The 9 NFQ Advanced Research Methods Assessment Brief 2026 at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is designed to help students develop the skills required to formulate focused, relevant, and answerable research questions within a clinical or healthcare context. The assessment carries 10 ECTS credits and contributes 30% to the overall module grade.
Students are required to select a clinical or healthcare issue that is relevant to their area of interest and provide a concise background explaining the scale of the problem, its significance, and its potential implications for patient care and clinical practice. The background should demonstrate engagement with relevant literature and provide a clear rationale for investigating the selected issue.
The second part of the assessment requires students to formulate a systematic review question using either the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) or PEO (Population, Exposure, Outcome) framework. Students should select the framework that best matches the nature of their clinical inquiry and ensure that the resulting question is specific, practical, and suitable for evidence synthesis.
The assessment also focuses on developing students’ understanding of evidence-based practice, systematic review methodology, literature searching, and evidence appraisal. Students are expected to consider whether their proposed research question is relevant and feasible within a real clinical or healthcare setting.
The assignment has a 250-word requirement with a ±10% allowance and must follow the specified presentation guidelines, including a cover page, appropriate references, 12-point Arial or Calibri font, and double line spacing. Students must submit their original work through Turnitin on Moodle by the stated deadline and comply with the RCSI Academic Integrity Policy.
Overall, this assessment provides an opportunity to demonstrate the ability to identify an important clinical issue, structure a research question systematically, and establish a strong foundation for evidence-based research and systematic review work.
