POPLHLTH 767 : Health Services Research Methods
Medical and Health Sciences
2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
- Theoretical and conceptual knowledge.
- Developing HSR questions.
- Study designs.
- Primary and secondary data collection methods.
- Conceptual models and operational measures.
- Research ethics.
- Data analysis.
- Scientific communication.
- Stakeholder collaboration and knowledge translation
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Use the literature, stakeholder needs, and relevant theoretical/conceptual models to develop innovative and important health services research questions. (Capability 3, 4 and 5)
- Select appropriate and ethical study designs to address specific health services research questions. (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 8)
- Identify appropriate measures and collect primary and/or secondary data to fit different research questions and designs. (Capability 3, 4 and 5)
- Use appropriate analytical methods to answer health services research questions, and communicate the findings and implications of health services research through multiple modalities. (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- Demonstrate how policymakers, organisations, and communities can be included in the process of planning, conducting, and translating health services research findings into policy and practice. (Capability 3, 6, 7 and 8)
- Identify and synthesize a body of literature to answer a specific research question. (Capability 3 and 6)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Literature Review | 20% | Individual Coursework |
| Research Proposal | 25% | Individual Coursework |
| Research Skills | 25% | Individual Coursework |
| Exam | 30% | Individual Examination |
| 4 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |||||
| Literature Review | ||||||||||
| Research Proposal | ||||||||||
| Research Skills | ||||||||||
| Exam | ||||||||||
Workload Expectations
Following University workload guidelines, a standard 15 point course represents approximately 150 hours of study.
For this course, you can expect 24 hours of lectures and 6 hours of tutorial time. Since the course as a whole represents approximately 150 hours of study, that leaves a total of 120 hours across the entire semester for independent study, e.g. reading, reflection, preparing for assessments/exams, etc.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures and tutorials, to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings but given the nature of these sessions it is not always easy to fully comprehend the content by relying on this format. Other learning activities such as the tutorials will not be fully available as recordings.
The course may include live online events including group discussions and office hours.
The activities for the course are scheduled as block delivery.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
No significant issues were identified in a recent (2024) student evaluation of the course.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.