Course Outline

PUB600 Public Health Research and Evidence

Course Coordinator:Bridie Kean (bkean@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Public Health

2025Session 2

Online

Online You can do this course without coming onto campus.

Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

Evidence-based practice and research knowledge and skills are essential professional competencies required to undertake effective and sustainable public health action. In this foundation course, you will develop specialised knowledge and academic skills to source, appraise and synthesise evidence for public health practice. You will explore the types and range of research approaches and designs used to create the evidence required for ethical, culturally safe, and effective public health action.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Online
Online – 5 hours of structured asynchronous online learning materials and an optional 1 hour online drop in consultation session 6hrs Week 1 8 times

Course Topics

  • Introduction to evidence-based practice and research in public health
  • Search strategies for locating public health evidence
  • Principles of ethical public health evidence
  • Principles of quality public health evidence
  • Appraising public health evidence
  • Synthesising public health evidence
  • Conducting primary public health research 

What level is this course?

600 Level (Specialised)

Demonstrating a specialised body of knowledge and set of skills for professional practice or further learning. Advanced application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * International Union for Health Promotion and Education
1 Apply evidence-based research knowledge and skills to inform public health practice. Knowledgeable
B.8, 6.3, 9.5
2 Source, appraise, synthesise and report empirical evidence for public health and wellbeing topics. Creative and critical thinker
Ethical
B.8, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 9.5
3 Design evidence-based primary data collection instruments that meet ethical and quality requirements. Empowered
Ethical
B.8, 4.1, 6.2, 6.4, 9.5

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
International Union for Health Promotion and Education
B.8 The evidence base and research methods, including qualitative and quantitative methods, required to inform and evaluate health promotion action
4.1 Use effective communication skills including written, verbal, non­verbal, and listening skills
6.2 Use a variety of assessment methods including quantitative and qualitative research methods
6.3 Collect, review and appraise relevant data, information and literature to inform health promotion action
6.4 Identify the determinants of health which impact on health promotion action
9.5 Contribute to the development and dissemination of health promotion evaluation and research processes

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Enrolled in any Postgraduate Program

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

You will receive feedback on Task 1 within the first two weeks of the Session. 

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Literature Review (or component) Individual 50%
2-3 page report
Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Written Piece Individual 50%
1500 - 2000 words
Week 8 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Literature review search strategy
Goal:
To demonstrate your knowledge and skills in developing and implementing a systematic search strategy to source and select relevant empirical research for a public health and wellbeing topic.
Product: Literature Review (or component)
Format:
In this task you will apply evidence-based research skills to develop a systematic search strategy to source empirical research for a public health and wellbeing topic, and critically appraise empirical evidence on a public health and wellbeing topic. Further details on how to approach this task will be available on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Comprehensiveness of search strategy processes and justification
1 2
2
Appropriateness of selected empirical literature
1 2
3
Quality of scholarly communication
1
4
Quality of the critical appraisal of the empirical research
2
Generic Skills:
Communication, Collaboration, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Evidence summary report
Goal:
To demonstrate your knowledge and skills in producing an evidence summary report for a public health and wellbeing topic.
Product: Written Piece
Format:
In this task you will apply evidence-based research skills to synthesise and report empirical evidence on your public health and wellbeing topic from Task 1 to produce an evidence summary to inform public health practice. Based on your synthesised findings, you will identify a research gap related to your topic, formulate an appropriate research question to address this gap, and develop a survey instrument to research this gap. In designing the survey instrument you will apply a range of ethical and quality survey design principles and processes.
Further details on how to approach this task will be available on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Quality of the synthesis of the empirical literature
1 2
2
Appropriateness of the research question to address the identified research gap
1 2
3
Quality of scholarly communication
1
4
Application of evidence-based ethical and quality principles and processes to design a survey instrument
1 2 3
5
Technical accuracy of survey instrument
3
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Information literacy

Assessment to competency mapping

Programme Delivery Mode Assessment Type Title Competency Teaching Methods
The CompHP Core Competencies Framework for Health Promotion 2011
All delivery modes Literature Review (or component) Literature review search strategy 6.3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9.5 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
B.8 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
Written Piece Evidence summary report 6.3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9.4 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9.5 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
B.8 Taught, Practiced, Assessed

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Pranee Liamputtong 2021 Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice n/a n/a

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
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  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au