PROJECT HANDBOOK

Year III

B.Sc. (Hons) in Radiography

2009/2010

March 2009

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Project Schedule………………………………………………………………………..…..…...3

1. Introduction……………………………………………………………..….………….……4

2. Aims……………………………………………………………………...………………....4

3. Objectives……………………………………………………………..…….………….…...5

4. Project Co-ordinator………………………………………..…………..…….………….….5

5. Role of Project Supervisors…………………………………………….....…….…….…….6

6. Regulations………………………………………………………………..……….…….….7

7. Project guidelines…………………………………………………………..…………..…...8

8. Penalties…………………………………………………………………..…………...…...13

9. Grading……………………………………………………………………..………………14

Appendix 1 – Content Criteria for Approval of Preliminary Project Proposal………………...15

Appendix 2 – Project Proposal Submission Guidelines.................…………………..……...…16

Appendix 3 – Research Project Information Sheet Format ...………………………….………20

Appendix 4 – Sample Consent Form …..…………………………………………………........21

Appendix 5 – HSEARS – Human subjects ethics application review system…..……...............22

Appendix 6 – Content Criteria for Approval of Formal Project Proposal...................................24

Appendix 7 – Research Project Progress Report.................................... .………………….…..25

Appendix 8 – Oral Presentation Guidelines.............................………..…………………...…...27

Appendix 9 – Final Project Report Guidelines and Assessment Criteria..…………….….…....29

Appendix 10 – Referencing Format .....................................……………………..…….….…..31

Appendix 11 – Project Assessment 1: Oral Presentation....……………………………..……...32

Appendix 12 –Project Assessment 2: Final Project Report .....………………………….……..33

Appendix 13 – Summary of Project Assessments .....……………….………………………....34

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 FINAL YEAR PROJECT SCHEDULE

Year II, Semester 2 Briefing of the overall conduct of the Final Year Project.
Weeks 7 Groupings will be announced in due course.
(3 March 2009)
Week 9 1. Identify two to three areas of study [e.g. radiation protection; dosimetry; CT; imaging
(20 March 2009) anatomy; ethical/professional issues; ultrasound; radiotherapy techniques; dosimetry, patient
care etc].
2. Discuss within group what they would like to study within the proposed areas
3. Submit the research question in no more than 1 page for each proposed area. Students
are NOT advised to contact academic staff for topics at this stage.

By Week 11 Allocation of academic supervisor

By end of Week 15 1. Each group to develop 2 potential projects under the guidance of supervisor
(30 April 2009) 2. Submit a 2 page preliminary proposal for each potential project, stating the aim of the
project and describe briefly how your research question can be approached by your project
By Week 17 Approval of preliminary proposals
From Week 17 onwards Each group continues to develop the proposal (protocol) of the approved project with the
supervisor.

Year III, Semester 1 Each student to submit 2 hard copies of literature review (with a soft copy) and each group
By beginning of Week 4 to submit 4 hard copies of the proposal (with a soft copy) to the Subject Teacher of
(21 September 2009) Introduction to Clinical Research (Dr. Parco Siu)
The Literature review and proposal will be marked by Dr. Siu and the supervisor based on the
criteria set for the “Proposal Writing Assignment”. Two other reviewers will provide feedback
on the proposal.

After return of proposal 1. Group to come up with a final group proposal to be submitted:
and (~Week 8) a. to FYP Co-ordinator (with the list of hospitals/institutes where projects need to be
conducted). All projects requiring external approval should be sent out by FYP Co-
ordinator. This also serves as record of the group’s work.
b. for Ethics Review
2. Group to go through the ethics checklist and apply for ethics approval electronically (if
required).

After Ethics/Institutional Group to collect data, after receiving ethics approval from DRC/hospitals, while reviewing
approval results and literature continuously.

Year III, Semester 2 Progress Report Form to be submitted to FYP Co-ordinator after completion by the
By the end of Week 3 group and signed by each member in the group and project supervisor.

Weeks 4 – 12 Group to continue data collection and writing up.

By beginning of Week Each student to submit a draft of the Final Project Report for supervisor’s comments.
13 (Even though it will not be assessed, it is important to hand in a final draft report, before the
deadline for the project, so that supervisors may give their last comments on the work and to
allow time for final revisions and re-organization).
During Week 16 Each student to give an oral presentation of their study. ∗

By the end of Week 16 Each student to submit Final Project Report to Project Co-ordinator. ∗
(1 named hard copy and 2 hard copies without the names on plus 1 electronic copy with
initial literature review.)
*Asterisk denotes formal assessment.
N.B. The beginning of the week for assessment submissions means by 12.00 noon on the Monday of the week
given unless otherwise stated. The end of the week for assessment submissions means by 12.00 noon on the
Friday of the week given unless otherwise stated. If a public holiday falls on any of such days, the submission
should be done on the following working day.

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1. INTRODUCTION

The Project is a final year subject that must be satisfactorily completed before graduation.
Each student will be expected to work within a group, on a topic chosen and presented for
approval by the end of Semester 2, Year 2. Subject matter will relate directly to the
profession, reflecting elements of local clinical practice. The research and writing-up process
requires integration of a wide range of materials, with learning and understanding acquired
during previous years of study.

The foundation for developing the skills to research and outline a project will be developed in
the subject Introduction to Clinical Research. Here students will be taught to think about
possible research topics and source ideas from the literature.

