Yorkshire Centre for

Health Informatics
FACULTY OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH

YCHI5090M: MSc Project

Handbook 2009-2010

Module Leader: Owen Johnson

Version 1.0
Last amended: 4th August 2010
Contents
YCHI5090M: MSc Project...............................................................................................................1
Handbook 2009-2010....................................................................................................................1
Module Leader: Owen Johnson...................................................................................................1
Contents.......................................................................................................................................2
Welcome.......................................................................................................................................3
Module Details..............................................................................................................................3
Module Team................................................................................................................................3
Module Objectives.........................................................................................................................4
Knowledge Outcomes.................................................................................................................4
Module Structure...........................................................................................................................4
Attendance...................................................................................................................................4
Assessment...................................................................................................................................4
Guidance for the Project................................................................................................................5
Selecting your topic....................................................................................................................5
Developing your research protocol..............................................................................................5
Initial preparation......................................................................................................................5
Developing a plan for your project..............................................................................................6
Getting the most from your supervision.......................................................................................6
Information Management...........................................................................................................6
Ethical procedures......................................................................................................................7
The Project Report........................................................................................................................7
General structure of the project report........................................................................................7
Advice on style...........................................................................................................................8
Production and format of the printed report.................................................................................9
The Poster Presentation...............................................................................................................10
Executive summary of the poster..............................................................................................10
The poster itself.......................................................................................................................10
Production and format of the poster..........................................................................................11
Poster Presentation..................................................................................................................11
The Reflective Log.......................................................................................................................11
General structure of the log......................................................................................................11
Assessment.................................................................................................................................12
Monitoring Progress..................................................................................................................12
Details of Assessment...............................................................................................................12
Submitting your work...............................................................................................................12
Marking Criteria........................................................................................................................12
The Report..............................................................................................................................12
Procedures for failed projects....................................................................................................14
Assessment Rules and Regulations............................................................................................14

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Welcome
The MSc Project module is an essential requirement for the MSc in Health Informatics and makes up
60 out of the 180 total programme credits. You must pass this module in order to qualify for the
Masters award. As with all MSc modules the pass mark is 50%. The module is designed to support
you in completing an individual research project that addresses a specific issue related to Health
Informatics. You will select and undertake a piece of research in health informatics, typically focusing
on a specific health informatics challenge such as using an emerging technology to develop an
innovative solution for an industry or health service client.
In undertaking the project you will have the opportunity and freedom to integrate the knowledge,
experience and skills you have gained both before and during the course and apply this to a specific
health informatics problem. You should expect to draw from many, if not all, of the MSc modules
you’ve studied on this course and we will expect you to demonstrate that you are able to synthesise
course material with recommended reading and your own independent research. You will plan and
conduct your own research and manage your time to deliver a significant piece of work to a high
academic standard. We will of course support you in this throughout the project but this is your project
and you must take personal responsibility for completing it successfully.
The project may seem like a daunting prospect initially as it carries such weight in the programme
credits and does involve some sustained personal study. However, the sense of achievement in
completing your own piece of research is rewarding and the process itself can even be fun. This
module handbook is designed to help you get through the process successfully.

Module Details
Title: MSc Project Code: YCHI5090M
Credits: 60 Level: Masters
Taught hours: 17 Private Study Hours: 583
Your assessment should be completed and submitted by 9th September.

Module Team
Support for the module is available from the module manager and other members of the academic
team. You will meet initially with the module manager who will give assistance in defining the topic
area and research question for your project. You will then be allocated an academic supervisor who
will provide guidance and support through one-to-one tutorials during your project.
Module Manager
Owen Johnson, Senior Fellow
Room 1.25 Charles Thackrah Building
phone: 0113 34 30853 email: O.A.Johnson@leeds.ac.uk
You should contact the module manager as soon as possible if you require additional support or are
experiencing difficulties.
Project Supervisor
The Project supervisor is a member of the academic team assigned to you at an early stage of the
project. While you are responsible for completing the project on time and to a high standard, your
supervisor will help you to set your objectives and give you feedback and advice. Your supervisor will
also be able to give you comments on written drafts of your work. You will be expected to meet with
your supervisor regularly and it is your responsibility to arrange this.

