Midwestern State
University
Robert D. & Carol Gunn College of Health
Sciences & Human Services
Department of Radiologic Sciences
Revised July 2018
Course Syllabus: Applied Resesarch
Course Information
Name: RADS 4913 X12
Credit: 3 hours
Term: Fall 2018
Prerequisite: RADS 3503
Professor
Mandy
Sedden MSRS, RT(R) Assistant Professor
Email: mandy.sedden@mwsu.edu
Use this inforamation in the subject line: 4913_your last name_topic of the message.
Email is the best way to
reach me. If I have not responded within 72 hours, please email me again.
Phone: (940)
397-4664
Office
Location: Midwestern State University
3410 Taft Blvd.
Bridwell Hall 226
Wichita Falls, TX 76308
Office
Hours: Please make an appointment.
Course Communication
Contact information for the instructor is listed at the beginning
of this syllabus. Email is the preferred mode of communication. Students
must use their standardized MSU Student email for correspondence about this
course. When emailing the instructor, you must use the following subject
header:
4913_your last name_topic of message
Example: 4913_Smith_Quiz 4
When there is a need to contact students, the instructor will use
the student’s MWSU email account, students.mwsu.edu. The instructor is not
responsible for sending emails to any other email account. Faculty
members will not be responsible for keeping up with other email addresses for
students. If you have not established this account, do so as soon as possible
by going to: http://infosys.mwsu.edu/email.asp
The
instructor will respond or at least acknowledge email messages from students
within a maximum of five (5) business days when MSU is in session. MSU
is open only 4 days a week in the summer, so be mindful that if you email the
instructor on a Friday you might not get a response until Monday. Beyond standard
university holidays and breaks, the instructor will notify students of any
extended periods of time when email contact is not practical (professional
meetings, etc.). I will meet face-to-face with any interested students by
appointment only. This meeting is optional and must be confirmed by email
ahead of time with me.
Course Description
This is the capstone course involving directed research which will
be completed by reviewing previously published articles, culminating in a
substantive paper related to the field of radiologic sciences. The student’s
topic/research question must be approved by the course instructor.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this
course, the student will be able to:
·
Apply appropriate research methods.
·
Formulate an appropriate research question.
·
Compose a publication quality substantive research paper reviewing
previously published articles.
·
Format this research paper, which is a literature review, in
appropriate APA style (no original research is allowed).
Teaching Methodology
Strategies include an independent research project with a directed
student paper.
Course Materials
American
Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association (6th ed.).
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. [ISBN 978-1-4338-0561-5]
Attendance
Since this is an online
course, there are no mandatory class sessions. However, it is important that
you keep track of your own progress, due dates, etc. Students should
communicate with the instructor on a regular basis.
Requesting
a Withdrawal
The
last day to drop this course with a grade of “W” is 4:00 pm on Thursday, July
12, 2016. Refer to the Undergraduate Bulletin for details about receiving a
grade of “Incomplete” in a course. In an emergency or extenuating circumstance,
a student may request a grade of “Incomplete” in a course before grades are
submitted. If the instructor grants the “Incomplete,” the student has until
thirty (30) days after the beginning of the next long semester to complete the
course requirements. If the student does not complete the course
requirements within the deadline, the grade of “Incomplete” will automatically
convert into a grade of “F.”
Grading/Evaluation
Students are required to
submit all assignments in the appropriate assignment dropbox
within D2L. Do not email or fax assignments unless told specifically to do so
by your instructor. Do not wait until the last minute to submit in case you
have technical difficulties. If you have difficulties submitting any
assignments, contact your instructor immediately so that problems can be resolved
by the deadline. Technical difficulties need to be addressed through the D2L
help link. Assignments must be submitted on time; each
late submission will result in a grade of 0.
Grade
Distribution
Grade
Scale
Technical Difficulties
On occasion, you may experience problems with accessing D2L,
accessing class files located within D2L, connecting with your internet
service, or you may encounter other computer related problems. Make the
professor aware of a technical problem as soon as possible. If a problem occurs
on our end, such as D2L failure, then a due date extension will typically be
granted. However, keep in mind it is your responsibility to have (or
have access to) a working computer in this class. Assignments
and tests are due by the due date, and personal computer technical difficulties
will not be considered reason for the instructor to allow students extra time
to submit assignments, tests, or discussion postings.
Dropbox assignments that can be attached in an email should be
emailed to the professor as soon as a problem is encountered. Failure to do so
may result in points being lost, regardless of connection issues.
