LQH370 Digital Research Practice in Biomedical Science
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | LQH370 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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Unit Outline: Semester 1 2027, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | LQH370 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Coordinator: | Jennifer Gunter | jennifer.gunter@qut.edu.au |
Overview
Advances in biomedical science rely on the ability to locate, evaluate, and synthesise high-quality evidence in an increasingly data-driven and digitally enabled environment. This unit develops foundational capabilities for contemporary biomedical research and practice across research, clinical, industry, and educational settings, integrating information retrieval, data analysis and management, scientific critique, and digital literacy. Students engage with current tools and technologies, scientific databases including artificial intelligence, to interpret complex literature and/or datasets, and communicate findings effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences. Emphasising critical and creative thinking, ethical use of technologies, and research integrity, the unit prepares students with the digital fluency, disciplinary knowledge and professional skills needed to contribute to modern biomedical science contexts.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Apply advanced digital methods to synthesise information and use digital creation tools to communicate effectively with scientific and general audiences in written and visual form.
- Critically apply and analyse artificial intelligence tools in biomedical science and consider sustainability, limitations, outputs, accuracy, responsible use, reproducibility, verification and ethics and justify its use.
- Apply advanced principles of responsible data management and critically interpret ethical implications of private and protected data use.
- Use digital tools to perform information searches, identify, manage and effectively cite, reference and critique quality scientific literature,
- Communicate critical evaluations of biomedical research clearly and professionally through oral and written formats, using discipline appropriate scientific language and conventions.
Content
Topics include:
- Biomedical Research Identity
- Responsible data management and governance in biomedical sciences
- record keeping and good laboratory book practice
- ethics and handling patient data and sensitive data
- management of genomic data
- data ownership
- authorship conventions and responsibilities
- ethical conduct for data use
- publication ethics and transparency in reporting research
- The role and application of digital creation and communication in biomedical science careers
- Principles of effective scientific visualisation
- Audience-specific communication
- Writing an abstract
- Producing visual abstracts
- Figure legends and infographics
- Information literacy skills
- types of scientific literature
- critically searching literature
- critique quality of literature
- citing and referencing
- Ethical and responsible use of Artificial intelligence in Biomedical science and its application in biomedical science careers
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- Large language models and agentic AI
- Applications in biomedical science
- Sustainability and AI use
- Evaluating AI tools
- Prompt design and evaluation
- Verification and validation of AI outputs
- Addressing AI limitations
- AI for literature review
- using Microsoft copilot and creating copilot agents
- Development of critical evaluation skills
- Identifying bias, limitations, and gaps in published studies
- Evaluating study design, methodological rigour and statistical interpretation
- Assessing the validity and strength of research conclusions within the broader evidence base
Learning Approaches
This unit adopts a blended learning approach, combining online modules with interactive workshop sessions to support your learning. You will work collaboratively in small groups and with teaching staff to engage in structured activities, discussions, and demonstrations that reinforce and extend your understanding of real-world and research-aligned experiences to reinforce the learning topics and build your professional identity as an aspiring biomedical researcher. This will further support your development of critical evaluation skills to interrogate published studies, digital outputs and appraise and communicate research quality effectively in both oral and written forms. Collectively, these approaches establish essential research foundations that support further study in biomedical data analysis, project development, and professional practice.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback is integrated throughout the unit to support the development of digital literacy and critical evaluation. Formative feedback within workshops and reflective tasks supports growth in information literacy, ethical practice, and scientific communication. You will also undertake guided self-reflection on their skill development and learning progress, with feedback focused on strengthening their capacity to evaluate evidence, apply digital tools responsibly (including artificial intelligence), and demonstrate research integrity, with opportunities to discuss feedback and support ongoing progress toward achieving unit learning outcomes.
Assessment
Overview
Assessment in this unit is designed to progressively develop and evaluate your digital, critical evaluation, and communication capabilities in biomedical science. These assessments align with the unit learning outcomes and reflect authentic research practice.
The Critical Appraisal assesses your ability to locate and evaluate the quality and credibility of scientific evidence, including the effective use of digital tools and generative AI. The Digital Abstract evaluates your ability to apply digital tools to communicate scientific concepts visually and effectively to different audiences, and to justify your design and technology choices. The Data Management Plan assesses your application of responsible data management practices, ethical considerations, and professional research standards.
Learning activities, scaffold the development of these skills throughout the unit and provide opportunities for feedback and practice, supporting you to successfully complete the summative assessments and achieve the intended learning outcomes.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Critical Appraisal
You will critically appraise scientific literature relevant to a selected biomedical topic, drawing on both traditional database searching and generative AI-assisted approaches. Building proficiency in key research skills, this assessment requires evaluation of the quality, reliability, and relevance of the literature using appropriate metrics and criteria, including consideration of study design, methodology, and interpretation of results. Your literature searching strategies will be compared and reflected upon, including the use of digital and AI tools, with consideration of their effectiveness, limitations, and impact on the quality of information retrieved.
You will demonstrate your proficiency in critically selecting, evaluating, and justifying high-quality literature based on relevance, credibility, and scientific rigour, while drawing connections across the evidence base.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Digital abstract
You will present your digitally created visual abstract based on a selected research question or methodology in an in-class presentation. Acting as a research scientist, you will use appropriate digital technologies to communicate the research purpose, including aims, methods, and significance, clearly and effectively. The assessment emphasises audience-specific communication, application of design principles, and the accurate use of referenced scientific information. During a brief question-and-answer period, you will justify your communication choices, demonstrate understanding of the underlying science, and reflect on the digital tools used.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Assessment: Data Management Plan
You will develop a comprehensive research data management plan for a biomedical science project. The assessment emphasises good research practice, accountability, reproducibility, and alignment with professional standards in biomedical science. Acting as a research scientist, you will outline strategies for systematically identifying, organising, and tracking scientific literature, including the use of appropriate reference management tools. You will also describe processes for the secure storage, management, and long-term stewardship of research data during and after the project. The plan must demonstrate adherence to academic and scientific integrity standards, including relevant research ethics frameworks, biosafety and biosecurity requirements, and defence or regulatory controls where applicable. In addition, you will detail approaches to maintaining accurate and transparent research records, including the use of laboratory notebooks or digital workbooks.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
There are no formal texts set for this unit, but individual supervisors (for the concurrent research project in this course) will be able to direct you about your specialised area of investigation. Other materials required for this unit will be available via Canvas or discussed during the formal learning sessions.
Risk Assessment Statement
This unit is conducted entirely in traditional university classroom settings, and no risks beyond the ordinary need to be considered.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.ST10 Bachelor of Science (Honours)
- Demonstrate an advanced level of knowledge in one or more discipline area(s) and knowledge of research methods, principles and practices.
Relates to: Critical Appraisal, Digital abstract, Data Management Plan - Solve complex problems by demonstrating and applying advanced knowledge and skills in scientific principles, concepts and techniques, with scientific rigour
Relates to: Critical Appraisal, Data Management Plan - Effectively use a range of communication skills to produce a set of research outputs both individually and collaboratively.
Relates to: Digital abstract - Demonstrate professional reflective practices and accountability in scholarship and the research process including awareness of ethical and cultural responsibility.
Relates to: Critical Appraisal, Data Management Plan