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Module Objectives
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
 Assess the feasibility of potential topics for health informatics research
 Carry out a literature review
 Select and apply the appropriate research methods for their agreed project area
 Demonstrate independent application of the knowledge, skills and techniques that he or she
has acquired during the MSc programme in carrying out and reporting on a research project
 Demonstrate skills in project management and research presentation
 Present a high quality report and poster of the research project
 Produce a critical evaluation of the process and outcome of the project through a reflective log
Knowledge Outcomes
Take a pro-active and self-reflective role in understanding the health domain, including being able to
critically and creatively identify and evaluate potential solutions against political, economic, social and
technological constraints. Make a strong personal contribution to leading innovation in health care.

Module Structure
This module primarily involves self-directed study with active input from your named supervisor. Your
project will be supported through a number of one-to-one tutorials with your supervisor. In addition,
you will be able to communicate via email and phone during the duration of your project. You should
establish a timetable and the most appropriate format for your support with your supervisor. In
addition to personal supervision, there will be a number of group sessions to provide guidance on
developing and completing your project.

Attendance
You are expected to attend all taught sessions as they constitute material to assist your learning.
Failure to attend may have serious implications for your ability to complete the project. Personal
supervision sessions should be arranged with your named supervisor. If you are not able to meet your
agreed times then you should let your supervisor know as soon.
Although this is a large piece of individual work the University and Programme regulations for
attendance still apply. Please refer to the absences section within the Programme Handbook for
guidance on what to do should you be ill or need to negotiate absence from a particular session.

Assessment
Assessment will be in the form of a 10,000 word report, a poster presentation and a reflective log. All
assessment components must be passed.
The Project Report accounts for 75% of the module mark. Project reports are assessed by two
internal academic examiners and will then be assessed by the course external examiner. The Poster
Presentation accounts for 25% of the module mark. The Poster presents a summary of your research.
A project exhibition will be organised following your submission, which you will be required to attend in
order to present your poster. The posters will be assessed by a panel of academic staff. The
Reflective Log is a pass/ fail component so a fail on the reflective log results in a fail on the project.
The reflective log should be maintained by you while undertaking your research project. It will
assessed by two internal academic examiners and may be assessed by the external examiner.

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Guidance for the Project
Selecting your topic
Selecting a topic is the starting point for your project. The topic is the theme or subject area for your
research. The way to arrive at a topic varies from one student to another owing to their different
academic background, work experience and personal interests. You may already have decided on a
topic area for your project. If not, then it may be useful to think about an area that is of interest to you
and that you would find comfortable to work on. You could also consider issues and topics that arise
during your coursework on other modules.
Once you have selected a topic area, then you need to focus on the question(s) you would like to
explore in your research project. It would help at this stage to gain an understanding of the major
issues through a review of the literature. You should be asking yourself some basic questions, such
as, “what is the problem or issue that I would like to pursue?”, “Why is it important?” and “what am I
hoping to achieve?” It is important that you are clear in your own mind what the main issue is that you
want to explore so you can establish a clear focus around which to build your project. It may help to
discuss your ideas with others. Feel free to approach the module leader or other academic staff.
Talking with your colleagues on the course and sharing ideas is also a good way to focus your ideas.
In selecting your topic you should bear in mind the feasibility of your proposal. You need to plan a
project which can predictably be completed in the time available, not forgetting your other work or
academic commitments. In thinking of the feasibility of your study you need to consider the practical
aspects, such as how you might access your data, as well as the time needed for analysis and writing
up. It is important to avoid a topic that is so big that you are unable to tackle it in the time and word
limit available. Aim to explore a small (narrowly defined, very specific) topic in depth, rather than
analyse a big topic superficially.