Each group will be allocated a Project supervisor, who will be an academic staff member.
Students must contact their supervisor to arrange regular consultation and progress meetings.
The supervisor will act to guide further discussion and advise on development of possible
project proposals and the first submission of these to the Project Coordinator. Once the
Project Coordinator has confirmed approval of the preliminary proposal, the students under
the guidance of the supervisor will continue to develop the proposal. Each student is expected
to write up his/her own final proposal for submission.

Each student is required to maintain a logbook, or diary, detailing decisions and actions taken
during development of their research, and showing progress. These will be reviewed
regularly by Project Supervisors and must be available for review with the final project
report, if necessary.

This subject runs for two semesters and requires the student to undertake approximately 240
hours of independent work. This element of the course requires the student to accept a great
deal of responsibility regarding identification and research of topics, study design, data
collection and presentation. Students will need to begin thinking and planning during the
second year, and to work on their Project continuously throughout the third year.

This handbook contains information on protocol writing, guidelines and regulations for
Project work in Radiography and must be read and maintained by each student.

2. AIMS

By guiding them through the complete experience of conducting their own research project,
the Project aims to:

• Utilize and reinforce the student’s acquired knowledge, developing intellectual

independence, discipline and self-management skills
• Encourage and reinforce teamwork and involvement, as well as individual
development
• Further develop student abilities to communicate effectively

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3. OBJECTIVES

Group project assignments encompass a wide spectrum of learning experiences and students
should aim to develop independent skills alongside those required to function successfully as
a team member.

The objectives stated below have been grouped for purposes of clarification only and carry
equal weighting.

Individual

The student will be expected to demonstrate independence, resourcefulness and competence

in their studies and in being able to:

• Recognize the implications of continuing research and professional development to

maintain professional growth after graduation
• Search information relevant to a particular subject area
• Assimilate information and present it in the form of a literature review
• Correlate and integrate information in the writing up process
• Demonstrate the ability to rationalize and synthesize information, to draw
conclusions, and to suggest outcomes from the project process

Teamwork

This is a skill required in professional practice and each student will be expected to show the
following:

• The ability to work together to develop and present a suitable outline of an

investigation for a chosen topic
• Evidence of commitment to the Project team
• Responsibility for their own decisions and actions taken
ƒ The ability to co-operate with others

Communication

The Project is intended to develop and encourage the student’s ability to:

• Communicate effectively with others, and to others, using verbal and written skills
• Evaluate their performance, identify their own strengths and weaknesses and
recognize when, and how, to seek advice and guidance

4. PROJECT COORDINATOR

The Project Coordinator is responsible for coordinating:

• Administration of regulations
• Approval of all project proposals, within the time specified in the Project schedule
• Allocation of a Project Supervisor to each Project group
• Liaison with external institutions

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 • All appeal procedures.
• Monitoring of all assessment components of the Project submitted for the award of
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Radiography

5. ROLE OF PROJECT SUPERVISORS

Project Supervisors will be members of the Radiography section, and will be

allocated/designated by the Project Coordinator. Each Supervisor will be responsible for not
more than two Project groups at any one time. The main function of the designated
Supervisor is to monitor the progress of the Project group and to give advice or guidance to
the group, or to individual students within the group, as may be required. Supervisors will
also be responsible for the marking and assessment of each project.

Each Supervisor should:

i. Guide the group to pursue and develop areas of interest and then to determine and
finalize a specific Project title and Project proposal from the topic area approved by
the Project Coordinator at the end of Year Two.

ii. Advise students on practicalities and availability of resources for Project work (e.g.
equipment, workspace, funding, etc.). Any queries regarding resource should be
referred by the Supervisor to the Project Coordinator

iii. Arrange a mutually convenient timetable for group meetings. Meetings should take
place whenever necessary and at least once per month. Supervisors should be
available to comply with reasonable requests from students for further
advice/counselling as might be needed

iv. Review student logbooks regularly and advise students to record Project
developments, decisions made and action(s) taken

v. Monitor progress of work and advise students in accordance with the Project
schedule

vi. Ensure that all formal assessment marks are returned to students as soon as possible.

vii. Review and advise on content and standard of works, including assistance with
editing of the Final Report, before formal submissions are made in accordance with
the Project schedule

viii. Act as liaison between the student(s) and the Project Coordinator, as required

ix. Refer any queries or incidents outside their designated role to the Project
Coordinator for advice/action

x. Consult the Project Coordinator, regarding any proposed change in the supervisory
role.

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6. REGULATIONS

i. Each student must complete:

a. an oral examination
b. a final project report, written in the format of a ‘Major Paper’

ii. Students must adhere to the specified Project schedule. No extensions will be
granted under normal circumstances. Applications for extension under mitigating
circumstances may be made in writing to the Project Co-ordinator.

iii. Students must adhere to the schedule of meetings agreed with the Project supervisor.
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that meetings take place.

iv. No student or supervisor may directly approach any person outside the PolyU with
any request or promise relating to Project work without the permission of the Project
Coordinator. Students may ask permission from the Project Coordinator to consult
with external persons, but no person other than a member of the academic staff of
the HTI Department can act as supervisor for a project.

v. No student will begin any practical or experimental work until all approval proces
ses have been completed and the authorization of the Project Co-ordinator is
received via the Project Supervisor.

vi. Students working outside the PolyU must ensure that they conduct themselves
professionally, and according to the rules and regulations of the institution in which
they are working.

vii. The decision of the Project Coordinator, as regards appropriate study areas,
application for extensions and assessments, will be final and binding.

viii. Any appeals regarding conduct of Project Supervisors, Project group composition
and conduct, extension of submission times and assessments must be made in
writing to the Project Coordinator.

ix. Final Project Reports submitted for the award of Bachelor of Science (Honours) in
Radiography are the property of the Department of Health Technology and
Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Any copyright derived from
the whole, or part of, a Final Project Report will be held by the Department of Health
Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

NB. Any submission for publication or presentation of material arising from Final
Project Reports must be approved by the Project Coordinator.

