NUTD9230 Research Methods and Critical Thinking in Human Nutrition

2020

9

10 x 2-hour seminars per semester
24 x 2-hour workshops per semester
1 x 3-day intensive workshop once-only
1 x 45-hour project work per semester

Admission into MND-Master of Nutrition and Dietetics

1 of NUTD9130, NUTD9131, NUTD9162 has been successfully completed

This topic requires students to have an understanding of human nutrition as it applies to the clinical and public health setting. In addition, students are required to have an understanding of the fundamentals of nutritional epidemiology and introductory biostatistics.

Assignments; Seminar; Project work; Tests.

This topic will further enhance students knowledge of evidence based nutrition and dietetic practice through focussing on the basic approaches to investigating nutritional health and diet-related disease states in individuals and populations, and the application of these in the field of nutrition and dietetics. After an introduction to basic methods of research in nutrition and dietetics, students will be provided with an opportunity to develop a research proposal as part of a group and then analyse a database of relevance to the research question, interpret the findings and present these in a form suitable for a scientific audience. Students will further develop skills in critical appraisal through evaluating current controversies and recent developments in the field, as they appear in the scientific literature. The topic emphasises the individual and collective responsibilities of continuing education in professional practice.

The aim of this topic is to:

• Provide an opportunity to design, analyse, interpret and critically evaluate studies in human nutrition and dietetics.

• Expose students to a range of current controversies and recent developments in human nutrition and dietetics.

• Extend skills in scientific writing and presentation

• Foster an appreciation for lifelong learning and evidence based practice in human nutrition and dietetics within a professional development framework.

On completion of this topic, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate an advanced ability to apply their knowledge in the critical appraisal of the evidence base for current controversies and recent developments in human nutrition and dietetics and make recommendations for practice and future research.

• Develop a detailed research proposal collaboratively, with consideration given to formulating a research question and project aims, identifying appropriate outcomes and data collection methods, considering ethical implications and planning for an evaluation of the findings.

• Independently investigate, analyse, interpret and synthesise research data in order to justify evidence-based recommendations for practice and research.

• Present the outcomes of research covering all aspects of the research process using communication strategies suitable for scientific audiences.

• Actively participate in seminars and understand and experience the responsibilities and rewards of professional development.