings should be approximately 500-750 words. You will each submit a copy of the work you complete as a team.

This portion of your assignment is due Wednesday at 11:59PM ET.

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Week 8: Disseminating Research Study Findings

Learning Objectives:

• Describe strategies for disseminating research methods

Lectures/Videos:

• Week 8 Lecture – Strategies for Disseminating Your Research Study Methods

Assigned Reading and Multimedia:

None

Discussion:

Initial post:

Explore journals for research in your field. State your discipline, or specific field of interest. Name two peer-reviewed journals in your field in which you might publish your research. Review the methods section of several publications in the latest issue of each journal. Describe (2-3 sentences) how the methods sections are organized. Name at least 2 details you found in the methods sections that surprised you.

Response:

Research one of the journals identified by your peer. Describe the target audience of the journal. Thinking specifically about the target audience, explain in 2-3 sentences any special considerations your peer might make when writing a research methods section to this target audience.

DUE: Initial posts are due FRIDAY by 11:59pm ET and the response is due SUNDAY, 11:59pm ET.

Assignment:

• None

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Visit the Student Support Public Health page

UNE Libraries:

• Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Blackboard/Brightspace.
• Public Health Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/public-health/
• Library Tutorial: Find an article
• Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.

UNE Student Academic Success Center

UNE's Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of free online services to support your academic achievement. Writing support, ESOL support, study strategy and learning style consultations, as well as downloadable resources, are available to all matriculating students. The SASC also offers tutoring for GPH 712 Epidemiology, GPH 716 Biostatistics, GPH 717 Applied Epidemiology, GPH 718 Biostatistics II, and GPH 719 Research Methods. To make an appointment for any of these services, go to une.tutortrac.com. For more information and to view and download writing and studying resources, please visit:

• UNE Student Academic Success Center

Information Technology Services (ITS)

• ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Policies

AMA Writing Style Statement

The American Medical Association Manual (AMA) of Style, 11th edition is the required writing format for this course. Additional support for academic writing and AMA format is provided throughout the coursework as well as at the UNE Portal for Online Students.

Online resources: AMA Style Guide

Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool

The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.

Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.

You can learn more about Turnitin in the Turnitin Student quick start guide.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements

Course Evaluation Policy

Course surveys are one of the most important tools that University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.

Late Policy

Students are responsible for submitting work by the date indicated in Brightspace.

Quizzes and Tests: Quizzes and tests must be completed by the due date. They will not be accepted after the due date.

Assignments: Unless otherwise specified, assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.

Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.

Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.

Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures

The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.

Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit https://www.une.edu/studentlife/plagiarism.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations.  Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final.  Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.

Attendance Policy

Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.

Late Policy

Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.

Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.

Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.

Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures

The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.

UNE Online Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations.  Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final.  Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.