Module manager: Lesley Smith
Email: L.F.Smith@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
See programme entry requirements
This module is not approved as an Elective
Quantitative analytic methods are essential to health and social care research. This module builds upon the key concepts introduced in MEDR5310M Getting started in health research and MEDR5320M Capturing and handling data in research. In this module you will gain an understanding of the various kinds of analytic quantitative health research including case-control, cohort analytic studies and randomised control trials. You will learn how to make statistical comparisons between groups in analytic studies. In small group work you will get hands on experience in calculating and interpreting the metrics and statistics used to compare groups within these study designs. You will become familiar with problems arising from bias and confounding in analytic studies and strategies to deal with these as well as dealing with unequal follow-up in cohort studies. Critical appraisal of published research will underpin theory. By the end of this module you will be able to calculate and interpret statistics used to compare groups in analytic research studies and critically appraise analytic studies in health and social care research.
The teaching style for this module will be active and participative. The module will include a series of lectures, seminars with activities and computer practical classes. You will develop skills in calculating and interpreting metrics and statistics used to compare groups (e.g. by exposure or treatment) in analytic research studies.
Through seminars with group-based activities you will be introduced to statistical concepts and metrics to compare groups including confidence intervals, p-values, odd ratios, risk ratios (relative risk). Practical sessions will include calculations by hand from first principles with emphasis on clear interpretations and reporting of results.
Through lectures, you will be introduced to the problems resulting from bias and confounding and how they are dealt with. You will be introduced to survival analysis and how to deal with unequal duration of follow-up in cohort studies, hazard ratios and Kaplan-Meier curves.
Through group-based activities you will undertake critical appraisal of published journal articles in health and social care research for a range of study types. You will work through activities to extract and display key points in the design, methods and results of published research.
Through computer practical classes you will learn how to use statistical software to undertake statistical analyses including t-tests and chi-squared tests.
On successful completion of the module and associated assessment, you will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Define, describe and identify different types of quantitative analytic research studies including case-control, cohort-analytic and randomised controlled trials.
2. Comprehend and calculate metrics used to describe the findings of analytic research such as risk ratios, odds ratios and hazard ratios.
3. Calculate and interpret basic statistics of estimation (confidence intervals) and hypothesis tests (especially the meaning of p-values).
4. Understand and identify potential issues in health research studies due to bias and confounding and apply strategies to minimise their impact on research findings.
5. Critically appraise the design, conduct and findings of quantitative analytic research studies
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module you will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1. Demonstrate a proficiency in the use of statistical software for analysis of health and social care quantitative research data.
Leeds Skills Matrix: Digital - Digital creation, problem-solving and innovation
Leeds Skills Matrix: Work ready skills - IT skills, problem solving and analytical skills a
Leeds Skills Matrix: Technical skills
2. Demonstrate an ability to communicate analysis findings clearly and concisely in written form.
Leeds Skills Matrix: Work ready - communication, problem solving and analytical skills, core literacies,
Leeds Skills Matrix: Academic - presentation skills, academic writing, academic language
3. Critically assess published quantitative analytic research studies.
Leeds Skills Matrix: Work ready: critical thinking, communication, problem solving and analytical skills, core literacies
Leeds Skills Matrix: Academic: critical thinking, presentation skills, academic writing, academic language
This module will include topics on:
- Calculating and interpreting risk ratios and odds ratios
- Precision and comparative statistics, especially confidence intervals and hypothesis tests, Chi-squared tests and t-tests
- Numerical outputs used by researchers to set out their findings.
- Bias and confounding
- Introduction to survival analysis
- Critical appraisal of published analytic research studies
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Lecture | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Practical | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Seminar | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Seminar | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Seminar | 1 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Seminar | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Private study hours | 127.5 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 22.5 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150 | ||
Small group work and practical sessions with tutor support will take place throughout the module, providing you with regular opportunities for formative feedback on the topics being covered.
On the final day of teaching, you will have the opportunity to obtain feedback from peers and a tutor on a data analysis task. You will independently work on a data analysis task and then will then review others work providing peer feedback and wider discussion with teaching staff. This will provide formative feedback on writing and ability to communicate findings clearly and concisely. These are skills that will be assessed in summative assessments.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Formative assessment - Students will undertake a data analysis task in class, and will receive peer and tutor feedback | 0 |
| Coursework | Data analysis workbook | 50 |
| Coursework | Critical appraisal of a published study | 50 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Compensation is not permitted across summative components (e.g. a pass mark in all components of the assessment is required to pass the module). Resits will be in the same format as the original failed piece of coursework. Module marks will be capped at 50% on successful resit of any failed assessment in the module.
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 11/04/2025
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