| CODE | DNS5020 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| TITLE | Research Methods in Applied Dental Sciences | ||||||||||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Restorative Dentistry | ||||||||||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The study-unit develops the generic research skills of students following postgraduate studies. These skills comprise techniques for understanding and defining a research problem, seeking knowledge from various sources, critically evaluating research publications, writing research reports and documentation, delivering oral presentations, and data analysis. The topics that will be covered include: - Sampling techniques and data collection methods - Determining sample size and maximum margin of error - Generation of variables into SPSS and data entry - Validity and Reliability - Analyzing variables with nominal, ordinal and metric scales - Analyzing multiple responses - Descriptive statistics and graphical displays - Making inferences about a population using confidence intervals - Making inferences about a population using hypothesis testing using several parametric and non-parametric tests - Simple and multiple regression models - Logistic regression models - Multivariate techniques including Factor analysis and Cluster analysis. Study-unit Aims The overall aim of the study-unit is to provide students with the fundamental skills and knowledge of important statistical concepts through data analytic tools and then apply them to real world problems. These skills are essential and required to indulge in scientific and technical research. Such skills include techniques for understanding and defining a research problem, seeking knowledge from various sources, critically evaluating research publications, writing research reports and documentation, delivering oral presentations, and performing data analysis 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Recognize research as a process of investigation, discovery, analysis, understanding and development of new knowledge by illustrating and describing appropriate examples of such cases. - Identify and select the generic skills required to conduct research activities by applying them effectively to fulfil research objectives. - Interact and communicate in an ethical manner by means of standard research methodologies through presentations and reports. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Define research problems and frame research hypotheses. - Search for existing knowledge from various sources. - Evaluate and critically appraise research publications. - Compile a literature review. - Collect, analyze and evaluate experimental data. - Write research proposals and technical papers or reports. - Deliver oral presentations. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Agresti A, Franklin C. (2012) Statistics, the art and science of learning from data - Third Edition, Pearson. - Ross S. M. (2005) Introductory Statistics - Second Edition, Academic Press - George D, Mallery P. (2012) IBM SPSS Statistics - Step by Step: A simple guide and reference - 12th Edition - Larson R, Farber B (2011) Elementary Statistics - Picturing the world, Addison Wesley - Freund, J.E. and Simon G.A. (1995) Statistics - A First Course, Prentice Hall Inc |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Independent Study, Lectures, Practicum & Project | ||||||||||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Nikolai Attard Neville Calleja |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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