| CODE | GDM5046 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Quantitative Research in Gerontology and Geriatrics | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Gerontology and Dementia Studies | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will provide participants with an opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills for understanding, designing and implementing quantitative research within the field of gerontology and geriatrics, at post-graduate level. This study-unit will discuss the overarching issues in quantitative research methods, namely the relevance of quantitative inquiry to real world professional work, the different types of problems that give rise to research questions, and how different research questions relate to different quantitative research designs. Ethical issues in quantitative research will also be addressed. In addition, the conceptualisation, design, strategies and techniques for quantitative data collection, analysis and reporting will be discussed. The study-unit will include a focus on several quantitative designs, including descriptive, correlational, quasi-experimental and experimental. Quantitative data collection methods will also be explored, including the designing and use of questionnaires. Participants will also be introduced to the use of computer aided quantitative data analysis software. Study-unit Aims: The aims of this study-unit are to familiarise students with the skills needed to understand, evaluate and conduct quantitative research within the field of gerontology and geriatrics, whilst considering ethical issues of each step of the process. This study-unit also aims to illustrate research concepts, designs and techniques needed for valid and reliable quantitative data collection and analysis of such data. As well as to explain the advantages and disadvantages of quantitative research designs. In addition, students will be familiarised on how to report such data. Furthermore, this study unit aims to instruct students on how to use computer software for quantitative data management and analysis. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles underlying quantitative research; - identify the characteristics of quantitative research designs while being aware of their advantages and challenges within the field of gerontology and geriatrics; - determine when the use of such designs is appropriate; - demonstrate awareness of gerontological and geriatric ethical issues in quantitative research; - explain the use of validity and reliability measures in quantitative research; - explain the major quantitative research designs, their purpose and use; - identify the various types of variable and measurement scale, and their use in quantitative research. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - decide on the best research design to apply for different quantitatively oriented research questions; - demonstrate familiarity with the use of data collection tools such as questionnaires; - decide on the best form of, and write appropriate questionnaire items according to the objectives of the study; - explain reliability and validity and distinguish among the major types of each; - distinguish between populations and samples, and the major sampling procedures in quantitative research; - explain the nature and meaning of various levels of statistical significance (p-values); - apply, understand and interpret quantitative analysis; - manage data and data files using the IBM SPSS; list and use several SPSS command lines to run a number of statistical techniques; understand SPSS print-outs of results and interpret findings. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Neuman, W.L. (2014). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. London: Pearson. - Pallant, J. (2013). SPSS survival manual : a step by step guide to data analysis using IBM SPSS. New York: McGraw-Hill. Supplementary Readings: - Agresti, A. (2018). Statistical methods for the social sciences. London: Pearson. - Field, A.P. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. - Cresswell, J.W. (2015). A concise introduction to mixed methods research. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Fabian Bonello (Co-ord.) Jason Farrugia Roberta Sultana |
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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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