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7. PROJECT GUIDELINES

A Project is very much a student’s own work, even though part of the process will be
undertaken as a group. Students will work under the supervision of a member of staff, who
will act as an advisor. Students will be encouraged to present and enact their own ideas as far
as possible, working within the following guidelines and adhering strictly to the set schedule.

Once the research areas have been approved by the Project Coordinator, each group will be
allocated a final Project Supervisor and students should contact him/her for further discussion
of the project and the facilities required, to produce a project title and to organize a schedule
for meetings. Although the supervisor is there to guide students, and not to undertake any of
the project work, students must ensure that they maintain contact, and that all plans of action
are discussed with, and approved by, the supervisor before they do anything.

7.1 Proposing a research topic

When the group has identified an area of interest for further investigation, specific questions
should be determined, for example:

ƒ Do degree-qualified radiographers have higher salary expectations than PD

graduates? Is the frequency of hand-washing associated with other hygiene
measures?
ƒ Are older X-ray units likely to give higher ESD?
ƒ Are level of education and likelihood to have a mammogram related?
ƒ Are all the films taken in a routine lumbar spine series clinically valuable enough
to justify patient dose?

As few as one or two questions may be sufficient for experimental studies; as many as 15-20
for questionnaire-based studies. When the questions have been specified, methodology must
be considered; think about the following:

1. Will this work?

One can never be sure how a proposed research project will work out, but it is
important to consider all aspects of planning. For example, ask yourself:

a) Do I/we have access to the equipment, resources, facilities that may be

needed?
b) Do I/we have the technical ability to collect the data?
c) Is the proposal reasonable? Will I/we be able to gather information and
complete the final report within the allotted time?

2. What/who will be involved?

It is very important for the success of any project that everyone involved is co-
operative. This applies in particular to those who may be concerned with data
collection in the clinical setting.

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 N.B. No student may approach a member of the clinical community directly.
Any such approach will be made by your Project Supervisor, after approval of the
proposal is given by the Project Coordinator.

a) Will I/we need to make any special arrangements to carry out the study? (e.g.
access to archived films)
b) Will I/we need special permission? (e.g. Approval by the Ethics Committee)
c) Will I/we need to obtain consent, guarantee confidentiality, prepare
information for proposed subjects?

3. What are the implications?

a) Is the project interesting? If so, to whom?
b) Will it improve any aspect of clinical practice?
c) Could it be considered as original work?

When the group has decided the project title, a study proposal must be jointly prepared by all
group members and submitted in writing to the Project Coordinator for approval.

7.2 Project Proposals (Protocols)

Three stages are involved in the project proposal:

1. Preliminary Project Proposal (group)

2. Formal Project Proposal (individual literature review + group proposal)
3. Final Group Project Proposal (group for ethics review and external approval)

7.2.1 Preliminary Project Proposal (2 pages)

The project group should decide on a research question from the research area of their
interest and do a preliminary literature review on the area. The preliminary project
proposal should consist of the following headings:

1. Background

Information about previous related studies; current situation;

What arouses the interest in this study?

2. Rationale of the study

Why is the study important? Why is it worth doing the study?

3. Study design
How will the research question be answered? How will the study be carried out?

4. Application of results
In what way will the results be of use to the society/medical community/profession/patients?

5. Resources
Where will the study be conducted? What equipment will be used?
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 Also refer to Appendix 1 for the approval criteria.

Formal Project Proposal

Refer to Appendix 2 for guidelines. This should be a full proposal from the project
group with information sheet and consent form (Appendices 3 & 4) if human subjects
are involved. This proposal will be marked by the subject teacher of Introduction to
Clinical Research and supervisor as well as vetted by 2 reviewers. Approval criteria
are found in Appendix 6.

7.2.3 Final Group Project Proposal

When the Formal Project Proposal is graded and returned, the project group has to
either select one proposal from among the group or compile a new one with all
comments incorporated for submission:
a. to Project Co-ordinator (with the list of hospitals/institutes where projects need to
be conducted)
b. for Ethics Review

When protocol is approved:

1. Go through the ethics checklist and apply for ethics approval electronically using
the PolyU website – “my PolyU” (Appendix 5).
2. Submit the list of hospitals to be contacted in a separate sheet to the Project Co-
ordinator
3. Completed ethics approval forms for HA cluster groups must also be included if
access to hospitals is required.

7.3 Research Project Progress Report

At the beginning of Semester 2, as laid down in the Project Schedule, each group MUST
submit a progress report to the Project Co-ordinator, on the form provided (Appendix 7). It
is important that supervisors are able to monitor the group’s progress. Therefore, it is
essential that students present their supervisor with updated work at periodic intervals, in
order that such an evaluation can be made.