For help options:
Special Needs
In accordance with Section
504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990, Midwestern State University endeavors to make
reasonable adjustments in its policies, practices, services, and facilities to
ensure equal opportunity for qualified persons with disabilities to participate
in all educational programs and activities.
The Office of Disability
Support Services (DSS) provides information and assistance, arranges
accommodations, and serves as a liaison for students, instructors, and
staff. The DSS has assistance devices such as books on tape, recorders,
and adaptive software which can be loaned to qualified individuals. A
student/employee who seeks accommodations on the basis of disability must
register with the Office of Disability Support Services in the Clark Student
Center Room 168 or call (940) 397.4140 for further information. Documentation
of disability from a competent professional is required.
Individuals with grievances
related to discrimination or lack of accommodation on the basis of a disability
are encouraged to resolve the problem directly with the area involved. If the
matter remains unresolved, advice and/or assistance will be provided by the
Office of Disability Services for resolution. The grievance procedure may be
found in the Student Handbook and Activities Calendar.
The Director of the
Counseling Center serves as the ADA Coordinator and may be contacted at (940)
397.4618, TDD (940) 397.4515, or 3410 Taft Blvd., Clark Student Center Room
108.
Administrative Process
Unresolved issues related
to this course should be first addressed between the student and the course
instructor. If there is no resolution, students must follow this sequence:
1.
Interim Department Chair: Debra Wynne (940) 397.4679
2.
Interim College Dean: Dr. Jeff Killion (940) 397.4594
3.
Dean of Students: Matthew Parks (940) 397.6273
Academic Conduct
RADS 4643 adheres to the MSU Code of Conduct. In particular,
academic dishonesty, however small, creates a breach in academic integrity. A
student's participation in this course comes with the expectation that his or
her work will be completed in full observance of the MSU Code of Student
Conduct. A student should consult the current Student Handbook for answers to
any questions about the code.
All components of RADS 3773 are designed to represent the efforts
of each student individually and are NOT to be shared, copied, or plagiarized
from other sources. When students submit their efforts for grading, they are
attesting they abide by this rule. An online plagiarism service may be used in
this course. Student assignments may be uploaded to the service for identification
of similarities to other student papers and published works.
Cheating includes, but is not limited to
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to
Academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, etc.) will not be
tolerated in this class. Whenever a student is unsure of whether a particular
situation will be interpreted as academic dishonesty, he/she should ask the
professor for clarification.If students are guilty of
academic dishonesty, a grade of zero (0) will be given for the quiz,
assignment, etc. Cases may also be referred to the Dean of Students for
possible dismissal from the university.
Students are encouraged to review the tutorials and suggested
websites for more information about plagiarism. If you have any questions about
what constitutes plagiarism, please consult:
Please Note
By enrolling in this course, the student expressly grants MSU a
"limited right" in all intellectual property created by the student for
the purpose of this course. The "limited right" shall include, but
shall not be limited to the right to reproduce the student’s work/ project in
order to verify originality and authenticity, and for educational purposes.
Specifically, faculty may submit student papers and assignments to an external
agency to verify originality and authenticity, and to detect for plagiarism.
All assignments will be
submitted to TurnItIn.com, a computerized service which checks for
plagiarism. Any suspicious results will be investigated. Instances
of plagiarism will result in a lower grade on the assignment; a grade of “F” on
the assignment, and/or a grade of “F” on the course. Repeated or severe
instances may result in academic probation, or dismissal from the
program. Instances can also be referred to the Dean of Students for
further action.
Senate Bill 11
Senate Bill 11 passed by
the 84th Texas Legislature allows licensed handgun holders to carry concealed
handguns on campus, effective August 1, 2016. Areas excluded from concealed
carry are appropriately marked, in accordance with state law. For more
information regarding campus carry, please refer to the University’s campus
carry webpage. If you have questions or concerns, please contact MSU Chief of
Police Patrick Coggins by email atmpatrick.coggins@mwsu.edu.
Applied Research Assignment Details
Student Responsibilities:
As a student enrolled in
this course, you will be responsible for adhering to and meeting posted
deadlines and due dates. Posted closing dates along with assignment due
dates and deadlines found in the Course Calendar within D2L will be strictly enforced.
If an assignment does not meet the posted deadline, a grade of zero (0) will be
recorded for that assignment. Extenuating circumstances do occur and will be
addressed on an individual basis. NOTE: waiting until the last
minute to submit an assignment does not constitute an extenuating circumstance.