Developing your research protocol

You should now have a research question that you want to explore in your project. The next stage is
to produce a written protocol outlining the work you wish to undertake. At this stage you should
arrange to meet with the module leader where you will have an opportunity to discuss your ideas and
receive advice about drawing up a written research proposal. You can also consult with members of
the academic staff. The format for this proposal is in the VLE for this module.
Before you begin your research you will have the opportunity to present your proposed study to your
colleagues on the course and the module academic staff in an informal group session. This session
will provide you with feedback on your research topic and the feasibility of your proposed research. It
may also give you some valuable tips and suggestions to help you to finalise your research proposal.
Following this group session you will be allocated a formal Project Supervisor.

Initial preparation
It is recommended that you do the following at the beginning of your project:
a) Plan for your literature search. This includes identifying the main areas where literature is
likely to be available and a list of ideas regarding key words and ways of searching for each of
these. NB: You may not at this stage have read in detail each and every piece of literature
that you can find. Nor will you even have found much of the available literature. At this stage
you are aiming to take stock of what type of literature is available in order to discuss with your
supervisor what kinds of literature are likely to be of greatest help to you.
b) Decide on the objectives and output of your project. These may change and develop as you
progress through the process.
c) Start a system for filing references and a system for keeping notes in an orderly fashion.
d) Start keeping your reflective log. This needs to be added to throughout the whole lifetime of
the project and you should start straight away and keep making regular notes.

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Developing a plan for your project
When you have decided the objectives and the output for your project and you have agreed with your
supervisor how you intend to tackle the work, you can write a plan/framework/outline for the project. A
carefully detailed plan for the structure of your work will prove to be the most important element in
assuring that your project is a success.
The plan should include the following elements:
 What you are actually going to do;
 Over what period of time --- a time schedule for completion of each element;
 In what order and why
 An outline “work budget” for each element.
It is strongly advised to revisit the core module “Project Management in Health Informatics” for
guidance on project planning and management.
The final plan should be reviewed by your supervisor. Changes of a substantive nature to this
structure will be at your own risk. You are strongly advised to discuss this with your supervisor before
making the changes.

Getting the most from your supervision

Your Project Supervisor is there to guide you, to give advice and to make sure your work advances in
the right direction. You should expect to receive from your supervisor honest and constructive advice.
This will help to ensure you produce a solid piece of work to the required standard in the final
assessment.
You should decide jointly with your supervisor an appropriate form and timetable for your supervision.
This may well vary for individuals, but you should expect to meet with your supervisor at least five
times during the course of your project.
To get the most from your supervision you should plan the meeting in advance. Prepare and agree an
agenda, make lists of what questions you would like to ask and what problems you would like advice
on. Review your list. What are the priority topics? If you can answer your questions yourself with a bit
of research or some reflection then do so then check with your supervisor if you need confirmation. If
you would like comments on extracts of your written work then you should ensure you give this to your
supervisor well in advance of the actual meeting to allow them time to read it.
After your meeting you should write up some short minutes with a summary of the key points and any
actions agreed. Send these minutes to your supervisor and keep them for your own project
management and reflection. It is good practice to start meetings with a review of the minutes of the
previous meeting, so be prepared to do this.

Information Management
Make sure you attend the tutorial on “Information Management for your Dissertation” (handouts for
this tutorial are available in the VLE). This tutorial will help you to identify appropriate information
sources, learn how to avoid publication bias and develop a good evidence-base for your research. It
will include time saving tips for managing your references effectively in EndNote, and recording
search methods used in your project. You are expected to follow this advice throughout your project.
The library has some useful online resources that can facilitate your information management. Go to
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/subjects/medicine/training/ for a range of online guides, tutorials and
workbooks to help you with literature searching and managing references including:
 Online step by step guide to literature searching
 Online databases, workbooks and tutorials, e.g. Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, Science Direct
 Online information literacy tutorials to help you develop skills in using electronic resources
and searching for information.

