Critical Evaluation, Evidence and Practice - Advanced Professional Development [Level HE6] part-time

Developing your critical, constructive and questioning attitude to the evidence and information that underpins service organisation and decision-making is crucial to your further development as a health or social care professional. This demanding and interesting course will enable you to develop your skills in examining professional literature, decision-making and practice, using advanced techniques for disseminating knowledge and presenting persuasively in reports and presentations.

On successful completion of this course you will be able to extract and articulate key points from diverse and complex texts and briefs. You will be able to use library, IT and IMT skills to scan, select, collate, and present information - demonstrating an appreciation of the diversity of evidence bases behind the literature in the professional disciplines/areas of knowledge that relate to your practice. You will also be able to appreciate the principles, and critically appraise, the main approaches in research methods, both quantitative and qualitative. You will develop the skills to critically appraise the arguments in relevant literature, including critiquing the definition of critical terms, the assumptions and implicit values, the evidence-base of statements, the adequacy of reasoning, and the appropriateness of generalisations. These management skills and higher level strategies are in demand by employers.