7.4 Individual Oral Presentation

Each student will give an oral presentation of their project work in about 20 minutes, prior to
the submission of the final project report, in which they should provide a concise summary of
the main components of the research. It will be followed by a 10 minute questioning from
the assessment panel. This will enable formal assessment of each student on their research
area.

Each student will be assessed by a panel consisting of two academic staff from the
Radiography Section at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Refer to Appendix 8 for
guidelines.

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7.5 Final Project Report Content List

Final Project reports will contain some material collected/developed through group work (G),
but will be mostly individual (I). Refer to Appendix 9 for detail guidelines.

Each individual report must contain:

ƒ Title page (to include name, student number and date of submission) (I)
ƒ A ‘blind’ Title page (i.e. no name, number etc) (I)
ƒ A written report containing:

1. Abstract (250 words or less) (I)

2. Introduction (I)
3. Methods (G)
4. Results (I/G)
5. Discussion (I)
6. Acknowledgements (I)
7. References (I)
8. Tables/figures (I/G)

ƒ Appendices (e.g. questionnaires; pilot studies; data record sheets/tables, plus

original Literature review (I/G)

7.6 Final Project Content Guidelines

The following are brief guidelines adapted from the AJR Guidelines for Authors. Full
guidelines are available at: http://www.ajronline.org/misc/ifora.shtml.

Students are advised to refer to the AJR to read published articles and familiarize themselves
with formats. They should also refer to assessment criteria specified in assessment forms and
grading descriptions for details of content requirements. Project Supervisors will also advise
on content. Also refer to Appendix 9 for further guidelines and assessment criteria.

7.6.1 Abstract

A clear, succinct statement of objectives, materials/subjects, methods, results and

conclusions [to include actual data], of 250 words or less. References should not be
included.

7.6.2 Introduction

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A brief background of the area and related research. Hypotheses/problems addressed
should be clearly identified and placed in context. The importance of the study
should be clearly explained. References should be included

7.6.3 Methods

• Research plan/protocol
• Major equipment and materials required and/or subjects.
• Methods used
• How data was collected and analysed
• Where appropriate, how subjectivity was controlled

Methods should be referenced where appropriate.

It is not unusual for research protocols to be modified as data is collected and

analysed, however, any such changes in procedures should be justified, and must be
approved by the Project Supervisor. Discussion relating to the changes should be
included in the final report when appropriate.

7.6.4 Results

A clear and logical description of results obtained.

N.B. Be selective in the use of graphs, tables and figures, as these can overload the
reader and may not present your results in the best light. If results are given in a table
or figure, do not repeat these in text, except to highlight or further explain important
findings. Results should be given in 2 pages or less.

All data record sheets/tables should be included in an Appendix and submitted with
your final paper.

7.6.5 Discussion

Each student must submit an individual discussion. This should contain your own
interpretation of the meaning and value of results, related to the literature where
appropriate [i.e. similarities or differences to previous reports and explanations for
this], and considering the aim and objectives of the study.

Describe any limitations identified/encountered.

It may help to consider the following questions:

♦ Did the results bear out your original hypothesis?

♦ If not, why not?
♦ Did your results agree with the literature you reviewed?
♦ What actually caused the results you found?
♦ Do the results have any clinical value, implications for change of clinical
practice, implications for the patient, etc.?
♦ Do the results suggest any areas of improvement or further research?

Length of discussion will vary depending on the extent of data collected, what is
already known and the complexity of findings.
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 7.6.6 Acknowledgements

It is considered most appropriate to acknowledge the support and contribution of

clinical staff who may have helped you in the course of the project by thanking the
hospital department generally, rather than identifying individuals (e.g. “I would like to
thank the staff of the Dept. of Radiology, XXX Hospital, for their help and support
in…”).

7.6.7 References

Referencing should follow the format detailed in the AJR Guidelines for Authors
[http://www.ajronline.org/misc/ifora.shtml]. (Appendix 10)

7.7 Submission

Papers must be typed in 12 point font on white A4 size paper, with 1.5 line spacing. Printing
should be single-sided. Margins should be 2.0 –2.5 cm wide.

Papers should be submitted unbound, secured by a paperclip and placed in a plastic folder.

Students are advised to use word processing facilities in the preparation of manuscripts.
REMEMBER TO BACK UP YOUR WORK REGULARLY. Figures and illustrations may
be hand-drawn and may be used by all members of the group if the illustrator’s name is
included in front of the footnote. Figures and tables must be numbered.

Submitted reports are the property of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics,
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Students are expected to hand in THREE (1 named
and 2 unnamed) hard copies plus an electronic copy on 3.5 in. diskette or CD in MS Word
format.

8. PENALTIES

8.1 Penalty for late submission of assessments

Students who do not meet the deadline for handing in the assessed components of the
research projects will be penalised for the late submission.

N.B. The penalty for late submission will be a loss of 10% per day for the assessment
concerned.

8.2 Penalty for plagiarism

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A student who is guilty of intentional plagiarism will be penalised severely. If allegations of
intentional plagiarism are deemed to be justified, then this may result in automatic failure of
the final year project.

If a student is guilty of unintentional plagiarism, whereby (s)he has not paraphrased work
satisfactorily, or has failed to acknowledge some parts of the text appropriately, then the
project supervisor should penalise the student according to the severity of the offence

9. GRADING DESCRIPTION

Grade Description
A+ Outstanding work demonstrating evidence of original thought; extended conceptual awareness;
perceptive analytical and evaluative reasoning; relevant content; comprehensive, logical and
concise presentation.