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Do make sure that you are making good use of the University’s library resources. While studying at
Leeds to have access to exceptionally good resources and you should make sure you are using them
well. If you need help using library resources or finding information, ask at the Library Enquiry Desk or
contact the Librarian for the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, Ms Liz Neilly, email:
e.m.neilly@leeds.ac.uk or telephone 0113 343 6317.

Ethical procedures
Researchers have a responsibility to protect participants from any harm that may arise from research.
Ethical considerations should be given priority at all stages of the research process and every protocol
will be subject to review before commencement of the project. Some projects (those involving NHS
patients or staff as participants) may require review by an NHS ethics committee and approval in
these instances can take some months. You are advised to begin the formalities for ethical review as
early as possible, the procedures for which can be found in the module space on the VLE. You will
also find guidance on ethical considerations for research projects to help you when formulating your
research protocol.

The Project Report

General structure of the project report
The maximum length for the project report is 10,000 words and the general structure should be as
follows:
Introduction
The background and context for your project, including your hypothesis and the motivation for the
research.
Literature Review
A critical review of the literature and evidence base relevant to your project area. This should frame
your research in relation to existing knowledge and will lead on to your Aims and Objectives.
Methods
The methods should explain what you did and why. You will need to describe and justify the methods
chosen, showing how they are appropriate to your particular project. You will also need to include a
description of how the chosen methods were executed.
Results
This section should set out the results of your research, highlighting any key points without going into
detailed analysis. For instance, you could show tables or figures of questionnaire responses, or
sample text from qualitative data.
Results should also include a critical review of how the processes went.
Discussion
The discussion should be a critical analysis and evaluation of your results, explaining your findings in
relation to existing knowledge. This section is should also be used to make any recommendations for
the area you have been working in, based on your research.
Conclusion
This should be a summary of the project, but also include implications for wider health informatics
policy and practice and recommendations for future research.
References
Optionally a bibliography.
Appendices
These should include evidence of the deliverables to your client. This may include but is not limited to
copies of reports produced for your client, briefing papers, PowerPoint presentations etc.

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Advice on style

Abbreviations
These are best avoided. A reader who is unfamiliar with the topic will usually find it easier to have the
spelled out version than the abbreviation. If you feel that you must use abbreviations, keep them to an
absolute minimum. All abbreviations should be explained in full at their first occurrence, for example,
“The Summary Care Record (SCR)”, and a list of all abbreviations used should be bound with the
report.
Numerals
Spell out all numbers one to nine unless they are being used in one of the following particular ways:
statistically (degrees of freedom = 1); in a range or sequence (5 to 17); with a decimal point; in
association with units. Spell out for indefinite amounts, for example, “three to four years”, also
twofold, threefold etc. All numbers that begin a sentence should be spelled out, for example, “Thirty-
four subjects were recruited”.
Figures
Figures should be drawn or reproduced to conform to the general guidelines on margins. They should
be numbered and have a legend which makes the figure self-explanatory without reference to the text.
Figures should be located near to the text to which they relate. Lettering within figures should not be
less than 8pt. Labels on graphs should generally read parallel to the relevant axis. If a figure is
reproduced from another source this should made clear in the legend which should also include the
relevant reference.
Tables
Material can sometimes be presented more clearly and concisely in tables than descriptive treatment
in the text. Your text should refer to the table, describe its purpose and summarise its significant
message. Try to place tables close to the text that refers to them. Each table should be numbered
and given a heading that is self-explanatory without reference to the text. It is acceptable to print
larger tables in landscape and place them on a separate page to the text or you may prefer to present
them in an appendix. Lettering within the table should not be less than 8pt. As with figures, if a table is
reproduced from another source this should made clear in the legend which should also include the
relevant reference.
Quotations
Avoid quoting directly from other author’s work unless you have a specific point to make about their
words. It may be acceptable to quote a short definition from a leading textbook but it is not acceptable
to use long quotes from others as a substitute for your own thoughts and ideas. It is generally best to
use your own words to summarise and review the work of others and, of course, there are no marks
awarded for work which is not your own.
Qualitative studies usually require results to be evidenced with reference to narrative text. For
example you might need to quote some unusual comments from an interview. It is helpful to indent
such quotes and write them in a different font. Quotes should include an appropriate identifier,
although subject confidentiality needs to be maintained. Again, avoid long quotes in the body of your
report though you may of course use appendices for interview transcripts etc.
References
All references should be in the “Harvard” style.
The text references should be in the form “(Jones, 2006)” or Jones (2006) argued that…” References
should be listed alphabetically at the end of the report, the titles of journals being given in full.
The quality and consistency of your referencing forms part of the assessment criteria and, with good
care and attention, you should be able to maintain a high standard. Online information and training on
referencing can be found at: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/training/referencing/
Whenever you quote from or paraphrase work written by another author, you must acknowledge that
you have done so. It is vital that you acknowledge the sources of information that you used in your
project in order to avoid plagiarism.

