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This module introduces you to quantitative methods. The module has a strong practical focus and has been designed to appeal to a range of health practitioners and aspiring researchers, and will facilitate development of practical research skills that can be applied in different contexts (including health and social care settings). The module has content designed to prepare you for doing the subsequent module on quantitative data analysis. Examples related to research within health and social care contexts will be used throughout to illustrate teaching points.

This module will equip you with knowledge on:
1. Introduction to philosophical basis for quantitative research and the research process.
2. Literature reviews and evidence synthesis/ critical appraisal, and its importance in formulating hypotheses and writing research questions. Introduction to relevant tools such as PRISMA, CASP and Equator Network resources.
3. Introduction to pathways to impact in practice and an introduction to the importance of theoretical frameworks to inform research such as the MRC guidelines .
4. Quantitative research designs, surveys, pragmatic pilot and definitive clinical trials, identifying research priorities and populations of interest.
5. Introduction to sampling strategies, design issues, bias, strengths and weaknesses of different designs.
6. Introduction to outcome measures and validated instruments, unique identifiers, types of data, developing questionnaires, identifying sources of data including routinely collected data.
7. Introduction to what are statistics, common statistical concepts, the role of the statistician and Clinical Trials Units.
8. Using Excel for databases and exporting to statistical software packages.
9. Ethical considerations of health and social care research. There will be a reminder of ethical considerations, which you have covered in the previous module two modules of the programme. You will critically reflect on how these can be applied specifically to quantitative research within health/and or social care settings.

1. Understand key concepts in the quantitative research process and study design.
2. Critically appraise and evaluate published quantitative studies focused on health and social care contexts
3. Appraise quantitative methods that are focused on addressing a specific question.
4. Critically reflect on methods for obtaining, collecting and analysing quantitative data.
5. Critically reflect on important considerations for the ethical aspects of quantitative research.