A Excellent work, approaching the standard in the description above, but not quite reaching this
standard in all areas.

B+/B Very good/good work showing evidence of clear understanding of the concepts involved; clear
evidence of analysis and evaluation of the topic; relevant content; comprehensive presentation.

C+/C Wholly satisfactory/satisfactory work showing understanding of the main concepts involved;
satisfactory evidence of analysis and evaluation of the topic; relevant content; comprehensive
presentation.

D+/D Barely adequate/weak work in which the main concepts are identified; adequate analysis or
evaluation of the topic; contains some irrelevant material and factual errors, omission of some
relevant items of discussion.

F Inadequate work in which the main concepts involved have not been identified; inadequate
evidence of analytical development or evaluative reasoning; contains basic factual errors and
considerable irrelevant material; illogical and restricted consideration of the topic

Assessment Forms for Oral Presentation and Final Year Project Report are found in
Appendices 11-13.

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 Appendix 1

B.Sc. (Hons) in Radiography

CONTENT CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL OF PRELIMINARY

PROJECT PROPOSAL

Group: ____________________

Project Title:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Requires Requires more

Criteria Reasonable some minor information/
revision major revision

Background Information about previous related

studies; current situation

Rationale Why the study is important?

Design Brief description of how the study

will be carried out.

Application of In what way will the results be of

results use to the society/medical
community/profession/patients?

Resources Where will the study be conducted?

What equipment will be used?

Overall
impression

Further comments:

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 Appendix 2
B.Sc. (Hons) in Radiography

PROJECT PROPOSAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The Proposal is an assessment component of:

HTI3418 Introduction to Clinical Research

Subject coordinator: Dr. Parco SIU

Office: Y916
Tel: 3400 8593
Email: htpsiu@inet.polyu.edu.hk

Proposal Writing Assignment (40%)

Deadline: September 21, 2009 (Monday 5:00 PM)

Each student is required to submit individually a literature review (maximum 3 pages

excluding references) and the project group a group project proposal (maximum 8 pages
excluding references and attachments).

The RAD FYP is group project in nature and so the full project proposal is a group
submission. However, the Literature Review should be developed and written on a
completely individual base and therefore the grading of this part is expected to be
discriminative among students in the same group.

The proposal is suggested to follow the proposed headings as shown below. It is assumed
that you will be working on your proposed study as your final year project. The key
objective of writing the proposal is to demonstrate the NEEDS and FEASIBILITY of the
study.

• Title
• Abstract (1/2 page)
• Objectives (1/2 page)
• Background (1-2 pages)
• Methods (3-4 pages)
• Working Schedule
• Budget (max. HK$1,250 per group)
• References (~20-40)
• Informed consent form and Research information sheet (if needed)

As projects can have different natures, headings proposed above may not be necessary to be
the same for all projects.

Format (Mark will be deducted for improper format)

• Page Size: A4
• Margin: 2.5 cm for top, bottom, left and right margins

16
• Line Spacing: 1.5 line spacing for text and single line spacing for footnotes and
tables
• Font: Times New Roman 12 points
• Unit: SI Unit
• Reference Citation: Use format adopted by American Journal of Roentgenology
Students can visit “Instructions for Authors” of American Journal of Roentgenology at
http://www.ajronline.org/misc/ifora.shtml for detail information on referencing format.

The proposal will be assessed on:

(1) Research rationale and Proposal writing skill: which contribute to 70% of the
assessment and will be graded by Dr. Parco Siu. Students are required to demonstrate and
justify the NEEDS and FEASIBILITY of the proposed study in this part of assessment.
(2) Scientific content: The remaining 30% will be attributed to the scientific content of the
proposal which will be graded by the student’s supervisor.

Assessment Pattern of the FYP Proposal:

70% Research Rationale & Writing Skill (graded by Dr. Parco Siu)
30% Scientific Content (graded by FYP supervisor)

Research Rationale & Writing Skill (70% of overall assessment of Proposal Writing) will be
graded based on the following assessment criteria:
• Appropriate writing format for academic/scientific proposal
• Appropriate writing tone in supporting the proposal
• Logic of the research rationale
• Justification on the needs of the proposed study
• Feasibility to complete the proposed study
• Understanding of methodology in the proposal
• Use of appropriate tense(s)

Scientific Content (30% of overall assessment of Proposal Writing) will be graded based on
the scientific merit and the appropriateness of the depth of the scientific content as an
undergraduate FYP in the specified topic area. The part of Literature Review is expected to
contribute to a large proportion of the assessment of Scientific Content. Specifically, the
Literature Review will be graded based on the following assessment criteria:
• Range and depth of review
• Integration of reading
• Relevance of material

REMARKS:
1. The submitted proposal should be the individual personal written work by the
students.

2. The role of the supervisor is to provide guidance and supervision on the proposal
writing of the students BUT NOT to write or edit the proposals for the students.

3. Project supervisors are not suggested to provide the students with the past
proposals in order to minimize the chance of plagiarism.

17
 IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1. The supervisor is expected to meet with students as a group rather than individual student
for regular project supervision.

2. It is important to note that although students will be working as a group on the same
project area, the writing submitted by each student must NOT be exactly the same. Thus,
the proposals are expected to be written individually.