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Production and format of the printed report
Students should not underestimate the time needed to type, edit and refine a report of the length and
quality required. When planning the 'typing' of the report do make allowance for hardware difficulties
that could cause delays and for adequate time for proof-reading and correction.
Make sure you take regular backups of your report and store these on several devices so that you
don’t lose everything if you lose a USB stick, laptop or have a hard drive that fails. Most obviously you
should be saving your work regularly on your student university network drive. These drives are
backed up nightly and previous versions may be recovered by contacting ISS support. It is also a
good idea to keep several versions of the report as separate files so that you don’t wipe out all your
work with one inadvertent save command. Unexpected difficulties in producing reports should be
reported to your supervisor when they occur (and before the submission date rather than after). As a
Health Informatics department we expect our students to be particularly good at taking adequate IT
precautions with their work.
Paper
A4 size paper should be used. Paper should be of good or standard quality.
Layout
Margins at the binding edge should not be less than 40mm, other margins not less than 20mm.
Typing should be in double or one and a half line spacing (except indented quotations or footnotes,
where single spacing may be used). The main body of text should be presented in a high quality
typeset of no less than 11 point.
Reports must be printed on one side of the paper only.
Pages of text and appendices should be numbered consecutively throughout the report.
Title Page
The title page should give the following information:
 The full title and sub-title if any
 The full name of the author
 “Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of MSc in Health Informatics”
 “The University of Leeds, School of Medicine, Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, Yorkshire
Centre for Health Informatics”
 The month and year of submission
 “The candidate confirms that the work submitted is his/her own and that appropriate credit
has been given where reference has been made to the work of others”
Abstract
A structured summary (abstract) of the report should be bound in immediately after the title page.
Table of Contents
The Table of Contents should immediately follow the abstract. It should list in sequence, with page
numbers, all relevant sub-divisions of the report, including the titles of chapters, sections and sub-
sections, as appropriate; the list of references; the list of abbreviations and other functional parts of
the whole report; any appendices.
Lists of tables and figures should follow the table of contents and should list, with page numbers, all
tables, diagrams, photographs, etc., in the order in which they occur in the text. A sample template
for Microsoft Word that will help you adhere to the above will be provided in the VLE.
Body of the text
The body of the text will consist of any appropriate number of chapters (covering the recommended
structure given previously) which themselves will be sub-divided into sections and sub-sections.
Chapters should start on new pages. Whilst dividing up the text can aid the reader, it is important to
avoid excessive sub-division and the use of too many levels of headings and sub-headings, which will
lead to too many levels of numbering. There is a need for balance so you will need to use your
judgement, with the key test being readability.

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Cross-referencing
To assist the reader it may be necessary to cross-reference appropriate sections in the report and this
can be done by page number, section number or section name. It is easier to use one of the latter
two as page numbering is only available towards the end of the report preparation process.
Whichever of the section cross-reference mechanisms is chosen it must be used consistently.
Word count
The word limit is 10,000 words, not including the abstract, table of contents, tabular data, references
or appendices.

