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ASSESSMENT 3 OVERVIEW – Critical appraisal of evidence
For Assessment 3 students are required to demonstrate their ability to reflect on a health
scenario and critically appraise the evidence (primary research paper) provided in relation
to a health scenario. The scenario is available under the Assessment 3 tile.
Students are required to identify strengths and limitations of a research paper at a
eginning level. The research paper can be located under the Assessment 3 tile. Finally,
students are required to discuss the factors which influence the use of evidence in
practice. The critical appraisal of evidence must be supported by a minimum of four (4)
eferences which are valid and varied academic sources (e.g. Greenhalgh et al. 2018;
Hoffman et al. 2017).
Instructions:
Critically appraise the research paper provided in LEO located under the Assessment
3 tile, and read the co
esponding health scenario. The research paper should be
accessed as a full text and critically appraised using the questions identified in Part A
& B, which are based on Greenhalgh et al XXXXXXXXXXThe research paper being critically
appraised should be written as a full reference at the beginning of the essay (and
included in the reference list). The paper should be referenced in-text according to
APA (i.e. author, year) required for direct quotes only.
Writing in an essay format (introduction, body, conclusion, reference list) answer the
questions in Part A and Part B. Students should refer to the ACU Study Guide: Skills for
Success (2017) – available online - to ensure they follow the university’s essay writing
and referencing guidelines.
Small/short headings may be used. Do not repeat the questions or scenario.
Part A
Consider the strengths and limitations (critically appraise) the research paper using the
following questions. Each paragraph should be supported with a high quality, valid, varied
academic reference. This reference is supporting your knowledge and understanding of
critical appraisal related to the research paper.
Authorship
1. Discuss the strengths and limitations of the:
a. Authors’ expertise, based on their cited qualifications and affiliations;
. Possible conflicts of interest or possible grounds for bias in the paper.
Research Questions, aim or hypothesis
2. Outline the research study’s question/s, aim or hypothesis and present the author’s
justification/s as to why their study was needed.
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Research Design
3. Discuss the research design and how the authors justified their choice of design for
their stated research question.
Research Methods
4. Discuss the methods the researchers used for: selecting study participants and for
collecting and analysing data?
What were the strengths and limitations of the methods used?
Results and limitation of the study
5. Discuss whether the results/conclusions of the study answer the research study’s
question/s.
Describe how the limitations impact the application of the study findings?
Part B
Application of research evidence into clinical practice considering the given
scenario and clinical question.
Adoption of research findings is often restricted due to a range of key enablers and
a
iers. Reflecting on your scenario describe some of the enablers and ba
iers to the
uptake of your papers research findings.
Due date: Part A and B are to be submitted on Wednesday 22nd
May by 2359 Hours
Weighting: 50%
Length and/or format: Assessment 3 (Part a & b) should not exceed 1200
words +/-10% (including in-text citations)
Purpose: The written assignment is required to provide the
students with an opportunity to demonstrate
fundamental skills required for sound appraisal of
esearch. These assessments are designed to engage
students with content that will build knowledge which,
y the conclusion of this programme, will allow the
student to graduate as a health care professional who
can locate and critically appraise discipline specific
literature.
Learning outcomes assessed: 3, 4, 5
How to submit: Submission is via the Turnitin Dropbox available in
LEO HLSC122 (Campus tile).
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Return of assignment: Feedback (written, ru
ic and/or voice comments) will
e available in the Turnitin Dropbox in LEO when the
final unit grades are released.
Assessment criteria: Critical appraisal, knowledge, critical thinking,
presentation
Please include the word count of your assignment on
the front page of your assignment or in a header.
Please note that in-text citations are included in the
word count whilst the reference list is not included in the
word count. Words that are more than 10% over the
word count will not be considered.
Please see further information in the section below
titled ‘Word Count’.
WORD COUNT
Writing requires skill and being able to write within a specified word limit is an essential
component of professional and academic work. Reading and writing critically are
fundamental skills which demonstrate an understanding and an ability to make
judgements and solve problems, hence why only 10% of a word count should be direct
quotes. That is, if the word count is 1500 words only 150 of those words should be direct
quotes. Word counts provide students with an indication of the amount of detail and work
equired for each assessment item.
What is included in a word count?
Essentially, all text within an assessment item from the introduction through to the
conclusion is counted in the word count. This includes all in-text citations, direct quotes
and headings.
