PYMFSR-Systematic Review

Module Provider: Psychology
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Dr Sarah Snuggs
Email: sarah.snuggs@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

The module provides students with an understanding of the nature and importance of Systematic Reviews to clinical psychology and wider health contexts. It also provides training and practice in the basic skills required to conduct a Systematic Review. This combination of knowledge and skills will enable students to understand and evaluate evidence-based treatments used in clinical psychology, which will be of use across their programme and in future careers.

Aims:

The module conveys an understanding of the role of Systematic Review for policy and practice in clinical psychology and wider health contexts. It provides an introduction the principles of Systematic Review. The module also aims to transfer key technical and critical skills in the conduct of Systematic Review. This combination of knowledge and skills will enable students to understand and evaluate evidence-based treatments used in clinical psychology, which will be of use across their programme and in future careers.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Explain the key role of Systematic Reviews for policy and practice in clinical psychology and wider health contexts.


• Describe the key components of a Systematic Review.


• Use search and analytical knowledge and skills to specify a research question.


• Plan, conduct and report a Systematic Review.


• Describe the main steps in meta-analysis/meta-synthesis.

Additional outcomes:

Students will gain understanding of and skills in systematically reviewing literature, which they will be able to deploy during their research project and dissertation write-up.

Outline content:

Topics will be covered from a list such as:

1. The critical importance of Systematic Review to clinical psychology and the wider health context.


2. How to generate review topics, questions and eligibility criteria.


3. Databases: their availability and how to search them for both primary studies and Systematic Review reports.


4. Search terms, study selection, building a review database, data extraction.


5. Quality assessment of primary studies, understanding study heterogeneity and publication bias.


6. Narrative synthesis.


7. Reporting a Systematic Review.


8. Introduction to meta-analysis and meta-synthesis.


9. Critical appraisal of peer-reviewed Systematic Reviews.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Lectures and small group work; practical session.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Tutorials		10
Practicals classes and workshops		5
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)		30
Advance preparation for classes		5
Essay preparation		50
Total hours by term	0	100	0
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

The assessment comprises a single written assignment:

A 2500 word report comprising:

1. Introduction that provides the rationale for conducting a Systematic Review to address a specified novel research question (the research question will be developed by the student with the support and agreement of the lecturer)


2. Methods section that describes the steps in conducting the proposed SR and outlines the proposed steps in conducting a meta-analysis/meta-synthesis. The methods section should also include an analysis sub-section.

Formative assessment methods:

The course will include opportunities to practise the techniques required.

Students will receive feedback on their proposed research question and search terms.

Students will receive feedback on the PROSPERO protocol they produce for their Systematic Review.  Feedback on this protocol will enable students to improve their Systematic Review (the summative assessment).

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy £Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes£, which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

50% overall

Reassessment arrangements:

If a student fails the assignment, an alternative, equivalent assignment can be submitted.  The assignment and date of submission will be by arrangement with the Module Convenor and/or Programme Director. Students should note however that, given the University regulations on failing credits, it may not be in their interests to resubmit the coursework.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books: None

2) Specialist equipment or materials: None

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: None

4) Printing and binding: None

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: None

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: None

Last updated: 22 September 2022