Topic Name : Research Methods for Social Epidemiology
Text AND REFERENCES
Texts
The required texts for this topic are:
Beaglehole R, Bonita R & Kjellstrom T (1993). Basic Epidemiology . Geneva: World Health Organization. ( out of stock but suitable if you have a copy )
OR
Bonita R, Beaglehole R, & Kjellstrom T (2007). Basic Epidemiology (2 ND Edition), Geneva: World Health Organization http://www.scribd.com/doc/38582375/Basic -Epidemiology -E-Book
Liamputtong P. ( eds ), (2013). Research Methods in Health: Foundations for Evidence- Based Practice. (2 ND Edition). Melbourne: Oxford University Press
Saks, M. & Alsop, J. ( 2012). Researching Health: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods (2 ND Edition) . Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Berkman, L. & Kawachi, I. (eds ), (2000). Social Epidemiology , Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Buttner, Petra & Muller, Reihhold (2011). Epidemiology. Melbourne: Oxford University Press
Other References
Green G. & Thorogood N. (2014). Qualitative Methods for Health Research (3 rd. Edition). Los Angeles: Sage
Kumar, Ranjit (2005). Research methodology: a step- by-step guide for beginners (2 ND edition). French’s Forest, NSW : Pearson Education Australia.

ASSIGNMENT 1-LITERATURE
SEARCH & GENERATING HYPOTHESIS/RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Part 1
• Describe and discuss what is meant by a systematic search, systematic review, and narrative review.
• What are the advantages of each? [500 words]

Part 2
• Choose a public health issue (e.g. the health risks of smoking tobacco) that interests you
• and review the literature on this topic in relation to social epidemiology (social distribution,
• and social determinants of disease). For example, disadvantaged areas (low income, high
• levels of violence, etc.) are associated with higher tobacco smoking prevalence.
• You will need to develop a research question
• first, that is what is it exactly that you are looking at, e.g. why is it that some Mediterranean
• migrants don’t become acculturated to a less healthy Australian diet? You will also need to identify a knowledge gap, argue the significance, and undertake a theoretical perspective
• (underlying problems and/or solutions).
• Conduct a systematic search and critically review the literature (critically review concepts, methods, theories, etc.).
• This review should lead to Aims; and generating a Hypothesis if it is to be centered around a quantitative/positivist approach, or a refined Research Question(s)and Objectives if it is a going to be a qualitative approach, (written at the end of your literature review). [2,000 words]
Assessment criteria

• •Demonstrate the ability to undertake a systematic search and review of literature
• •Demonstrate an understanding of what a systematic search, systematic review,and narrative review entails
• •Demonstrate an understanding of how a literature review leads to generating a hypothesis or refined research question and objectives
• •Conform to accepted academic standards, including appropriate referencing, headings
• •Clearly written with accurate spelling and grammar. Must have well constructed sentences and paragraphs

Essay structure for assignments
Before you embark on writing your assignment you may wish to develop a 1 page an essay outline. This may consist of the headings and subheadings you intend using. The headings are likely to represent the key components and keywords of the essay question.

Read the assignment question before, during, and after you have completed the essay outline and do the same for the essay.

• Introduction – state the question and your approach to answering it.

• Body of text – when you present an argument make it a cogent argument that has academic/scholarly merit. Support arguments with evidence, e.g. by citing a reference. Headings and sub-headings to be used – headings often reflect keywords in the assignment question

• Conclusion – not so much a place to summarise but an opportunity to give your final opinion. Inferences or deductions. Implications for policy and practice

• Reference list – follow one of the standard academic styles, such as Harvard or Vancouver.

Especially for those of you who are not confident in your writing ability keep your sentences short
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Assignment 1

Systematic search write-up should contain
• How chosen health area is related to public health and social Epidemiology
• Description of search and findings (table of number of references found for each search filter/wave and themes)
• Significance of Public Health problem
• Theory (Research in the absence of theory is unlikely to contribute usefully to future knowledge)
• Knowledge gap
• Aims, Hypothesis or objectives, research question

Students to demonstrate knowledge of systematic searches. Narrative reviews traditionally don’t include systematic searches but systematic reviews take too long.
• Therefore, you may consider doing a systematic narrative review (hybrid approach). Complete a systematic search but analysis and synthesis are narrative
• Examples: Best (2014). Online communication, social media and adolescent wellbeing: A systematic narrative review Vol.41, pp.27-36
• Schrank et al. Determinants, self-management strategies and interventions for hope in people with mental disorders: Systematic search and narrative review.(Report). Social Science & Medicine, Feb, 2012, Vol.74(4), p.554(11)
•