This course will provide students with the opportunity to carry out an independent research project in palliative care. This should take the form of an extended critical review of the literature (e.g. a systematic review) with an evaluation of the available evidence or a piece of original research (including audit and quality assurance work) with appropriate review of the literature relating to the research.

Project supervision will be given and an opportunity to discuss projects and receive feedback will be given.

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Dissertation (12,000 words approx.) 80%

Academic presentation 20%

This course aims to allow the student become researchers able to produce a 12,000 word dissertation on a topic on or related to the clinical practice of palliative care. Its also aims to allow students to cultivate skills in producing an argument in a clear and engaging fashion using the relevant literature in an informed and critically way. The course aims to explore and research ethics especially as they relate to university regulations regarding research. The course aims to give students the skills to produce an original contribution to palliative care.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Analyse and critically appraise the literature of palliative care and related disciplines and make an argument regarding these.

■ Critically evaluate and devise an appropriate research method for the question being addressed in the previous in the dissertation.

■ Show a knowledge of the principles of research ethics as they relate to the topic under scrutiny, apply them appropriately and adhere to the regulations relating to research as they are currently applied by the College and the University.

■ Demonstrate an ability to write clearly and report the results of research undertake in a manner consistent with the writing of research reports and papers in peer-reviewed journal Reference appropriately the published literature as it relates to the research topic under consideration and understand and demonstrate the conventions of developing and quoting from a bibliography.

■ Present a critical discussion on their research findings and the relevance of the work for the broader research area in a clear and concise manner.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.