Guidelines on Final Year Project for

Faculty of Health Sciences

Undergraduate Programmes

Faculty of Health Sciences

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)

2012

Guidelines on Final Year Project for Faculty of Health Sciences

Undergraduate Programmes

Introduction

The final year project is an in-depth study of a contemporary health science issue that allows

the student to demonstrate their knowledge and application of the principles of research at an

undergraduate level.

This manuscript provides information on the scope of the project and what students should

aim to achieve, how to plan the project, important considerations, and what assessors will be

looking for.

At the same time, this manuscript also serves as a resource for supervisors who work with

students and provide advice during the progression of their project, and also for assessors

who examine the final product.

Aims and outcomes of the final year project course

The final year project course is a research based subject intended to familiarise students with

research in the related settings using scientific methods. The student will perform relevant

tasks that involve design of research problem, and data gathering and interpretation. Students

will be able to relate the research finding with the area of knowledge and able to recommend

solution to address the problems. These activities will ultimately lead to writing up and

submission of a project report and project presentation

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Formulate research problems, gather relevant data, perform data analysis and interpret

results.

2. Correlate research findings with health setting and theories learned.

3. Apply information obtained from the research project to effectively write up a report

according to the guidelines.

4. Communicate and defend research findings in the form of a presentation.

1. Final Year Project

1.1 What is a Final Year Project?

The penultimate experience for students enrolled in the undergraduate programmes in the

Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), is the final year

project. The final year project comprises an in-depth study of a contemporary issue relevant

to the field in which the students have been studying. There are many possible options for

the final year project. These are just a few suggestions:

The students may design an experimental laboratory research study and collect and analyse original data

The students may design a clinical area research study and collect and analyse original data

The students may analyse an existing clinical data set in order to answer a research question

The students may do a systematic review to document in detail, and evaluate the implementation of a programme/ protocol in your field eg health services delivery,

best practice /clinical guidelines, professional education program development.

The students are expected to demonstrate their ability to:

identify and define a significant issue

systematically collect relevant, up-to-date information about the issue

analyse, interpret and discuss the information

draw conclusions and make recommendations

write a report in accordance with academic standards as required at undergraduate level.

In other words, the students need to demonstrate that they understand research methods and

that they are able to think critically.

The individual FHS degree programme the students are undertaking has specifications on the

length of the final year project. The students will need to discuss this with their project

supervisor. The length of the project is generally in the order of 10,000 to 12,000 words, and

should not exceed 15,000 words.

1.2 Choosing and working with a Project Supervisor

When the students have selected a suitable topic, they should draft a proposal (one to two

pages) outlining the problem to be addressed, project aims and suggested methodology, and

send it to the individual programmes Project Management Group/ Project Coordinator to

assist in selecting a supervisor. The students may wish to suggest a supervisor. Alternatively

the students may request the help of the program coordinator to suggest a supervisor with

expertise in the students area of research, and to confirm with the nominated supervisor that

they are available (if the students have not already made contact).

With the help of their supervisor, the students will need to refine their project proposal using

the facultys Ethical Committee forms. The students will not be allowed to enrol in the final

year project without a proposal that has been approved by their supervisor and the Project

Management Group/ Project Coordinator.

1.3 The role of the supervisor

The supervisor is expected to:

Help the students formulate an appropriate project proposal and outline of the project

report

Meet regularly with the students to support their research/project work (supervisor would

normally expect to meet with students for an average of two (2) hour per week)

Inform the students and the Program Co-ordinator/Project Management Group/ Project

Coordinator if the students are not making satisfactory progress and/or require additional

support

provide ongoing assessment of the students work throughout the period of supervision

including advice on matters of presentation and style

supply written comments on the students submitted work when requested

review a final draft of the project report and advise the students whether it is in a suitable

form for examination

act as one of two examiners

1.4 The role of a co-supervisor

A co-supervisor may be required in cases where:

o there is a need for special expertise in the subject matter, or o the student is undertaking the final year project at Malaysian Ministry of Health

(MOH) institutions or facilities, or at any other places outside UiTMs jurisdictions.

A student must not engage a co-supervisor, without the approval of his/her supervisor.

The co-supervisor does not need to have an academic appointment with UiTM, but he or

she must be approved by the students supervisor as having expertise in the field of the

students study.

The co-supervisor should maintain a level of communication with the student and the

supervisor in order to participate in the supervision or act as substitute for the supervisor

whenever necessary.

1.5 The students responsibilities

The students are expected to:

Submit the ethical forms to the facultys Research Ethical Committee, one semester

before registering for the Final Year Project (HPY590) course

Schedule regular meetings (average two hour per week) with their supervisor or arrange

regular contact (by phone, fax, email or writing) if the students are away from the

university.

Advise their supervisor and suspend enrolment for a stipulated period if for some valid

reason they are unable to proceed with the final year project for the time being.

Submit the final year project report in accordance with the requirements set out by

facultys guideline and within the time of normal candidature of the degree (it is

generally a good idea to submit sections of your report as you are proceeding with your

project so your supervisor can check your progress and writing is progressing

satisfactorily)

Familiarise themself with all relevant sources of information including the UiTM

Undergraduate Academic Regulations Handbook, which incorporate university rules and

procedures and information for undergraduate students

Be aware of UiTMs policy regarding academic misconduct, set out on the Academic

Regulations Handbook.

1.6 Proposal Guidelines

Project proposal must be submitted, using the facultys Ethical Committee forms, to the

programmes Project Management Group/ Project Coordinator, for pre-approval and

assignment of supervisors, prior to full approval from the facultys Ethical Committee. The

forms must be submitted to the committee, ONE (1) semester before registering for the Final

Year Project (HPY590) course. Types of research that can be done include:

1. experimental laboratory studies,

2. clinical area research,

3. systematic review,

The Ethical Committee forms are in the appendices.

1.7 Ethical Considerations and Ethics Applications

This is an important consideration, which must be addressed in the students project proposal.

Many projects involve collection of health and personal data from patients, medical records,

or members of the public, and this will invariably involve issues of privacy, consent, and

confidentiality.

There is always the potential for conflict of interest between the need for scientific rigour in

epidemiological investigation, and obtaining data which may be sensitive, private or

confidential, or obtaining it in a way that is potentially harmful to a study subject or the

community.

The degree to which the students need to consider these issues and the extent of the

precautions the students need to take in the conduct of their research, should be discussed

with a more experienced researcher or your own project or course supervisor. You are

required to submit a formal application to the facultys ethics committee, using the stipulated

forms. There are six (6) sets of forms for the Ethical Committee that must be submitted.

Submission of forms must be done by the students directly to the committees secretariat. The

secretariat will inform the students the date for the Project to be presented to the committee

for approval.

1.8 Registration with NMRR

Student must register with NMRR/CRC via online at https://www.nmrr.gov.my. Login is via

Public user Login. Please select your supervisors name from NMRR list of researcher

database.

1.9 Surat Pekeliling KKM Bil 9 2007

This is the circular from Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) regarding conducting research

in MOH institution or facilities. Please see Appendices. This circular can also be

downloaded from NMRR website at:

https://www.nmrr.gov.my/doc/001%20Surat%20Pekeliling%20KKM%20Bil%209_2007.pdf

1.10 NIH Guidelines for Conducting Research in MOH Institution and Facilities

Please see Appendices. This guideline can also be downloaded from NMRR website at:

https://www.nmrr.gov.my/doc/01_NIH_Guidelines_for_Conducting_Research_in_MOH_v2

_2_03March2008.pdf

2. Project Write-Up Format

2.1 Technical Specification

2.1.1 Length of Thesis

As a general guideline, the length of a Project write-up is a minimum of

10,000 words but must not exceed 15,000 words (excluding appendices)

2.1.2 Typing and Printing

Microsoft Word programme should be used for typing. All final copies of the

write-up should be printed on a laser printer for quality printing.