3. In order to standardize the workload, the total working hours for each RAD student are
expected to be 210 - 270 hours (6 credit hours for RAD FYP). This will include the time
to be spent in literature search, experimental work and report writing.

4. If you need specific type of equipment for your project, you must consult and obtain
agreement from your supervisor on the availability of the equipment and indicate clearly
whether you need any specific training. You must arrange laboratory training with the
laboratory in-charge via your supervisor.

List of faculty members in RADIOGRAPHY program:

Dr. Lawrence CHAN

Dr. Phoebe CHAN
Dr. Karl FUNG
Dr. Patrick LAI
Dr. Thomas LAU
Dr. Maria LAW
Dr. Fuk-Hay TANG
Dr. Peter WHITE
Dr. Vincent WU
Dr. Michael YING

Visit www.polyu.edu.hk/hti for the research interests and details of the individual faculty
members.

Reminder for Final Year Independent Study

1. Properly plan your own schedule so that you won’t get rush by the time you submit the
report of your final year project.

2. Working in laboratory or in the department after the office hours requires prior
arrangement with your supervisor. You must have at least a partner to work together with
you after the office hours for the sake of safety.

3. If your project involved human subjects or animals, you must obtain the ethics approval
from appropriate authority at PolyU (e.g., Human/Animal Ethical Sub-committee) via
your supervisor before you conduct any experiment with subjects.

4. You must get the preliminary approval from the laboratory in-charge if you plan to use
the equipment in the respective laboratory for your project.

18
5. Whenever you encounter any doubt about the proper procedures in carrying out your
project, please don’t hesitate to contact your supervisor.

6. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited and any suspected case will be passed to the Student
Disciplinary Committee.

SUGGESTED READING LIST

1. Portney LG, Watkins MP (2000) Foundations of clinical research. Applications to

practice. Norwalk, CT: Appleton & Lange.

2. Bailey DM (1991) Research for the health profession. A practical guide. Philadelphia:
F.A. Davis.

3. Locke LF (1993) Proposals that work: A guide for planning dissertations and grant
proposals. Newsbury Park: SAGE Publications.

4. Munro BH, Page EB (1993) Statistical methods for health care research. Philadelphia:
J.B. Lippincott Company.

5. Ogden TE (1993) Research proposal: A guide to success. New York: Raven Press.

6. Meador R (1991) Guidelines for preparing proposals. Chelsea, Mich.: Lewis Publishers.

7. Behling JH (1984) Guidelines in preparing the research proposal. Lanham, MD:

University Press of America.

19
 Appendix 3

B.Sc. (Hons) in Radiography

RESEARCH PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET FORMAT

The use of headings is up to the investigators, but the information sheet must contain the

following information:

ƒ Title of project and names of those carrying it out / responsible for it.
ƒ Why the research is being done
ƒ What the investigators will ask the subjects to do
ƒ Benefits of this study
ƒ Any risks associated with this study
ƒ Statements regarding confidentiality, right of withdrawal, and if appropriate that
future care will not be affected.
ƒ Statement regarding who to contact for more information.

The following statement should also be included at the end of the information sheet:

‘This research project has received ethics approval from the Departmental Research

Committee, Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic

University, and any comments or complaints regarding the conduct of the study should be

addressed initially to the Chairman, Prof. Iris Benzie (Tel 34008572).’

20
 Appendix 4

SAMPLE CONSENT FORM

Title of project :

Please answer the following questions before you sign your consent.

1. Have you read the information sheet provided? Yes / no

2. Have you had an opportunity to ask questions and discuss this Yes / no
study?
3. Have your received satisfactory answers to all of your questions? Yes / no
4. Have you received enough information about the study? Yes / no

5. Who provided the information / answered your questions?

Miss / Mr __________________________

6. Do you understand that participation is entirely voluntary? Yes / no

7. Do you understand that you are free to withdraw from the study at Yes / no
any time?

8. Without having to give a reason ? Yes / no

9. Without affecting your future care ? Yes / no

10. Do you agree to take part in this study ? Yes / no

Name: _____________________________

Signature: __________________________

Date:_____________________________________

21
 Appendix 5

HSEARS - HUMAN SUBJECTS ETHICS APPLICATION REVIEW

SYSTEM
REGISTER PROJECT

Project General Information

Project ID
<New Project>
(Status):
* Project Title:
* Type of
Staff Research
Project:
Ph. D. degree M.
Student Research
Phil. Master's/Bachelor's Degree
Others (Pls Specify)
Confidentiality:
It is a confidential project (pls provide justification)

* Project End 01 06 2007

Date: To: - -
(dd-mm-yyyy)

Project a/c no.

(RO/FO):
Remarks:

Max. 2000 characters

* mandatory fields

22
Ethics Review Checklist
* 1 Have you obtained ethical approval for the Project from one of the listed
Yes No
external institution?
(If you tick "Yes" for this question, please click Next and attach a copy of the
approval letter to the application.)

2 Does the study involve subjects who are unable to give informed consent?
(e.g. children, mentally handicapped people, unconscious patients) Yes No

3 Could subjects perceive any coercion on the part of the investigator?

Yes No

4 Will the study impinge on the subject's right to privacy or his/her personal life?
Yes No

5 Will financial inducements (other than reasonable expenses & compensation for
time) be offered to subjects? Yes No

6 Will deception of subjects be necessary during the study?

Yes No
7 Will the study involve prolonged and repetitive testing?
Yes No

8 Could the experiment/study induce undue psychological stress or anxiety?

Yes No

9 Is pain or more than mild discomfort likely to result from the procedure?
Yes No
10 Are drugs or placebo to be administered to the subjects?
Yes No
11 Will blood or tissue samples be obtained from subjects?
Yes No
12 Does the research involve DNA work on archived samples?
(If YES, please submit the application to the Chairman, HSESC via Chairman, DRC Yes No
of your department.)

13 Will the subject's identity be disclosed if archived tissue samples or medical / social
records are used? Yes No

14 Will you use irradiation or hazardous substances on human subjects?

Yes No

15 If you are not using a consent form, please explain

why.
Max. 400 characters

* mandatory fields

23
 Appendix 6

B.Sc. (Hons) in Radiography

CONTENT CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL OF FORMAL PROJECT PROPOSAL

Group:

Project Title:

____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Criteria Acceptable Requires some Not

minor revision acceptable
Reasoning:

Title Accurate; descriptive of study

Background Relevant

Aim(s) Clear; logical

Objectives Clear; logical; will achieve aim(s)

Application of Logical; feasible; significance of

results project
Design:

Methodology Clear; logical; sequential

Questionnaire Clear; appropriate; unbiased;

design legible; well-presented; with
Data collection Clear of what data to collect

Data analysis Explanation of analysis, including

hypotheses, description of
statistics etc.
Overall:

Logical
presentation
Feasibility

Further comments:

24
 Appendix 7

B.Sc. (Hons) in Radiography

RESEARCH PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT

This report is to be completed by the student and the academic supervisor by the beginning of
Week 2, in Semester 2. The student is entitled to see and be able to discuss the supervisor’s
comments. The supervisor will then forward the form to the Project Coordinator for
endorsement.

Student’s name: Student ID:

Academic supervisor:

Title of project:

Student’s report
(Use additional sheet if necessary)
Briefly describe progress since last report/commencement:

25
Explain any problems identified and action taken, or propose appropriate action:

Project group (To be signed by each student)

Signed: ______________________________
Signed: ______________________________
Signed: ______________________________
Signed: ______________________________
Signed: ______________________________
Date: _________________________
Date: _________________________
Date: _________________________
Date: _________________________
Date: _________________________

Progress is unsatisfactory / satisfactory / very satisfactory (delete as appropriate)

Comments:

Supervisor’s signature: ___________________________ Date: ______________________

26
 Appendix 8

ORAL PRESENTATION GUIDELINES

Presentation Guidelines

1. Each student must present a summary of their final year project, in the form of an oral
presentation, during Week 16 of the second semester of Year 3.
2. Students will be informed of the exact date, time and venue of their presentation
towards the end of the second semester.
3. Presentations will be of 20 minutes duration. A further discussion period (usually 10
minutes) for questions/answers/feedback will follow.
4. Students are advised to arrive at the venue at least 10 minutes prior to their
presentation time, so that they will have time to organise themselves and prepare any
visual aids. Students will need to ensure good time management, as this may have a
great affect on their performance.
5. Students will make their presentations to a panel of two academic staff from the
Radiography section of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics, at the
Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Whenever possible, one of the panel of assessors
will be the supervisor of the student’s project. Each panel member will assess the
student’s performance and complete the mark-sheet provided. All mark-sheets, i.e.
two sheets for each student, will then be handed to the Project Coordinator, and the
overall mark will be determined based on consistent criteria and according to the
consensus view of the panel.
6. The student is expected to discuss the contents and format of the presentation with
their supervisor prior to the assessment date.
Good quality audio-visual aids should be prepared using Microsoft Word/Power Point if
possible. [Academic supervisors should be able to provide assistance if students have
problems with preparation]. Hard-copy handouts must be provided for the audience and for
the PAC Chair, who will need a copy as a record to show to the external examiner(s), if
required.

Suggested contents for oral presentation

Presentations should include the following:
1. Title
2. Introduction
A brief description/summary of main issues raised by the Literature review,
setting context and leading to the research question(s) and justification
3. Aim(s)
Overall statement of intended achievement [should conclude with proposed
use of results]
4. Objectives
5. Method & materials
27
 Subjects [informed consent & ethical issues];
Sample size & sampling methods [inclusion/exclusion criteria & justification];
Data collection & recording methods;
Equipment used;
Data analysis/interpretation [reliability]
6. Results
Any pilot study with outcomes;
Problems encountered/changes made to original proposal;
Clear, logical, chronological presentation of findings, without repetition of
data and with main findings highlighted
7. Discussion
8. Conclusion
9. Acknowledgements

28
 Appendix 9
FINAL PROJECT REPORT GUIDELINES AND ASSESSMENT
CRITERIA

1. Abstract
A clear statement of the main components of the project, i.e. objectives, materials and
method, results and conclusions/main outcomes in 250 words or less.

2. Introduction
The introduction should set the background for the study, state the study objectives and
justify the need /explain the importance of the study.

3. Methodology
This refers to an account of the study design, i.e. the methods used, and whether the method
is suitable for the purpose for which it is proposed. Does the student choose suitable methods
for testing their hypotheses, for example?
Suitability and accuracy of data analysis:
Assessors should consider how appropriate the statistical tests are for the type of data
collected and whether the data has been analysed accurately.

4. Results
Are the results presented in a suitable format, i.e. tables/graphs/figures, etc.? Students should
not repeat the same information in more than one format. Students should prioritise or
highlight the important findings, but should not discuss them in this section. Results should
be given in 2-3 pages only.

5. Discussion
Reasoning and evaluation:
Should include the individual student’s interpretation of the meaning of results, related to the
literature where appropriate. Students must use the literature to give authority to, and to
enhance, their findings and they must be able to discuss reasons for their findings. It is
important that similarities and differences with the previous literature are highlighted and that
students try to explain such outcomes. Students should address whether they have answered
their main research question(s)/hypotheses, and how their findings met their expectations. It
is also important to consider whether the aims and objectives of the research have been
achieved and to comment on possible limitations.
Summary and recommendations:
This should summarise the discussion in terms of outcomes. It is important that students are
able to pull everything together and to emphasis the important information.
Recommendations should suggest areas for improvement or further research. Students may
wish to clarify any changes they would make in a similar future study, or suggest areas which
could be developed, outside the remit of their project, i.e. interesting points may have evolved

29
during their study which they were unable to consider in any depth. Students may also
suggest areas in which their results may have a clinical value, or any implications for change
of clinical practice, etc.

Overall presentation
Organisation of material:
This refers to the entire project, i.e. how well has the student organised the text throughout.
Are the necessary areas of the study all complete and placed within the correct sections? Are
tables/figures in the appropriate place? Does the research follow in a logical sequence?

Overall use of literature:

This refers to how the literature has been applied throughout the whole project. Has the
student acknowledged the use of previous literature and have direct quotations been suitably
identified? Students must be able to separate reference material from bibliography.

Completeness of references:
Has the student covered all areas of the research in their literature review and have they found
an adequate amount of references to show that they have considered the previous literature in
enough detail? Students should not be too focused on certain areas of the study, i.e. they
must carry out a wide search of the literature.

Style:
This refers to the style and accuracy of writing, the use of grammar/English and spelling
within the text, etc. Does the work flow and is it easy to read? Has the student used
paragraphs appropriately and avoided long/complicated sentences, etc. Are quotations used
sparingly? Has the student used the appropriate tense throughout each area of the research?

30
 Appendix 10

REFERENCING FORMAT

(http://www.ajronline.org/misc/ifora.shtml): Author guidelines

• References are numbered consecutively in the order in which they appear in the text.
• All references are cited in the text, are enclosed in brackets, and are typed on line with the
text (not superscripted).
• Unpublished data are not cited in the reference list, but are cited parenthetically in the text,
for example: (Smith DJ, personal communication), (Smith DJ, unpublished data). This
includes papers submitted, but not yet accepted, for publication.
• Papers presented at a meeting are not cited in the reference list but are cited parenthetically
in the text, for example: (Smith DJ et al., presented at the 2003 annual meeting of the
American Roentgen Ray Society). After first mention, use (Smith DJ et al., 2003 ARRS
meeting).
• Inclusive page numbers (e.g., 333–335) are given for all references.
• Journal names are abbreviated according to Index Medicus.
• Style and punctuation of references follow the format illustrated in the following examples.
(All authors are listed when six or fewer; when seven or more authors, the first three are
listed, followed by et al.)

Journal article
1. Long RS, Roe EW, Wu EU, et al. Membrane oxygenation: radiographic appearance. AJR
1986; 146:1257–1260
Book
2. Smith LW, Cohen AR. Pathology of tumors, 6th ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins,
1977:100–109
Chapter in a book
3. Breon AJ. Serum monitors of bone metastasis. In: Clark SA, ed. Bone metastases.
Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1983:165–18

31
 Appendix 11
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
B.Sc. (Hons) Radiography
PROJECT ASSESSMENT 1: ORAL PRESENTATION (30%)
To be presented during Weeks 16 (Individual Assessment)
Student name:
Student no:

Grade F D D+ C C+ B B+ A A+ Mark

Marking range 0 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5

Content

• Introduction

• Method

• Results

• Discussion &
Summary
Subtotal / 4 x 0.5: 1.

Organisation & style 2.

[Use of language, visual
[x 0.1]
aids, timing etc]

Response to questions 3.
[x 0.4]

TOTAL [1+2+3]:

Grade:

Assessor's Comment:

Date: Signature:

32
 Appendix 12
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
B.Sc. (Hons) Radiography
PROJECT ASSESSMENT 2: FINAL PROJECT REPORT (70%)

To be completed and submitted by end of Week 15 (Individual Assessment)

Project Title:
Student Name:
Student Number:

Grade F D D+ C C+ B B+ A A+ Weighting Mark

Criteria 0 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5

Abstract 0.1

Introduction & background 0.3

Methods 0.2

Results 0.1

Discussion 0.3

TOTAL:

Grade:

Assessor's Comment: (Please continue on another page)

Date: Signature:

33
 Appendix 13
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
B.Sc. (Hons) Radiography
SUMMARY OF PROJECT ASSESSMENTS

Progress marks to be recorded by Supervisor and submitted with students' Final Project
Reports

Project Title:

Student Name:
Student Number:

Assessment 1: Assessment 2: Final score

Oral presentation Final paper [1 + 2 + 3]
[0.3] [0.7]

Grade point
conversion score

FINAL PROJECT GRADE:

Supervisor's signature: Date:

Project Co-ordinator’s
Signature: Date: _______________________

34