The Poster Presentation

The second part of the assessed work is a poster, which will be presented in a project exhibition
following the submission deadline. There are three elements:
 An executive summary of the poster suitable for submission to a conference such as
HealthCare 2011, the World of Health IT or a conference of your choice.
 The poster itself which should be submitted as a PDF or PowerPoint.
 A presentation of your poster as though you were presenting it at a conference.
Executive summary of the poster
This should be submitted electronically and should include a one or two page summary of your project
in a form that could be sent to a conference for a poster submission. You should follow the guidelines
from the World of Health IT available via the VLE.

The poster itself

The poster should state your name and student ID, the degree you are working towards (i.e. “MSc in
Health Informatics”) and the date, and should also include the following:
Title
This needs to be short and to the point. Avoid any wording that might not be understood by someone
unfamiliar with your project – e.g. specific names of software applications or abbreviations.
Introduction
Brief outline of the objectives of your research and the major aims - what are you doing and why?
Methods
A short description of general methods and approach. Diagrams and other figures can be used where
appropriate, in fact are often easier to interpret than large sections of text.
Results
Show your findings clearly, with tables, figures or graphs if relevant. Again diagrams may be more
suitable than large paragraphs of text.
Discussion
A brief section on the major points of interest.
Conclusions
These are often best set out as a list of bullet points - think of them as the “bottom line”.
References
A poster is an academic piece of work so these need to be included, but pick a handful of key texts
and keep them brief – your report will contain the full set. They are best referred to in the text using
the numerical style. List your references in a bottom corner. You may use smaller font to save space.

Production and format of the poster

The poster should be submitted electronically in PowerPoint format, suitable for printing in colour at
A0 size (templates will be available in the VLE). Choose a typeface that is clear and easy to read;,

10
then make sure the text size and line spacing make it clearly readable by someone standing about a
metre away, when the poster is fixed to a wall or poster stand. Stick to the most important points –
remember you will be standing next to the poster to present it, so you can explain things in more detail
and answer questions.

Poster Presentation
You will be advised of the Poster presentation date which is likely to be a week or two after
submission date and open for all students. You will be invited to give a brief presentation of your
research based on your poster and this will be assessed on the basis of the poster quality and a
design and your presentation clarity and professionalism.

The Reflective Log

General structure of the log
There is no set structure for the reflective log but you should make sure that it includes regular entries
throughout the duration of the project and that these entries go beyond documenting what was done
to include reflection on the aims, process and challenges. The log should demonstrate that learning
has taken place throughout the project.
The reflective log should demonstrate:
 clear reflective content
 evidence that the log has been maintained throughout the project
 a regular discussion on what has been learnt
 a review of positive and negative aspects
 conclusions reviewing reflection and learning
Your reflective log should be maintained throughout the project and be available for your supervisors
to review. You may add to your reflective log after the submission date to reflect on how you feel at
the end of your project. Relieved, we assume.

Assessment
Monitoring Progress
The MSc project is predominantly self-directed study. Regular updates with your supervisor will assist
you in keeping on course for timely completion.
You will be required to submit a protocol proposal for your research project in advance of starting
work on the actual project. You are encouraged you to begin to work on your project as soon as
possible into your studies to facilitate timely completion. The submitted protocol will be subject to
peer and module manager review through an oral presentation. This is a formative assessment;
feedback will assist you in finalising the methods to be used in your research project.

Details of Assessment
Assessment will be in the form of a 10,000 word report, which will account for 75% of the module
mark. Project reports are assessed by two internal academic examiners and will then be assessed by
the course external examiner.
Alongside submission of your report, you will also prepare a poster giving a summary of your research
for an audience of your fellow students. A project exhibition will be organised following your
submission, which you will be required to attend in order to present your poster. The posters will be
assessed by a panel of academic staff. The poster and its presentation will account for the final 25%
of your module mark.