Assignment Format:
This course is divided into
six (6) assignments and all assignments must adhere to the
following requirements:
·
IBM compatible format (not MAC)
·
Word 97 or newer version (not Microsoft Works, WordPerfect, or
Pages)
·
Times New Roman, 12 point font ONLY
·
1” margins on all sides
·
Double-spaced
The assignments should be
written using standard technical writing skills. This includes appropriate
spelling, grammar, sentence structure, transitions, text flow, currency of
knowledge, and scope of research. Additionally, all submitted work must conform
to APA format.
Grading/Evaluation:
Students
are required to submit all assignments in the appropriate assignment area,
(quizzes and discussion boards) within D2L. Do not email or fax assignments
unless told specifically to do so by your instructor. Do not wait until the
last minute to submit in case you have technical difficulties. If you have
difficulties submitting any assignments, contact your instructor immediately so
that problems can be resolved by the deadline. Technical difficulties need to
be addressed through the D2L help link.
Assignment 1: Request for Research Question & Outline
Approval Form (3%)
Students must complete the
Request for Research Question and Outline Approval Form, include a detailed outline
of the paper, (please look at the sample outline for the amount of detail required)
and include an APA formatted reference list. There should be at least 2
references per major section of the body of the paper. The assignment must be
submitted to the Assignment 1 Dropbox within D2L by the due date. References
older than 5 years will generally not be accepted, but depending on the topic,
source, etc., this will be at the discretion of the instructor.
All parts of this
assignment must be submitted as one single document via the
assignment dropbox.
This course only allows
topics related to Radiologic Sciences (which emphasize the role of
technologists), not topics related to clinical radiology (which emphasize the
role of radiologists). For example, “Factors Contributing to Job Satisfaction
for MRI Technologists” is acceptable, but “Treatment of Obstructive Bowel
Syndrome” is not
acceptable. Also, for example, “Position for Radiographic Demonstration of the
Trauma Knee” is acceptable, but “Diagnosis of Cerebral Hemorrhage” is not
acceptable. Topics cannot deal with subjects that are outside the scope
of practice of the radiographer.
The outline should be based
on published literature. Students will not develop their
own surveys or conduct experiments to write this paper.
Assignment 2: Title Page (2%)
Review pages 23, 24, 41,
& 229 within the APA Manual. Use the sample title page as a
guide because it includes additional information not included on the APA
version to help distinguish assignments submitted in different classes. The
assignment must be submitted to the Assignment 2 Dropbox within D2L by the due
date.
Assignment 3: Reference List (10%)
Refer to Chapters 6 and 7
in the APA Manual for an explanation on how to construct a
reference list. Also, refer back to RADS 3503; you should have your graded
reference list from that class. A minimum of eight (8)
scholarly references are required. The
assignment must be submitted to the Assignment 3 Dropbox within D2L by the due
date.
NOTE ON REFERENCES:
References should be from a variety of sources with the majority being from peerreviewed journals or other scholarly works.
Peer-reviewed journals use an editorial board that evaluates the article for
accuracy. Publications or magazines like RT Image, Advance,
Decisions in Imaging Economics, and Applied Radiology are not peer-reviewed.
Journals such as Radiologic Technology, Radiologic Science &
Education, and Radiology Management are
peer-reviewed. You should be able to look at the inside cover of a journal
or on a website to see if the journal has a review board. Most likely if you
cannot find anything about a review board, then the journal is not
peer-reviewed. The journal homepage should also indicate if the journal is
peer-reviewed.
Assignment 4: Body of Paper (45%)
The body of this paper will
include the following sections: Introduction, Methods, Discussion, Suggestions
for Future Research, and Conclusion. All sections except the Introduction
should have a header (see APA Manual, p. 62, Section 3.03). This is
an evaluation of your ability to synthesize a literature review. Be sure
to include a corrected Reference List with this assignment. The body of the
paper must be no less than 5 pages and no more than 7 full length pages (Times
New Roman, 12 point font). An expanded explanation of each component follows:
Introduction:
Includes background, purpose, research question, hypothesis
(APA Manual, p. 27-28). This is where you develop the reason for the
problem. Note: The word Introduction is not used as a header.
The first section of the paper is assumed to be the Introduction section.
Methods:
Include how references were found and what resources were used. The APA
Manual describes methodology for original research. Since no original
research is allowed in this course, use the methods section to describe how
information was obtained. Example: Searches were conducted using the following
key words: knee injuries, radiology, radiography, infection control, (etc. to
include all the appropriate search terms). Academic First Search, ERIC, EbscoHost were the primary databases used and were accessed
through Midwestern State University’s Moffett Library.