2.1.3 Typeface, Typing Quality

The entire text of the thesis, including headings and page numbers, should be

of the same font or typeface. Either "Times New Roman" or "Courier" could

be used. Whichever font is used, it needs to be used consistently throughout

the thesis. Computer printouts should be clear and of high quality.

2.1.4 Font Size

Text: 12 points (Times New Roman or Courier).

Text should not be scripted or italicized except for:

scientific names,

terms in a different language, and

quotations

Footnotes and text tables should not be less than 8 points.

Chapter Heading: 14 points (bold)

Headings and subheadings within the chapter: 12 points (bold)

2.1.5 Symbols or Special Characters/Notations not found on the Computer

Keyboard

These should be drawn in black ink with a mechanical guide.

2.1.6 Margins

Margin specifications are meant to facilitate binding and trimming. The

stipulated margins for the general text are as follows:

Top edge : 3.0 cm Right side : 2.5 cm Left side : 4.0 cm Bottom edge : 3.0 cm

All information including text headings, footnote and illustrations should be

within these margins. Note: It is imperative that the page set-up is formatted

accordingly prior to the drafting of the thesis.

2.1.7 Paragraphs

A new paragraph at the bottom of a page must have at least two full lines of

text; if not, it should begin on the next page. All paragraphs should be

justified".

2.1.8 Spacing

Use 1.5 spacing between lines and 3 spaces (1.5 X 2) between paragraphs.

The following, however, should be single-spaced:

explanatory footnotes quotations longer than three lines in a block bibliography (except between entries) multi-line captions (tables, figures, plates) appendices, such as questionnaires, letters

2.1.9 Pagination

All pages in the preliminary section such as Acknowledgements, Table of

Content etc. should be numbered in consecutive lower case Roman

Numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, etc.), except for the Title page which is suppressed.

All pages of the main text including the references, bibliography,

appendices, tables and figures should be numbered consecutively in Arabic

numerals (1, 2, and 3).

Page numbers MUST NOT be punctuated, bracketed, hyphenated nor

accompanied by any decorative devices and should be bottom centred.

The position of the page number must be consistent throughout the thesis.

Each appendix should be identified separately using a capital letter

(Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.) on the top centre of the page. No page

numbers are required for the following:

Separator sheets (e.g. separator preceding each Appendix)

Title page

2.1.10 Headings and Subheadings

A systematic scheme of arrangement must be used consistently throughout the

write-up.

2.1.11 Notes and Footnotes

Footnotes, if at all necessary, should be kept to a minimum. The font size used

for notes and footnotes should not be less than 8 points (see 2.1.4)

2.1.12 Tables

Tables must be properly centred on the page within the prescribed margins.

Each table must bear a reference number (in Arabic numeral) and a caption. It

may be useful to group tables in each chapter together and to number them in

sequence. For example, tables found in Chapter 4 should be numbered Table

4.1, Table 4.2, and so on. The word Table, its number and its caption appear

ABOVE the table.

If any table continues to the following or subsequent pages, the top line of the

page reads (for example): Table 16, continued. The caption is not repeated. If

a table is taken from another source, the reference must be cited properly at

the bottom of the table.

2.1.13 Figures and Plates

Figures may be illustrations, graphs, maps, charts and diagrams - in fact,

anything that is neither script nor table. The word Figure, the figure number

(Arabic numeral), and its caption are placed on the same line below the figure.

Only the word Figure and the figure number are italicized and followed by a

period (full-stop). A figure should not normally extend beyond one page. If it

does, the same guidelines as for tables should be followed.

Figures should be grouped and numbered in sequence. For example, Figure

3.1 should be located in Chapter 3.

If a figure is taken from another source, the reference must be cited properly at

the bottom left of the figure.

If any figure continues to the following or subsequent pages, the top line of the

page reads (for example): Figure 16, continued. The caption is not repeated.

Schematic and line diagrams should be drawn with the aid of a computer or

with mechanical aids using black ink on white paper. The same rules apply for

the use of Plates.

Photographs are listed as Plates and should also be numbered in sequence;

example Plate 4.1 should be located in Chapter 4.

2.1.14 Equations and Formulas

Every equation should be numbered according to the chapter where it appears,

example:

F=ma ..... (2.1)

This example refers to the first equation in Chapter 2.

2.2 Layout and Arrangement of Content

Every thesis is composed of three parts:

the preliminary section

the text or main body, usually divided into chapters and sections

the reference materials, usually consisting of references, or

bibliography and appendices

The contents of each part should be arranged in a logical order using sections and sub-

sections, all correctly numbered. The following is an example of how various sections in a

write-up are arranged.

It is recommended that this sequencing be used as a guide; not every write-up includes

all the items listed below.

Table 2.1 Summary of Write-up Arrangement

ITEM REMARK

Preliminary Section

Blank leaf

Title page Not paginated but counted as 'i'

Author's Declaration Paginated as ii

Acknowledgement Paginated as as iii (continuing lower case Roman numerals on preceding

page pagination): listed in Table of Contents

Table of Contents Paginated (continuing lower case Roman numeral on preceding page

pagination); listed in Table of Contents

List of Tables Paginated (continuing lower case Roman numeral on preceding page

pagination); listed in Table of Contents

List of Figures Paginated (continuing lower case Roman numeral on preceding page

pagination); listed in Table of Contents

List of Plates Paginated (continuing lower case Roman numeral on preceding page

pagination); listed in Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations and

Glossary

Paginated (continuing lower case Roman numeral on preceding page

pagination); listed in Table of Contents

Abstract Paginated (continuing lower case Roman numeral on preceding page

pagination); listed in Table of Contents

Text

Main body (Chapters) Paginated beginning with page 1 (Arabic numerals)

References and/or

Bibliography

Paginated with the running number continuing from the last page of

the text

Appendices Insert a leaf (the separator) with

the word 'APPENDICES' in the

centre of the page BUT NOT paginated. Appendices are paginated with the

runninq number continuing from the last page of

the References

Blank leaf

2.3 Title Page

This page should contain the following information:

The name of the University spelt out in full:

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

The title of the thesis.

The title should describe the content of the project accurately and concisely, omitting

words such as An investigation ......, An analysis........ or A study of .... which are

redundant since all projects are investigation, analyses, and studies of one kind or

another. It should be centred and typed using single spacing.

Name of the author must be in Uppercase.

The degree for which the project is submitted is stated in title case. (For example,

Bachelor (Hons) of Physiotherapy, Bachelor (Hons) of Medical Laboratory Technology,

etc.).

The Faculty in which the candidate is registered is spelt out in title case.

The month and year in which the project is submitted for examination.

Note: For the post viva version, the date (month and year) will be changed to the date of

resubmission of the amended project.

2.4 Declaration

The candidate should include on the page before the abstract page, a signed author's

declaration stating the material presented for examination is her/his own work or how far

the work contained in the write-up was the candidate's own work, and stating that the

write-up is not being submitted for any other academic award.

2.5 Acknowledgement

It is normal to include a brief statement of appreciation in recognition of any special

assistance rendered to the candidate during the period of research. It should be typed in

single spacing and should not exceed one page in length.

2.6 Table of Contents

Titles of chapters, headings, and sub-headings must be listed in the Table of Contents

and must be worded exactly as they appear in the body of the thesis.

2.7 List of Tables, Figures and Plates

The numbers and the captions must be listed in the order as they appear in the text.

2.8 List of Symbols, Abbreviations or Nomenclature

If necessary, these lists must appear after the lists of tables, figures, and plates

arranged in alphabetical order.

2.9 Abstract

The abstract should give a brief statement of the research problems, aims of the

research, methodologies used, key findings in the context of the whole study, and

implications of the study. It should be typed in single spacing and should not exceed

400 words. The abstract is to be placed immediately before the first chapter of the

write up.

3. Text

The text is made up of a number of chapters. The major chapters of the write-up should

include but not limited to the following:

3.1 Introduction

This section sets forth the rationale, significance, and objectives of the study. It includes

details of the background, statement of the problem, research questions or hypotheses to

be tested, assumptions, limitations, delimitations and the scope of study.

3.2 Literature Review

This section includes a fully-referenced review and discussions of previous studies which are

relevant to the research.

3.3 Research Methods

This section gives a detailed description of the research methods and instruments/materials

used. Experimental methods should be described so that future researchers would have

no difficulty in replicating them. Research methods should include experimental design,

the number of subjects, apparatus etc.

3.4 Results

This section provides the results and analysis of data. The results obtained can be presented

as a series of figures, tables, etc., with descriptive texts and discussions.

3.5 Discussion

This section discusses the results of the study in relation to the hypotheses or the

research questions. It highlights the main findings, their significance and implications. The

results should be interpreted in the light of what is already known and emphasis should be

placed on what the results add to the subject area. Strengths and weaknesses of the results

should be discussed.

3.6 Conclusion and Recommendations

This section highlights the contribution of the findings to new or existing

knowledge/applications. It should also discuss the limitations faced in carrying out the

research and the scope for further research based on the results.

Candidates may make changes to the above structure of the thesis according to the nature of

their research.

4. Reference Materials

4.1 Bibliography

This section begins on a fresh page bearing the heading 'BIBLIOGRAPHY' in capital

letters, centred without punctuation, 3.0 cm from the top. The list of bibliography begins

four spaces below the heading and is single spaced in the same citation but double-spaced

between citations. This list must include all the references that candidates have cited in the

text of the write-up.

It is recommended that students use the APA or Harvard citation styles. A write-up should

use only one citation style that is generally accepted and suits its norm in the field of study.

The selected citation style should be used consistently. Candidates are advised to refer to

the latest conventions of referencing from websites. Samples of the APA and Harvard

referencing styles are given in the appendix section of this handbook.

4.2 Appendices

This section may contain supplementary illustrative materials such as original data,

questionnaires, formulas and quotations too long for inclusion in the text or not immediately

essential to the understanding of the subject. A description of lengthy experimental methods

or the list of names of participants may be included.

This section is separated from the preceding material by a separator sheet bearing the heading

APPENDICES in capital letters (or, if there is only one, APPENDIX), centred without

punctuation. This sheet is not paginated.

This section may be divided into Appendix A, Appendix B, etc. Each appendix with its title

(if it has one) should be listed separately in the Table of Contents as a first order subdivision

under the heading APPENDICES.

Tables and figures in the Appendices must be numbered and captioned and also listed in the

List of Tables and List of Figures in the Preliminary Section.

5. Writing Convention

5.1 Units of Measure

Internationally recognised abbreviations for units of measure should be used such as:

25 millilitres (25 ml)

33 metric tonnes (33 mt)

15 kilograms (15 kg)

12 grams (12 gm)

4 kilometers (4 km)

6.5 hectares (6.5 hal

57 U.S Dollars (USD57)

The numbers before the units measured should not be spelt out, unless they appear at the

beginning of a sentence.

5.2 Numbers

All numbers less than 10 should be spelt out, unless:

the numbers are part of a series of numbers

o (e.g. The children were aged 2, 6, 7, 12 and 13) o e.g. The standard deviation for each group were 3, 4, and 15 respectively.)

the numbers are attached to units measured

o (e.g. 8 cm, 25 litres, 27 hectares)

Numerals should be used for double (or more) digit numbers. If a sentence begins with a

number, then the number should be written in words.(e.g. Fifty one people survived the

calamity).

5.3 Elliptical Mark

Ellipses are used to show an omission from quoted material. An ellipsis between a sentence

consists of three space full stops ( ... ). When an ellipsis follows a sentence, it appears as four

full stops ( ... ), where the three full stops signify the omission and the fourth full stop marks

the end of the sentence. e.g. Williams (1996) wrote about the new string of chromosome:

"The new chromosomal composition ... has never been mapped before" (p.21).

5.4 Use of Brackets

Within direct quotations, square brackets are used to enclose any explanatory note inserted by

the researcher.

e.g. This year [1996] alone, 2500 new cases of drug addiction were reported (Aminuddin,

1998).

The candidate should use "sic" within brackets (sic) to indicate factual errors/language

errors or any doubts about meaning that appear in the original. It is used in quotations

to show that the original is being faithfully reproduced even though it is incorrect or

seems to be so.

5.5 Use of Symbols for Percentage

The symbol % may be used in place of per cent, e.g. 25.5% and typed without a space. If

the candidate prefers to spell out the word (25.5 per cent) in full, then consistency should be

maintained throughout the write-up.

5.6 Direct Quotations

Direct quotations should be minimized at all times. Should a write-up written in English

quotes materials directly in another language (e.g. Bahasa Malaysia, Spanish), the candidate

is expected to provide a direct translation, and wherever possible, must synthesize materials

in other languages and paraphrase them in his/her own words. Quotations should be

positioned within quotation marks'. . .'.

Short quotations are quotations with less than 40 words. They are to be written within the text

following the existing double spacing. It is completed with the citation of the reference

which includes the source, year, and page number in parenthesis. A period (full-stop)

appears after the end of the parenthesis.

The following is an example:

... "safety becomes a productivity issue" (Kennedy, 2003, p. 22).

Long quotations are quotations that have 40 and above words. They are to be written (a) in

free-standing block, (b) without quotation marks, and (c) on a new line which are indented

five spaces from the left margin.

Example:

The United States Distance Learning Association (2000) has defined learning as:

Teaching and learning situation

..........................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................. (p. 22)

5.7 Citing references

The following are examples of citing from one author:

Author as part of the text, the year of publication in parenthesis.

Kennedy (2004) further stressed that it is evident ...

Author and year in parenthesis.

..... toward class and other students (Weinstein, 2007)

The following are examples of citing from two authors:

Cite both names each time the reference appears in the text. Do not use et al.

Kennedy and Albert (2004) further stressed that it is evident ...

Authors and year in parenthesis, use the symbol & to separate the authors, followed

by comma to separate the year.

.. .toward class and other students (Weber & John, 2007).

The following are examples of citing from three and more authors:

Cite all the name of the authors the first time you cite.

Diehl, Parks, and Mauro (2006) pointed out ...

Cite the same three and more authors within the same paragraph.

In this situation, cite the first author followed by et al. and exclude the year

Diehl, Parks, and Mauro (2006) pointed out... Diehl et al. also ...

Cite the same three and more authors in subsequent paragraphs.

In this case, cite the first author, et aI., and include the year of publication

Diehl et al. (2006) discovered ...

For each chapter cite the references as if that is the first time you cite.

5.8 Seriation

When there is more than one item to be listed within the paragraph, they must be

listed using a letter in parenthesis with commas in between to separate the items. The

following is an example:

... Oetting (1983) identified three types of anxiety (a) trait, (b) state, and (c) concept-

specific.

In a situation when there is more than one element that has internal commas, semi-

colons are needed to separate the different elements. The following is an example:

The scores were categorized into four categories (a) 18 - 28, were very relaxed;

(b) 29 - 39; generally relaxed; (c) 40 - 50, mildly anxious; and (d) 62 - 72: very

anxious.

When a listing is presented in a separate paragraph, Arabic numerals followed by a

period (full-stop) are used. The following is an example:

Taylor (2002), and Patrick (2003) summarized culture and refer to as:

1. The total pattern of beliefs, customs, practices, institutions, techniques

and objects ...

2. An integrated and shared pattern of human behaviour that includes

thought, speech ...

3. A way of life which give members in a society a sense of purpose,

identity, meaning, well-being and generates...

6. Quality and Integrity of Project Write-up

Candidates are reminded that consistency and accuracy of presentation are important.

Careful editing is required in order to ensure that the write-up is free of errors before

submission for examination.

6.1 Plagiarism

Plagiarism is passing off the idea or words of someone else as though they were their

own. It applies equally to the work of other candidates or researchers as well as to other

published and unpublished sources. Candidates are responsible for writing their write-ups in

their own words. Quotations from published or unpublished sources and the sources of any

other materials should be clearly cited and acknowledged.

A systematic style of citation and references must be adhered to. Sources of visual

presentations such as photographs or maps must also be clearly indicated. Candidates are

reminded that UiTM takes a serious view of plagiarism and examiners are empowered to

penalise students found guilty of plagiarism, which may lead to a fail mark in the course or

expulsion or suspension from the programme. Reference should be made to the Academic

Regulations handbook for Undergraduate Students for regulations pertaining to plagiarism

(please refer to clause 2.22.3)

Upon submission of the write-up, the candidate will be asked to insert a signed

'Declaration' declaring that his/her work is original and free of plagiarism. The incorporation

of any material which has been submitted earlier to a degree awarding body is also not

acceptable.

6.2 How to avoid Plagiarism

6.2.1 Copying

Nothing should be copied without explicit acknowledgement as described

below under 'quoting'. This includes copying the work of other

candidates/researchers.

6.2.2 Quoting

Direct quotations (from a book or paper) are entirely acceptable provided

that they are referenced properly using open and close quotation marks.

Sources should be provided in the text, using an acceptable citation style

such as APA (e.g. Smith, 1986, p. 21). Details of the source should be set

out in the Bibliography.

6.2.3 Paraphrasing

A writer paraphrases when he puts someone else's idea into his own

words. Paraphrasing is entirely acceptable provided that it is acknowledged.

A general rule for acceptable paraphrasing is that an acknowledgement be

made in every paragraph. There are many ways in which such

acknowledgements can be made. For example:

... Smith (1996) goes on to argue that ....... , or

... Smith (1996) provides further proof that....

6.2.4 General Indebtedness

This can be a difficult area. If there is any doubt, candidates should cite the

source. If the whole manner in which a candidate thinks about an issue is

drawn primarily from one source, then, the source should be cited. If the

ordering of evidence and argument or the organisation of material reflects one

particular source, then this should be cited. .

6.3 Editing for Accuracy

The responsibility for writing, preparing and submitting the thesis within the stipulated

time period rests with the candidate. The write-up to be submitted for examination should

demonstrate that the student:

1. has engaged in a programme of academic work resulting either in a contribution to

knowledge, or application of existing knowledge;

2. is familiar with the relevant literature and has reviewed it critically;

3. possesses the theoretical and conceptual framework(s) of the study;

4. possesses an understanding of the research methodology, tools utilized and the

subsequent treatment of the data and;

5. possesses good writing skills and is able to present a substantial body of

information in a clear, concise and comprehensible manner.

A candidate should scrutinise his/her write-up critically in the light of the above criteria and

focus on content, presentation and format. The varying needs of the different disciplines may

demand different lengths of write-up but candidates are well advised to adhere to the format

stipulated by the faculty.

7. Process of Project Write-up Submission

The write-up is ready to be submitted for examination when the supervisor and the

programme is satisfied with the work done in terms of its suitability from the point of

view of content, presentation, language and format.

The process of write-up submission is mainly administrative in nature, and depends on the

individual programmes.

7.1 Write-up submission

The main supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the student submits loose copies of the

write-up to the individual programmes Project Management Group/Project coordinator. The

student should submit 3 (three) loose-bound copies of the write-up, using spiral-rings. The

full title, the name of the author, the name of the degree, and the year of submission should

be typed on the title page. A soft-copy in the form of a CD, must also be submitted together

with the loose-bound copies.

7.2 Binding the Final Copy (after viva and corrections)

Two hardbound copies should be submitted together with 2 CDs. The Project write-up

should be hardbound in DARK GREEN. All pages should be permanently secured.

7.2.1 Paper

Quality plain white simile paper (80 gm) of A4 size (210 x 297 mm) should

be used for all copies of the write-ups. Text or illustrations should be printed

on only one side of each sheet. Only original, quality printed copies will be

accepted.

7.2.2 Cover Spine

The following particulars should be lettered in gold (direction of text

from head to foot), using 18-point font.

full name of candidate degree for which the work is submitted UiTM .year of submission (after viva)

7.2.3 Cover

Using 18-point font GOLD initial capitals, the following particulars

should be printed on the thesis cover:

1. Universiti Teknologi MARA

2. title of the Project

3. full name of candidate (do not use initials, acronyms or titles)

4. degree for which the work is submitted

5. month and year of submission (date of resubmission of the amended

write-up after viva).

8. For Examiners

This section is designed for examiners and provides information on general considerations

and assessment criteria for the final year project. It also provides guidance to students about

what examiners will be looking for in examining final year projects.

8.1 The examination

Two examiners assess the project. One of the examiners is usually the supervisor. The

student being assessed is entitled to read the examiners' comments, however the identity of

the second examiner will remain confidential.

The examiners are asked to assess the quality of work as evidenced by the major project

report, and also to comment upon adherence to the report title, literature review, critical

analysis, and skills in scientific writing.

While projects may vary in scope, the examiner may wish to consider the following points:

are the project aims well formulated (eg scope, boundaries, purpose, desired outcomes)?

are the background conditions described in sufficient detail to provide rationale for the

project?

are relevant concepts and empirical findings critically reviewed to draw light on the

subject matter of the project?

are the activities to deal with the stated problems and aims of the study appropriate

(consistent and reflect an adequate amount of effort)?

are the findings and experiences well summarised?

are the lessons derived from the study adequately discussed, and are the implications

related to the candidate's own situation and conditions?

is there evidence of a self-critical approach to the preparation of the project by the

author?

Although the supervisor may pass the project for examination, the second examiner may still

require further corrections.

8.2 Important General Considerations for Examiners

It is important to consider the following principles when assessing a final year project report:

The project is only part of an undergraduate programme and is only equivalent to 4-5%

of the total workload of the degree. It is not equivalent to a Masters degree by research

and the report is not equivalent to a Masters research thesis.

The aims, objectives, scope and design of the project and report will vary according to

the issue being researched, and the constraints of the method and target participants the

student has chosen.

Students will vary in their style of writing, presentation, and grammatical expression, but

a minimum standard that is consistent with academic research at an undergraduate level

should apply.

A minimum standard in terms of the academic conduct of the project should also apply,

and the report should be assessed against the educational aims and objectives of a final

year project as outlined above.

It is not necessary that students will have collected original data, and it is acceptable for a

student to:

o Examine data that has already been collected for a research project that has already been approved by an appropriate organisation or ethic committee (with the permission

of the organisation or individuals that own the data).

o Examine data that is already in the public domain (with permission or acknowledgment of the source of the data as appropriate).

o Conduct a quality assurance audit or evaluation (with appropriate ethics approval if required).

o Conduct or evaluate an intervention or evaluate an existing program (with appropriate ethics approval if required).

The examiners should have expertise in the area of interest or the methodology being

used.

It may be necessary to seek advice from other academic staff on issues, eg. statistical

analysis or qualitative methodology, if the assessor is not familiar with some aspects of

the project.

Not all projects may require formal ethics committee approval, however the assessors

should assess if all

Appropriate research ethics considerations and processes have been followed in the

planning and conduct of the project.

9. Assessment Procedure

9.1 Protocol

The Project supervisor will discuss the assessment protocol with the student in detail, if

requested. It may be flexible depending on the type of project. The project will normally be

judged on:

9.1.1 Methodological approach, to include:

a) Comprehension of task and establishment of project objectives in the

light

b) of relevant published literature;

c) Collection, organization, and manipulation of information;

d) Design and application of appropriate methodology;

9.1.2 Project report includes the ability to:

a) Discuss the relevant published literature;

b) Analyse and interpret data;

c) Discuss logically the basis of the data, and draw justifiable

conclusions;

d) Explain (if necessary) reasons for not achieving the intended

objectives;

e) Suggest areas of further study;

f) Present a (project report) to a given standard format.

9.2 Viva-voce

Some students are likely to be called for a viva voce examination following the marking of

the project, and prior to the final assessment board conferring the degrees. The viva voce

examination will relate purely to the project. Student project logbook/diary will need to be

made available to the markers/examiners.

9.3 Guide to assessment and evaluation of final year project report

Evaluation and assessment consists of three major components, (a) continuous commitment

and efforts, (b) oral presentation and (c) written report. These components will carry

percentages as shown in Table 1.

Table 9.1 Percentage Distribution of Each Item

ITEMS FINAL PERCENTAGE

Commitment and effort 10%

Oral / Poster Presentation 20%

Written Report/ Write-up 70%

TOTAL 100%

9.4 Items to be assessed and evaluated, and mark distribution

9.4.1 Commitment and Effort

This is a continuous assessment of students' performance in conducting their

project. It is evaluated throughout the semester. It involves the competency of

the students' experimental work, data collection; information gathering etc.,

the frequency in meeting supervisor and the initiative, motivation, dedication,

discipline and creativity will be taken into account (Refer to Table 2).

Table 9.2 Percentage Distribution of Assessment and Evaluation for Commitment and

Effort

ITEMS MARKS

Commitment and Effort

a) experimental work/data collection/

information gathering

40%

b) Frequency in meeting supervisor 20%

c) Initiative, motivation, dedication,

discipline and creativity

40%

TOTAL 100%

FINAL WEIGHTAGE 10%

9.4.2 Oral/ Poster Presentation

Students are to present their final project results to the panel of assessors and

colleagues in the programme. The purpose is to allow the students to

demonstrate to the examining committee that they have good understanding of

those areas relevant to the project. The students are expected to be able to

defend verbally and have attained a breadth and depth of intellectual

understanding of the subject matter. The student may be questioned on any

aspect of the project and will be asked to elaborate upon or defend issues

arising from the literature review and the research plan contain in the report.

An example of Rubrics for Poster/Oral presentation is shown in Table 9.3 and

9.5.

Table 9.3 Rubrics for Poster Presentation

Evaluation

Categories

1- Poor 2 -Weak 3-Good 4-Very Good 5-Exceptional Score

(1-5)

ACCESSIBILITY

How accessible is

the presentation to

educate viewers

from a range of

background

Scope too broad

or too narrow;

lacks depth; AND

uses too much

technical

language/ jargon

Scope too broad or too

narrow OR lacks depth

OR uses too much

technical language/

jargon

Reasonable scope and

depth; lapses into

detail that may not be

accessible to the

audience

Good scope &

depth without

losing the audience

in technical detail; a

good learning

experience

Exceptional scope

& depth; a true

learning

experience;

exceeds

expectations

THESIS

How well was the

central issue

identified

No clear statement

offered

Incomplete or

unfocused

Reasonably clear Clear and concise Clear, concise.

Engaging, and

thought provoking

ORGANISATION

How well organized

was the poster

No clear

information

sequence; very

difficult to follow

Evidence of some

organization but not in

an optimal order;

difficult to follow

Ideas presented in

logical sequence;

reasonably easy to

follow

Presented in logical

&interesting ways;

easy to follow but

not oversimplified

Exceptional

organization in

light of the fact

that the topic is

complex

EVIDENCES

How well was

evidence used to

support the works

main claims

No appropriate

evidence was

presented to

support the

presentations

central claims

Some evidence

present, but is either

insufficient or not

clearly supportive of

the main claims

Evidence used to

support the central

claims are well chosen

with some degree of

detail

Evidence well

chosen & detailed;

connection between

argument &

evidence is clear;

opposing evidence

considered

Well chosen,

detailed, rich;

highly compelling;

opposing evidence

considered and

refuted

CONCLUSION

How well did the

work draw

conclusions

No apparent

conclusions; no

discussion of

implications

Conclusions are

restatements of

previous statements

Brings closure with

some synthesis but

does not address

implications

Synthesizes the

work; brings

closure; allude

(make indirect

reference) to

broader

implications

Synthesizes; brings

closure; conveys

real implications;

suggest new

perspectives

LAYOUT/

GRAPHICS

How well did the

author use the space

Poster is far too

crowded or much

too sparse; no

graphics

Too crowded or too

sparse; graphics lack

clear value; several

redundancies

A bit too crowded; not

all graphics add value;

minor redundancies

Well laid out;

graphics add value;

no redundancies

Perfectly laid out;

graphics are

professional

quality; highly

allocated polished work

CLARITY/

MECHANICS

How clear and

error-free was the

text

Many unclear or

ungrammatical

texts; many

errors/typos

Some unclear/

ungrammatical texts;

some errors/ typos

Mostly clear, with few

lapses; one or two

errors/ typos

Clear and coherent

texts; error free

Exceptionally

logical and well

written texts; error

free

ENGAGEMENT

Overall, how well

did the poster

engage viewers

Not at all Minimally Moderately Consistently Exceptionally

TOTAL SCORE /

40

The poster presentation can also be assessed using the following marking scheme:

Table 9.4 Marking scheme for Poster Presentation

ELEMENTS

Scheme 1: Barely satisfactory, 2: Satisfactory, 3: Good,

4: Excellent, 5: Outstanding 1 2 3 4 5

Clarity of Research

Is the rationale for the project clearly stated?

Are the results & conclusions clear?

Does the presentation make you confident that the author understands what he has

been working on & why its important?

Oral Presentation

Does the author verbally present his research in a way thats easy to understand?

Is the author able to answer questions about the work?

Clarity of Presentation

Is the wording of the text clear?

Has the author chosen the appropriate parts of his research to include on the poster?

Integration of Text and Graphics

Are the parts that should be in graphic form in graphic form?

Are the parts that should be in text form in text form?

Are bulleted or numbered lists used appropriately?

Do the text and graphics support each other?

Ease of Viewing

Is the layout of the poster conducive to your viewing & understanding the research?

Can you easily read the text?

Can you easily make out the graphics?

Are figures and tables properly labeled?

Score

Total scores /75 (20 %)

Table 9.5 Rubrics for Oral Presentation

CATEGORY Exceptional (5 pts) Very Good (4 pts) Good (3 pts) Weak/Poor (2-1 pts) Points

(1-5)

Effectiveness Project includes all

material needed to gain a

comfortable

understanding of the

topic. It is a highly

effective study guide.

Project includes most

material needed to gain a

comfortable understanding

of the material but is

lacking one or two key

elements. It is an adequate

study guide.

Project is missing more

than two key elements. It

would make an incomplete

study guide.

Project is lacking several

key elements and has

inaccuracies that make it

a poor study guide.

Sequencing of

Information

Information is organized

in a clear, logical way. It

is easy to anticipate the

type of material that

might be on the next

slide.

Most information is

organized in a clear,

logical way. One card or

item of information seems

out of place.

Some information is

logically sequenced. There

are sections where

information is not clear

and concise.

There is no clear plan for

the organization of

information.

Content -

Accuracy

All content throughout

the presentation is

accurate. There are no

factual errors.

Most of the content is

accurate but there is one

piece of information that

might be inaccurate.

The content is generally

accurate, but some pieces

of information are clearly

flawed or inaccurate.

Content is typically

confusing or contains

more than one factual

error.

Requirements All requirements are met

and exceeded.

All requirements are met. One requirement was not

completely met.

More than one

requirement was not

completely met.

Use of Graphics All graphics are

attractive (size and

colors) and support the

theme/content of the

presentation.

A few graphics are not

attractive but all support

the theme/content of the

presentation.

All graphics are attractive

but a few do not seem to

support the theme/content

of the presentation.

Several graphics are

unattractive and detract

from the content of the

presentation.

Organization Content is well

organized using headings

or bulleted lists to group

related material.

Uses headings or bulleted

lists are organized, but the

overall organization of

topic appears flawed.

Content is logically

organized for the most

part.

There was no clear or

logical organizational

structure, just lots of

facts.

Sources Source information

collected for all graphics,

facts and quotes. All

documented in desired

format.

Source information

collected for all graphics,

facts and quotes. Most

documented in desired

format.

Source information

collected for graphics,

facts and quotes, but not

documented in desired

format.

Very little or no source

information was

collected.

Execution Presenter was fully

prepared and had

an excellent working

knowledge of

the material. Good eye

contact and

flow.

Presenter was prepared but

had to check

notes occasionally. Was

above average

in presentation skills.

Presenter was not prepared

in their

presentation. Read from

notes and the

slide with little eye contact

to audience

Presenter did not know

their

material. Read from

notes/slides with

no eye contact to

audience

Point Totals (40)

9.4.3 Written Report

Students are required to submit their written reports to be evaluated by the

supervisor. An example of rubrics for Project Report is as in Table 9.6.

Table 9.6 Rubrics for Project Report/Write-Up

Criteria Exceptional

(5 pts)

Very Good

(4 pts)

Good

(3 pts)

Weak/Poor

(2-1 pts)

Points

(1-5)

Purpose and

Objectives

The writer's central

purpose or argument is

readily apparent to

the reader.

The writing has a clear

purpose or argument, but

may sometimes

deviate from it.

The central purpose or

argument is not

consistently clear

throughout the paper.

The purpose or argument

is generally unclear.

Content Balanced presentation of

relevant and legitimate

information that clearly

supports a central purpose

or argument and shows a

thoughtful, in-depth

analysis of

a significant topic. Reader

gains important insights.

Information provides

reasonable support for a

central purpose or

argument and displays

evidence of a basic

analysis of a significant

topic. Reader gains some

insights.

Information supports a

central purpose or

argument at times.

Analysis is basic or

general. Reader gains

few insights.

Central purpose or

argument is not clearly

identified. Analysis is

vague or not evident.

Reader is confused or

may be misinformed.

Organization The ideas are arranged

logically to support the

purpose or argument.

They flow smoothly

from one to another and

are clearly linked to each

other. The reader can

follow the line of

reasoning.

The ideas are arranged

logically to support the

central purpose or

argument. They are

usually clearly linked to

each other. For the most

part, the reader can follow

the line of reasoning.

In general, the writing is

arranged logically,

although occasionally

ideas fail to make

sense together. The

reader is fairly clear

about what writer

intends.

The writing is not

logically organized.

Frequently, ideas

fail to make sense

together. The reader

cannot identify a

line of reasoning and

loses interest.

Feel The writing is compelling.

It hooks the reader and

sustains interest

throughout.

The writing is generally

engaging, but has some dry

spots. In general, it is

focused and keeps the

reader's attention.

The writing is dull and

unengaging. Though the

paper has some

interesting parts, the

reader finds it difficult to

maintain interest.

The writing has little

personality. The reader

quickly loses interest and

stops reading.

Tone The tone is consistently

professional and

appropriate for an

academic research paper.

The tone is generally

professional. For the most

part, it is appropriate

for an academic research

paper

The tone is not

consistently professional

or appropriate for an

academic research

paper.

The tone is

unprofessional. It is not

appropriate for an

academic research paper.

Sentence

Structure

Sentences are well-phrased

and varied in length and

structure. They flow

smoothly from one to

another.

Sentences are well-phrased

and there is some variety in

length and structure. The

flow from sentence to

sentence is generally

smooth.

Some sentences are

awkwardly constructed

so that the reader is

occasionally distracted.

Errors in sentence

structure are frequent

enough to be a major

distraction to the reader

Table 9.6, continuedWord Choice Word choice is

consistently precise and

accurate.

Word choice is generally

good. The writer often

goes beyond the generic

word to find one more

precise and effective.

Word choice is merely

adequate, and the range

of words is limited.

Some words are used

inappropriately.

Many words are used

inappropriately,

confusing the reader.

Grammar,

Spelling,

Writing

Mechanics

(punctua-tion,

italics,

capitali-

zation,etc.

The writing is free or

almost free of errors.

There are occasional

errors, but they don't

represent a major

distraction or obscure

meaning.

The writing has many

errors, and the reader is

distracted by them

There are so many errors

that meaning is

obscured. The reader is

confused and stops

reading.

Length Paper is the number of

pages specified in the

assignment.

Paper has more or fewer

pages than specified in

the assignment.

Use of

References

Compelling evidence from

professionally legitimate

sources is given to support

claims. Attribution is clear

and fairly represented.

Professionally legitimate

sources that support claims

are generally present and

attribution is, for the

most part, clear and fairly

represented.

Although attributions are

occasionally given,

many statements seem

unsubstantiated.

The reader is confused

about the source of

information and ideas

References are seldom

cited to support

statements.

Quality of

References

References are primarily

peer-reviewed professional

journals or other approved

sources (e.g., government

documents, agency

manuals). The reader is

confident that the

information and ideas can

be trusted.

Although most of the

references are

professionally legitimate, a

few are questionable (e.g.,

trade books, internet

sources, popular

magazines). The reader is

uncertain of the reliability

of some of the sources.

Most of the references

are from sources that are

not peer-reviewed and

have uncertain

reliability. The reader

doubts the accuracy of

much of the material

presented.

There are virtually no

sources that are

professionally reliable.

The reader seriously

doubts the value of the

material and stops

reading.

Use of Most

Recent Edition

of the

Publication

Manual of the

American

Psycho-logical

Association

(APA) or

Harvard

APA or Harvard format is

used accurately and

consistently in the paper

and on the "References"

page

APA or Harvard format is

used with minor errors

There are frequent errors

in APA or Harvard

format.

Format of the document

is not recognisable as

APA or Harvard.

TOTAL /60

The Project write-up can also be assessed using the following marking

scheme:

Table 9.7 Marking Scheme for Project write-up

ITEMS WEIGHTAGE (%) MARKS

Synopsis (5)

Description of methods and findings

5

Overall structure , Organization and Quality(10)

Format and layout Clarity and neatness Attractiveness of presentation Language, spelling , grammar and syntax Tables of content

2

2

2

2

2

Introduction and Literature review(10)

Significance of study and depth of coverage

10

Materials and methods(10)

Methodology designs Innovativeness and creativity

6

4

Results(20)

Data presentation ( tables, charts , graphs) Data statistical analysis Logic and sensible findings

10

5

5

Discussion(25)

Highlight results and explanation Logic and sensible reasoning Relate and compare to other studies

10

10

5

Conclusion and recommendations( 10)

Summary Suggestions for further research

8

2

References ( 10)

Format Number of journals ( min 10)

5

5

TOTAL SCORE 100

FINAL % 70 %

9.4.5 Assessment of a Systematic Review as a final year project

Assessing a final year project report that consists of a systematic review

should cover the following objectives:

The review is comprehensive in its scope and depth, in that the review should encompass :

o historical and current sources o local, national and international sources o a variety of types of sources such as journal articles, monographs,

symposium and conference reports, government reports, and peer or

scientifically valid on-line sources

The review addresses a current and important issue, and asks a specific research question that is clearly defined, is related to health sciences, and

that will add to current scientific knowledge about the issue.

The review also includes a discussion, conclusion and recommendations in relation to the purpose or the research question posed by the review.

The student uses a comprehensive method in their literature search such as current relevant databases, and organisations such as the Cochrane

Foundation.

The minimum length should be the same as a normal final year project,

between 10,000 and 15,000 words. The number of references will vary but as

an estimate should be about 80 to 100 references.

9.5 Inconsistency between examiners

Generally, if one examiner assesses the report as Satisfactory and the other as any category

of Not satisfactory, the report cannot be passed as it is. The student should make the

recommended revisions and re-submit one copy for re-examination. If the two assessments

are widely disparate, e.g. one is Very satisfactory and the other is Not satisfactory, and

requires major changes, the program co-ordinator may ask a third examiner who has expertise

in the area of interest to assess the report. The third examiner should assess whether the

report has been unduly over or under assessed according to the minimum objectives as

outline in these guidelines. It would be reasonable for the third examiner to find compromise

where possible. If any of the examiners or the student, dispute the third assessment, the

project and examiners reports should be referred to the Head of Centre.

As a summary the grading for the project will contain assessment items as follows:

Table 9.8 Summary of grading for final year project

ITEMS WEIGHTAGE

(%) MARKS

Commitment and / effort

Experimental work / data collection information gathering

Frequency in meeting supervisor Initiative, motivation, dedication,

discipline and creativity

40

20

40

TOTAL SCORE 100

FINAL % 10%

Project 70 %

Oral presentation 20 %

Commitment / effort 10 %

FINAL SCORE 100 %

APPENDICES

APPENDIX FHS Ethical Committee Forms

EC/FSK/01/2011/v01

RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEE FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES CHECKLIST FOR APPLICANTS (All forms to be written in English) ITEM YES NO 1 Have you completed and attached:

a. UNDERGRADUATE :

EC/FSK/01/2011/v01 Checklist for Applicants Form EC/FSK/02/2011/v01 Checklist Types of Research Form EC/FSK/03/2011/v01 Ethics Approval Application Form EC/FSK/04/2011/v01 - Subjects Information Sheet Form EC/FSK/05/2011/v01 - Subjects Consent Form

b. POSTGRADUATE :

RMI relevant forms (http://ethicsrmi.uitm.edu.my/ethicsrm)

4 Have you obtained the signatures of your project leader/supervisor/co-supervisor/team members?

5 Have you attached the approval letter from the relevant institutions that participated in your research project?

6 Have your projects been vetted at your Department Level? 7 Submit one (1) one hardcopy of the completed forms (double-sided) and

questionnaire (if applicable) to the Secretariat : Cik Zahbah Aldurra Rohmat Executive Officer Administration Office FSK 6 Level 17 Faculty of Health Sciences UiTM Puncak Alam 42300 Bandar Puncak Alam Selangor Tel : 03-32584494 Fax : 03-32584599 Email : aldurra@puncakalam.uitm.edu.my

8 Have you submitted your application at least ONE (1) week before the date of meeting?

9 The presentation must be in English using softcopy of the completed forms ABOVE. (about 10 minutes). Briefly explain on issues related to ETHICS ONLY.

10 i. Supervisor must present for undergraduate application. ii. Undergraduate students may present their ethical application (in the presence of their

supervisor). iii. Postgraduate students are required to present their ethical application themselves (in

the presence of their supervisor). 11 Resubmission of corrected application ABOVE should be submitted within ONE (1) week

from the date of the meeting to the Secretariat. With effect from: 05th January 2012

EC/FSK/02/2011/v01

Checklist Classification of Research

Research Title :

Supervisors Name :

Students Name/ID :

Faculty : Faculty of Health Sciences

Part A Please tick () accordingly: YES NO

Does the research involve human subjects [patients or normal people]

Does the research involve human samples

Does the research involve data derived from humans

Does the research use products [biological or non-biological] which will be tested on humans

Part B Please tick () your research according to the following: The research involves making observations without any direct interference with the subject (non-intrusive or non-invasive), such as research involving the use of personal medical records;

The research involves interference with the subject ( either ; i.psychological intrusion, including intrusion on privacy, or, ii. physical invasion).

The research involves interference with subjects via questionnairre (self-administered or otherwise): (If YES, please answer PART C)

EC/FSK/02/2011/v01

Part C Does the questionnaire contain items/questions related to the following : Please tick () accordingly:

YES NO

history of contracting sexually transmitted diseases

sexual experience

history of being sexually assaulted

sexual preferences

history of abortion

excessive drinking of alcohol

employment status

home environment

family suicide history

history of abusing the family or being abused by the family

intimacy within the family

psychological conflicts among the family

family make-up/ tree

performance of immoral acts

history of engaging in illegal acts (such as, a minor/underage smoking or a person's involvement in euthanasia)

suicidal thoughts

parity/ equality

feelings of hatred

meaning of life

feeling of loneliness

religious beliefs

eating behavior

OTHERS (that you might want the committee to consider, please specify)

Reference : USM Website Ethical Research Commitee (Asai et al, 2003 , Ethics in questionnaire-based research , Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics 13 (2003), 147-151 Accessed: (http://www.eubios.info/EJ134/ej134k.htm)

EC/FSK/02/2011/v01

I hereby verify that all the information provided above are TRUE.

Supervisors signature

________________________________

Name:

Date:

Borang EC/FSK/03/2011/v01

1

Faculty of Health Sciences Universiti Teknologi MARA

KAMPUS PUNCAK ALAM 42300 BANDAR PUNCAK ALAM

SELANGOR Tel: 03 32584494, Faks: 03 32584599

Borang Permohonan Kelulusan Etika Application Form for Ethics Approval Jawatankuasa Etika Penyelidikan Research Ethics Committee Faculty of Health Sciences Permohonan ini dikemukakan untuk tujuan kelulusan isu-isu Etika sahaja. Sila lampirkan salinan kertas cadangan penyelidikan. This application is for the purpose of obtaining approval for ethical issues only.Please attach a copy of Research Proposal BAHAGIAN A: Maklumat ringkas projek Part A : Brief Details of Project Tajuk Projek : Title of Project :

Nama Ketua Projek/Penyelia/Penyelia Bersama: Name of Project Leader/Supervisor/Co-Supervisor:

Nama Pelajar/No. Pelajar Student Name/Student ID :

Bidang Pengkhususan : Area of Specialisation :

Alamat Jabatan dan Hospital/ Institut: Affiliation :

No Telefon/ E-mail : Contact No/ E-mail :

Kelulusan Peringkat Jabatan/Penyelia/ Approval at Departments Level/Supervisor/Co-Supervisor Ulasan Comments

Tandatangan Signature

Ketua Jabatan / Ketua Projek/Penyelia/Penyelia Bersama

KJ/ Supervisor/Co-Supervisor

Cop rasmi Official stamp

Tarikh Date

Borang EC/FSK/03/2011/v01

2

BAHAGIAN B: Protokol Projek Part B : Project Protocol

1. Latar belakang: Background (Keterangan ringkas tentang masalah yang dikaji dan penyemakan literatur untuk menyokong keterangan tentang masalah yang dikaji. Sila lampirkan sekiranya ruang tidak mencukupi) A brief explanation of the problem to be studied and literature review to support. Please append if more space is required.

Rujukan: Reference

2. Objektif dan Justifikasi Projek Penyelidikan Dijalankan:

Objectives and Justifications for the Project to be carried out :

3. Faedah Yang Dijangka: Expected Benefits :

4. Jangkamasa Projek: Timeframe of the Project :

5. Lokasi Projek Penyelidikan Dijalankan: Location where the Project will be carried out :

6. Keterangan bagaimana hasil kajian akan digunakan: Explain how the results will be used :

Borang EC/FSK/03/2011/v01

3

7.