The word count does not include the following:
• Title page
• Reference list
• Appendices
• Tables
• Figures and legends
AVOIDING PLAGIARISM
Please note that if you submit your assignment, notice that the similarity index is high
ut do not have time to revise your assessment task before the due date has passed,
then you are advised to:
• contact the Lecturer in Charge and request that your assignment be removed.
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• revise the assignment, submit it within three days of the due date and incur a late
submission penalty.
• submit it into the regular Dropbox. Do not submit into the extension Dropbox.
• Please review the Academic Integrity and Misconduct policy if you choose not to
do this.
REFERENCING
This unit requires you to use the APA referencing system.
See the ‘Academic referencing’ page of the Student Portal for more details.
https:
www.studentportal.acu.edu.au/acuinfo/services-and-support/academic-skills-unit/academic-referencing-skills
Case Scenario: Assessment 3 HLSC122
Assessment Task 3 comprises of Part A and Part B. The following information relates to
Part B only. Please ensure that you review the Unit Outline to determine what is required
to complete Part A.
Case Scenario
Emily is attending a music festival in Melbourne this weekend. Emily’s mother has many
concerns, as she has heard drug testing is being done at this concert. Her mother believes
that drug testing at music festivals encourages young people to use illicit drugs at music
festivals.
Students can locate the above research paper via Leganto found under the tile called
HLSC122 Weekly Readings. Once you have opened Leganto please scroll down to Week 10
where this article can be located.
The full reference for the article that students are required to critique is below:
Day, N., Criss J., Griffiths, B., Gujral, S.K., John-Leader, F., Johnson, J., & Pit, S XXXXXXXXXXMusic festival
attendees’ illicit drug use, knowledge and practices regarding drug content and purity: A
cross-sectional survey. Harm Reduction Journal, 15(1), 1-8. doi: XXXXXXXXXX/s XXXXXXXXXX
As a future health professional, you are interested in learning if drug testing at music
festivals promotes illicit drug use amongst teenagers.
For Part B of Assessment 3 students are required to reflect on the above scenario and the
findings of the research paper titled ‘Music festival attendees’ illicit drug use, knowledge
and practices regarding drug content and purity: a cross sectional survey,’ and describe
some of the enablers and ba
iers to the uptake of this papers research findings.
Assessment Task 3 comprises of Part A and Part B. The following information relates to Part B only. Please ensure that you review the Unit Outline to determine what is required to complete Part A.
The full reference for the article that students are required to critique is below:
Music festival attendees’ illicit drug use, knowledge and practices regarding drug content and purity: a cross-sectional survey
RESEARCH Open Access
Music festival attendees’ illicit drug use,
knowledge and practices regarding drug
content and purity: a cross-sectional survey
Niamh Day2,4†, Joshua Criss2,4†, Benjamin Griffiths 2,4†, Shireen Kaur Gujral 2,4†, Franklin John-Leader1,
Jennifer Johnston3,4 and Sa
ina Pit2,3,4*
Abstract
Background: Drug checking is a harm reduction strategy which allows users to check the content and purity of
illicit drugs. Although drug checking has been trialled internationally, with demonstrated value as a harm reduction
and health promotion strategy, the use of such services in Australia remains a contentious issue.
This study aimed to investigate the proportion and patterns of illicit drug use among young people, their attitudes
towards drug checking at festivals and the potential impact of drug checking on intended drug use behaviour.
Methods: The survey was conducted at a major Australian music festival in 2016. Data was collected from a sample
of festival attendees (n = 642) aged between 18 and 30 years. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed.
Results: Nearly three-quarters (73.4%) of participants reported that they had used illicit drugs in the past 12 months,
most commonly cannabis (63.9%) and ecstasy (59.8%). A large proportion of participants believed ‘somewhat’ or ‘a lot’
that drug checking services could help users seek help to reduce harm (86.5%) and that drug checking services should
e combined with harm reduction advice (84.9%). However, two thirds of the participants agreed ‘somewhat’ or ‘a lot’
that drug sellers may use this service as a quality control mechanism (68.6%). Approximately half (54.4%) indicated they
would be highly likely and a third (32.7%) would be somewhat likely to utilise free drug checking services should they
e available at music festivals. When asked whether the results of drug checking would influence their drug use
ehaviour, participants reported that they would not take substances shown