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Whilst undertaking your research project you are also required to keep a reflective log of your work.
This will be kept in the VLE, and is assessed as a pass / fail.
All coursework components must be passed. It is therefore vital that you maintain your reflective log
throughout your project, that you submit your assignments on time and that you attend your poster
presentation.

Submitting your work

You should submit two soft-bound copies of your project report. In addition, you will also need to
submit an electronic copy of both your report and your poster to the VLE.
Electronic copies of reports and posters should be submitted by
9th September 2010.
Hard copies of reports must be submitted to the Course Administrators by 4pm on
Monday 13th September 2010.
Reflective logs must be completed by the 17th September 2010
Marking Criteria
The written project report contributes 75% of the module mark and the poster 25%. The overall pass
mark for the module is 50%. A mark of 60-69% constitutes a “merit” and a mark of 70% or over
constitutes a “distinction”.
The Report
The report should be to the same quality standards that you should be familiar with throughout your
assignments on this course. The report should:
 Be logically structured with a coherent argument
 Use evidence from a range of sources to support your discussion
 Use appropriate report language
 Use good English, spelling and punctuation.
 Include accurate and consistent referencing
The marks for the written report are apportioned as follows:
Introduction including literature review 20%
Methods (including methods of analysis) 20%
Results 15%
Discussion (including methodological considerations, 25%
findings in relation to existing knowledge, and
implications for practice, policy and future research)
Deliverables for Client 20%

The Poster Presentation

The Executive summary for the poster should be to a standard suitable for submission to an academic
conference. Guidelines for HC2010 are in the Appendix to this report and these, or an alternative
should be followed. It should demonstrate that you:
 Can produce an academic executive summary
 Appreciate Understand the reason and need for your project
 Can define the project and the processes involved
 Outline the results and outcomes of the project

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  Explain the expected benefits for the stakeholders involved.

The Poster should:

 Use appropriate high quality visual aids
 Be easily readable when displayed in a public place by a small audience
 Be logically structured with a coherent argument
 Appropriately indicate the evidence used and its sources
 Be appropriate to the target audience
 Use good English, correct spelling and punctuation
Your presentation and should:
 Have a good pace and be delivered on time
 Be audible and use appropriate language
 Deal with questions appropriately

Please refer to the assessment guidelines for Masters Level study that can be found in the
programme handbook. These indicate the quality of work expected for the award of a particular mark
and will be used by the examiners when assessing your project.

Procedures for failed projects

Following the guidelines provided in this manual and the advice given by your project supervisor
should ensure that you achieve a pass in this module.
In the event of a failed project you will be given a further chance to submit. The maximum mark that
you will be able to receive for a re-submitted project is 50%.
 You will be given written feedback from your examiner and supervisor outlining the reasons
for failure and giving suggestions as to how the project may be improved to obtain a pass.
 You should meet with your supervisor within 7 to 10 days of receiving notification of a fail.
During this meeting you will have an opportunity to discuss the feedback and the work
required for re-submission. At this time you should agree a date for resubmission.
 You should be clear following this meeting what work you need to do to achieve a pass. No
extra supervision will be provided.
Assessment Rules and Regulations
Please refer to the Health Informatics Programme Handbook 2009/10 for all Assessment Rules and
Regulations including submission instructions, guidance on meeting deadlines, results and feedback,
mitigating circumstances and progression. Projects will be marked in accordance with the School of
Medicine Code of Practice for Assessment, available from your Programme Folder or the VLE. The
Programme Handbook should be read in conjunction with the Taught Student Guide, available
electronically at:
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/qmeu/tsg/index.htm

