DCU Home | Our Courses | Loop | Registry | Library | Search DCU

Registry

Module Specifications

Archived Version 2019 - 2020

Module Title
Module Code
School

Online Module Resources

NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 15
Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None
Description

This module is designed to ensure that graduate students master both the theory and the practice of conducting a systematic review of a specialist applied topic directly related to their studies. Students will be expected to identify, in consultation with their academic supervisor, a topic for systematic review and to conduct the review over the course of their master’s programme. The module will require that students attend a range of seminars and workshops designed to support them in identifying and selecting a topic and in the process of conducting the systematic review to publishable standards.

Learning Outcomes

1. Articulate the goals, principles and methods of conducting a systematic review.
2. Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the need for evidenced-based practice in the field of psychology and related disciplines through the process of formulating a review question and writing a review protocol.
3. Search for and identify relevant primary studies.
4. Demonstrate the ability to appraise and integrate published data in a synthesis of published studies.
5. Demonstrate competency in interpreting and presenting the results of the review findings in a report or monograph format.
6. Demonstrate competency in communicating the results of the review findings to peers (in-house and, where practical, at national/international conferences).
7. Critically evaluate published literature reviews and demonstrate ability to identify the potential relevance of newly emerging research findings to their own research and/or area of psychological practice.



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Seminars36Seminars / workshops
Directed learning18Academic Supervision
Directed learning18Library and on-line learning
Assignment Completion48Preparation of Review Protocol
Assignment Completion231Preparation of Systematic Review
Assignment Completion24Preparation of oral presentation / poster for presentation in-house and at national/international conference.
Total Workload: 375

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative Content
• Attendance at School-based seminars/workshops covering topics such as: • Evidenced-based practice in psychology and related disciplines. • Introduction to research synthesis, meta-analysis and systematic reviews. • Formulating a review question • Preparing and writing a review protocol (Cochrane protocol format) • Developing a detailed search strategy • Finding, screening and selecting primary studies • Quality Assessment: overview and methods • Risk of bias (e.g. publication bias, p-hacking & questionable research practices, awareness of importance of statistical power, sample size, multiple comparisons etc.). • Data extraction • Data synthesis (narrative, qualitative and quantitative) and data interpretation • Writing a systematic review • Verified completion of library and web-based training. • Identification of an appropriate systematic review topic, undertaken in consultation with an academic supervisor and the module co-ordinator. • Specified learning activities (preparing and writing a review protocol, developing a detailed search strategy, finding, screening and selecting primary studies, quality assessment, data extraction, data synthesis and data interpretation, writing a systematic review) undertaken in consultation with an academic supervisor. • Presentation of review findings to peers (in-house and, where practical, at national/international conferences). • Maintenance of a Review Portfolio – documenting progression though the systematic review process and reflection on lessons learned for future professional practice.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment% Examination Weight%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
1 = A resit is available for all components of the module
2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module
3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
Unavailable
Indicative Reading List

  • Boland, A. (2017). .: 0, Doing a Systematic Review: A Student’s Guide., Sage; London, UK,
  • Gough, D., Oliver, S., Thomas, J. (2017).: 0, An Introduction to Systematic Reviews., Sage. London, UK.,
  • Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. (2009).: 0, Systematic Reviews: CRDs guidance for undertaking reviews in health care CRD., University of York. [Online]. Available at: http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/index_guidance.htm,
  • Egger, M., Smith, G.D., Altman, D.G. (Eds). (2016): 0, Systematic reviews in Health Care., John Wiley & Sons. Chichester, UK.,
  • Higgins, J.P.T. and Green, S. (Eds.). (2011).: 0, Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.1.0 [updated March 2011]., The Cochrane Collaboration. [Online]. Available at: http://www.cochrane-handbook.org/,
Other Resources

35465, 0, Booklists and web resources will be recommended on an individual basis based on the nature of the student’s project.,
Programme or List of Programmes
Archives: