Module manager: Matthew Mulvey
Email: m.r.mulvey@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
Intervention research methods are key in health and social care research. This introductory module will develop your research skills by providing you with a critical awareness of clinical research design, methods and quantitative analysis. You will learn through a mix of lectures, problem based learning and practical application and will be supported by a team of expert tutors, with expertise in clinical trial design, applied health research, health economics and systematic reviewing. On completion of this module, you will be able to critically appraise clinical trials of healthcare interventions, critically appraise systematic review evidence, and have the skills to formulate and conduct introductory level quantitative analysis of trial data.
Through a combination of lecturer and small group learning you will be introduced to the research of health and social care interventions, particularly concerned with clinical trials, systematic reviews of clinical trials and health economics. The module will include topics on: formulating research questions, design and conduct of clinical trials, systematic reviews, allocation of subjects, and statistical power. Critical appraisal of published research will underpin theory.
On successful completion of the module and associated assessment, you will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1) formulate an answerable research question about healthcare intervention and describe the principles of clinical trial design (eg: parallel, cross-over and sequential designs)
2) critically appraise clinical trial study designs in terms of randomisation, blinding, allocation, concealment, and confounding,
3) explain the importance of calculating statistical power, type I and II errors, intention-to-treat strategies and analyse quantitative research data, using statistical packages (eg STATA or SPSS)
4) understand the process of systematic reviewing of trials and the findings of meta-analysis
5) Explain the importance of health economics and economic evaluation in health research.
Skills Learning Outcomes
This module provides you with a critical awareness of research planning and methods and develops their research skills. You will:
1) be critically aware of, and informed by, current knowledge, and its possible applications, in interventional healthcare research
Leeds Skill Matrix: Work ready skills – critical thinking.
2) develop critical intelligence and the ability to question received ideas
Leeds Skill Matrix: Work ready skills – critical thinking.
Leeds Skill Matrix: Enterprise skills – spotting opportunities.
3) develop an understanding of the research methods used to investigate the effectiveness of healthcare interventions
Leeds Skill Matrix: Academic skills – Critical thinking
4) develop critical appraisal skills necessary to produce a written and balanced critique (in English) of clinical trials of healthcare interventions
Leeds Skill Matrix: Academic skills – Critical thinking, academic language, academic writing and referencing
- Introduction to key research methods in health and social care research.
- Introduction to clinical research design,
- Critically appraise systematic review evidence
- Introduction to health economics
- Introduction to quantitative analysis.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Practical | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Seminar | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Seminar | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| Seminar | 3 | 2.5 | 7.5 |
| Independent online learning hours | 4 | ||
| Private study hours | 124.5 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 21.5 | ||
| 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. You will also complete an in-class multiple choice questionnaire (MCQ) with support from your peers and feedback from the tutor.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | In course MCQ - Formative. Students will undertake a multiple choice questionnaire | 0 |
| Coursework | Workbook - Individual completion of workbook begun in class activity | 50 |
| Coursework | Critical appraisal of published clinical trial research | 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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