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 Guidelines for Conference Speakers at HC2010
Your goals as a speaker are to make listeners understand, remember, and act on your ideas. To
get them interested and involved include effective visual aids. Some experts say that we acquire 85
percent of all our knowledge visually. Therefore, an oral presentation that incorporates good visual
aids is far more likely to be understood and retained than one lacking enhancement.
Before you make a presentation consider this wise Chinese proverb:
"Tell me, I forget.
Show me, I remember.
Involve me, I understand."
Prior to attendance
- Accept reviewers comments (if provided)
- Confirm attendance
- Contact the organisers in advance if you have any special questions, requirements or if you plan to
use any special equipment or your own laptop during your presentation
- Prepare your presentation according to the guidelines provided.
- Do not include commercial company or product names or logos excepted in passing in connection
with the subject matter.
- Prepare some brief introductory information about your background and how your talk fits into the
scheme of the session or conference.
- Ensure that you bring with you your presentation and a back up on portable media (e.g. memory
stick)

Prior to Your Session

- Deliver your Powerpoint presentation to the AV technicians in the Speakers Room at least 30
minutes before the start of your session.

- Meet with the session chairman and other speakers in the Speakers Room 30 minutes before the
start of your session where introductions will be made between the participants and any questions
you may have will be resolved.

- The Stream Manager will brief you and the chairman on how the session is expected to run.

- The chairman will brief you on the method that will be used to notify you when you are nearing your
presentation time limit and how you will be interrupted if you reach the end of your allotted time.

- Provide the chairman with your brief introductory information about your background and how your
talk fits into the scheme of the session or conference.

- Move to the session room with the chairman and other speakers 15 minutes before the session is
due to begin. Agree positions at the podium and try out any equipment you plan to use.

Your Presentation
- The chairman will give a brief introduction about your background and how your talk fits into the
scheme of the session or conference.
- When you deliver your presentation remember that slides summarise; they do not tell the whole
story - that is your job as the presenter. Show a slide, allow the audience to read it and then
paraphrase it.
- Do NOT read from your slides; talk to the audience, not to the slides.
- Towards the end of your presentation time the chairman will provide you with a countdown as
agreed in your briefing session.

- At the end of the allotted time if you have not finished the chairman will interrupt as agreed and bring
the presentation to an end.

Guidelines for Conference Speakers at HC2010 Page 1 of 2

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Questions & Answers
- Where a Q&A slot is planned the chairman will invite questions and take responsibility for selecting
and controlling questioners.

- The chairman will have prepared at least one general question ready for each speaker in order to
help get the discussion off the ground if necessary.

- The chairman may ask you to repeat any question from the floor or may repeat it him/herself if they
are in a better position to hear the question.

At the End of the Session

- When the last speaker's presentation and questions/answers have concluded the chairman will
thank the speakers again, thank the audience for attending and state that the session is now
completed.

Your Slide Presentation for HC 2010

Your slides should provide an aid to the audience as they hear you present your ideas. Keep visuals
simple: spotlight major points only.
- Use the same font size and style for similar headings.
- Apply the Rule of Seven. For the most readable slides, use no more than:
􀂃seven words on a line,
􀂃seven total lines
􀂃49 total words
- Keep bullet points to no more than five levels
- Graphs should have no more than 10 divisions marked for each axis
- Use slides with landscape format to ensure they will fit on the screen
- Use the layout provided in the HC Conference PowerPoint template for your slides.
- If you import text by linking to or copying from another document (e.g., Word or Excel), be sure the
imported text uses the correct fonts
- The first slide must contain:
o Title of Paper
o Names of all authors with speaker listed first
o Speakers affiliation
- Usually 8 to 12 slides are needed for a 20 minutes presentation.
- Bring a backup copy of your presentation in case of equipment failure.
- Commercial logos, references to commercial products and suppliers are not permitted
except in passing in the context of the presentation. Slides will be reviewed before the
presentation for compliance.

Fonts
- For proportional text use Arial and Arial Black.
- For monospaced text use Courier.
- Use the point sizes:
o 40 for slide titles
o Bullet points
􀂃30 for level one
􀂃28 for level two
􀂃24 for level three

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 􀂃22 for level four
􀂃20 for level five

Working with Colour

- Generally, it is smart to use a colour palette of five or fewer colours for an entire presentation.
- Use the same colour for similar elements
- Use dark text on a light background for presentation in a bright room.

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