Discussion:
(APA Manual, p. 35-36). Compare the literature with the approved
research question. This is where all the literature is pulled together so the
reader does not have to read each separate source. The writer’s job for this
section is to enlighten the reader by synthesizing the literature and reporting
on it. Synthesis of material means that information gathered from more than one
author are compared and contrasted. For example, one can formulate thoughts
based on the literature, but a personal opinion is not appropriate in a
research literature review. The writer is reporting on what was found;
therefore, it must be supported with reference citations. Do not use personal
pronouns such as “I found this…” or “we discovered this…”
Poor
Discussion
Firms
must take the initiative in retaining gifted and competent employees to
effectively deal with this expected predicament. Proactive exploring is the
catalyst for discovering various methods that could improve the retention rate
of radiologic technologists and provide direction for organizations looking to
implement and maintain a successful employee retention program.
Better
Discussion
During
this literature review, a common theme was evident among many of the authors
(Ackerman, 2000; Bated, 2003; Devlin, 2000; Myers, 2006; & Zuckerman, 2007)
how organizations must take the initiative in retaining gifted and competent
employees. It appears proactive exploring is the catalyst for discovering
various methods that could improve the retention rate of radiologic
technologists and provide direction for organizations looking to implement and
maintain a successful employee retention program. For example, Veale' (2008)
said, "Passive attitudes towards employee retention are no longer
effective. Health care organizations are bleeding to death by ignoring the loss
of talent" (p. 45).
It seems
then the answer to the question of how to keep talent is to contemplate,
renovate, innovate, and create new best practices to achieve institutional
goals and thereby add to the existing body of knowledge on radiographer
retention. Watts (2005) and Johnston (2007) support these notions by strongly
encouraging health care organizations to work with employees instead of against
them and to actively engage employees in the development of best practices for
retention.
Suggestions
for Future Research: Explain where the literature was lacking and possible
future research studies.
Conclusion:
This is where you remind readers of the purpose, what was discovered, and if
the findings were in line with the research question. Remember, this section
should be no longer than 1 page.
References:
Include the reference list you corrected after receiving your instructor’s
comments.
Appendices:
(if needed, not encouraged). Place any graphics, tables, etc. after the
references.
You
must include your complete revised reference list with this assignment as part
of the document, not separately. The assignment must be
submitted as a single document to the Assignment 4 Dropbox within D2L by the
due date.
Assignment 5: Abstract (10%)
This is an evaluation of
your ability to sum up your paper in one paragraph. Refer to pages 25, 26, and
229 in the APA Manual. The abstract should be between 150 and
250 words. Explain what the focus of the paper is and a little about the
literature. Sell your paper here. Write something that is going to make people
want to read it. The abstract is essentially a snapshot of the entire paper; it
is what hooks people and convinces them to continue reading.Write the abstract after you
complete the paper. The assignment must be submitted to the
Assignment 5 Dropbox within D2L by the due date.
Assignment 6: Final Paper (30%)
This research paper is to
be a substantial manuscript (5-7 full length pages for the body). The length of
the body of the paper is in addition to the title page, abstract, appendices,
and reference list. The paper must reflect baccalaureate level effort and must
incorporate the suggestions for revision provided by the instructor for
Assignments 1-5. It should demonstrate the student’s ability to gather and
discriminate pertinent resources, synthesize information from a variety of
sources, apply new information to a topic, and correctly use the APA reference
style.
All
parts of this assignment must be submitted as one single
document through the Assignment 6 Dropbox within D2L by the due date.
Important Dates
|
Course Schedule |
|
|
Date |
Activity/Assignment |
|
Saturday, August 25 |
Class opens Review course syllabus |
|
Monday, September 10 |
Assignment
1 Dropbox due by 11:59pm Request
for Research Question and Outline Form |
|
Monday, September 17 |
Assignment
2 Dropbox due by 11:59pm Title
Page |
|
Monday, September 24 |
Assignment 3 Dropbox due by 11:59pm Reference
List |
|
Monday, October 22 |
Assignment 4 Dropbox due by 11:59pm Body of
Paper |
|
Monday, October 29 |
Last Day to Drop With a ‘W’ |
|
Monday, November 5 |
Assignment 5 Dropbox due by 11:59pm Abstract |
|
Monday, November 12 |
Assignment 6 Dropbox due by 11:59pm Final
Paper |
**All
times are CST (Central Standard Time) on the date indicated.