Kaedah Penyelidikan: (Sila terangkan perkara-perkara berikut) Experimental : (Please explain the following)

7.1 Rekabentuk kajian, metodologi yang diguna: Experimental design and methodology :

7.2 Saiz sampel, kriteria pemilihan: Sample size and selection criteria :

7.3 Pembahagian kumpulan ujian dan kontrol; dan ciri-ciri kohort atau sampel dan jenis kontrol: Division of test and control groups, cohort properties or samples, and type of control :

7.4 Pemerosesan data dan penganalisaan statistical: Data processing and statistical analysis :

[Sila lampirkan contoh lembaran maklumat subjek dan borang persetujuan subjek]

Please attach examples of Subject Information Sheet and Subject Consent Form Bahagian C: Peruntukan Part C : Research grant Geran projek: Ada/ Tiada Project Grant : Already obtained/ Not obtained yet Jika ada, nyatakan yang berikut: If obtained, please state : Jumlah peruntukan Total allocation : Jangkamasa peruntukan : Duration of grant :

Borang EC/FSK/03/2011/v01

4

Bahagian D: Pengesahan persetujuan menjalankan projek penyelidikan Part D : Agreement to conduct the research project Mesti dipenuhi dan ditandatangani oleh semua ahli kumpulan penyelidikan Must be completed and signed by all members of the research group

1. Ketua Projek/Penyelia Project Leader/Supervisor

Nama: Name

Jawatan/ kepakaran: Position/ Specialisation

Jabatan Affiliation

No. Tel (o) (h/p) Tandatangan: Signature

Tarikh Date

2. Penyelidik bersama Co-supervisor

Nama: Name

Jawatan/ kepakaran: Position/ Specialisation

Jabatan Affiliation

No. Tel (o) (h/p) Tandatangan: Signature

Tarikh Date

3. Penyelidik bersama Co-supervisor

Nama: Name

Jawatan/ kepakaran: Position/ Specialisation

Jabatan Affiliation

No. Tel (o) (h/p) Tandatangan: Signature

Tarikh Date

EC/FSK/04/2011/v01

Subjects Information sheet

(Please state research title)

Introduction of Study

(Please do not include citation and not to copy paste from literature review. Simplify and summarize using in your own).

Purpose of the Study

Study Procedure

Participation in the Study

Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You may refuse to take part in the study or you may withdraw yourself from participation in the study at anytime without penalty.

Benefit of the Study

Information obtained from this study will benefit the researchers, Government of Malaysia, doctors and individuals for the advancement of knowledge and practice of medicine in future.

If you have any question about this study or your rights please contact the supervisors name, ___________________________at telephone no. __________________.

Confidentiality

All information will be kept confidential by the investigators and will not be made public unless disclosure is required by law.

By signing this consent form, you will authorize the review of records, analysis and use of the data arising from this study.

EC/FSK/05/2011/v01

_____________________________________________________________________ Consent Form

To become a subject in the research, you or your legal guardian must sign this Consent Form.

I herewith confirm that I have met the requirement of age and am capable of acting on behalf of myself /* as a legal guardian as follows:

* I understand the nature and scope of the research being undertaken. * I have read and understood all the terms and conditions of my participation in

the research. * All my questions relating to this research and my participation therein have

been answered to my satisfaction. * I voluntarily agree to take part in this research, to follow the study procedures

and to provide all necessary information to the investigators as requested. * I may at any time choose to withdraw from this research without giving

reasons. * I have received a copy each of the Subjects Information Form and Consent

Form. * Except for damages resulting from negligent or malicious conduct of the

researcher(s), I hereby release and discharge UiTM and all participating researchers from all liability associated with, arising out of, or related to my participation and agree to hold them harmless from any harm or loss that may be incurred by me due to my participation in the research.

_____________________________________________________________________Name of subject/Legal guardian Signature

_____________________________________________________________________I.C No Date

_____________________________________________________________________Name of witness Signature

_____________________________________________________________________I.C No Date

* Delete whichever is not applicable

EC/FSK/06/2011/v01

SUMMARY OF CORRECTIONS

Research Title :

Supervisors Name :

Students Name/ID :

Faculty : Faculty of Health Sciences

Date :

Issues Raised for Corrections Ammendments (state page and section) 1

I hereby acknowledge and confirm that all the necessary ammendments and corrections as required by the Ethical Comittee have been carried out and incorporated in the RELEVANT FORMS.

Supervisors signature

.....................................

Name :

Date :

APPENDIX Surat Pekeliling KKM

APPENDIX NIH Guidelines to conducting research in

MOH institutions or facilities

NIH Guidelines for Conducting Research in the MOH Institutions & Facilities Draft Versi 2.1 27 August 2007

NIH GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN THE MOH INSTITUTIONS AND FACILITIES

This guideline document describes the Ministry of Health (MOH) policies governing the conduct of research in MOH institutions and facilities. The policy statements in this guideline are derived from a review of all existing circulars and web documents issued by the MOH [1-14], though where necessary, the guideline updates these policies in the light of recent changes in international practice on research ethics and regulation. The use of information technology to facilitate the research review and approval process is also included. # Policy statements 1 All research require prior registration with and approval by the MOH. All research undertaken by Ministry of Health (MOH) personnel OR conducted in MOH

facilities OR funded by MOH research grant shall require: a. Prior registration with the National Medical Research Register of the MOH. The

registration is conducted online at www.nmrr.gov.my b. Prior approval by the MOH, as follows Investigator must sign an Investigator Agreement and obtain approval from his or

her Head of Department (Refer template document 1 in Appendix) Investigator should then submit the proposed research to the National Institute of

Health (NIH) for review and approval. Submission to NIH is conducted online at www.nmrr.gov.my

Successful submission will be granted approval by the NIH in writing in the form of an Institutional Approval document (Refer template document 2 in Appendix)

In addition, for research where a party external to the MOH is involved, a formal research agreement or MOU between the NIH and the external party is also required (Refer current template Research Agreement or MOU document issued by the NIH).

2 Research involving human subjects require prior ethics review and approval by

the MOH Research and Ethics Committee (MREC) A human subject (in the context of research) is a living individual about whom an

investigator obtains either data through intervention (eg. Clinical trial) or interaction (eg questionnaire in health survey) with the individual, or identifiable private information [15]

Submission to MREC for ethics review and approval is conducted online at www.nmrr.gov.my

3 Research publications All publications, whether in the form of research reports, journal articles or conference

proceedings, arising of research undertaken by Ministry of Health (MOH) personnel OR conducted in MOH facilities OR funded by MOH research grant, shall require prior review by the NIH, and subsequent approval by the Director General of Health

1

NIH Guidelines for Conducting Research in the MOH Institutions & Facilities Draft Versi 2.1 27 August 2007

Reference 1. Surat Pekeliling Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan Malaysia Bil. 2 Tahun 1992.

Pusat Penyerahan Penerbitan Kementerian Kesihatan. 2. Surat Pekeliling Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan Malaysia Bil. 3 Tahun 1992.

menerbitkan prosiding/laporan Seminar dan bengkel Sebagai Isu tambahan kepada Buletin IMR

3. Surat Pekeliling Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan Malaysia Bil. 5 Tahun 1992. Pemberian Maklumat dan Data Kementerian Kesihatan

4. Surat Pekeliling Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan Malaysia Bil. 6 Tahun 1993. Perjanjian Susunan Authors

5. Surat Pekeliling Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan Malaysia Bil. 4 Tahun 1994. Permohoan Menerbit Hasil Penyelidikan

6. Surat Pekeliling Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan Malaysia Bil. 11 Tahun 2001. Garispanduan Pelaksanaan Penyelidikan di bawah Progarm Latihan Perubatan 2 July 2002 (119)dlm.KKM/JTP/Jld.15

7. RESEARCH COMMITTEES: http://www.imr.gov.my/researchmgt 8. MANAGEMENT OF RESEARCH IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH (MOH):

http://www.imr.gov.my/researchmgt 9. APPLICATION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH USING FACILITIES OF THE

MINISTRY OF HEALTH, MALAYSIA: http://www.imr.gov.my/researchmgt 10. Application for IRPA Research Grants: http://www.imr.gov.my/researchmgt 11. Application for MOH Research Grants: http://www.imr.gov.my/researchmgt 12. PERMISSION TO PUBLISH RESEARCH FINDINGS:

http://www.imr.gov.my/researchmgt 13. Guideline on the Approval of Application to conduct research by local

university undergraduates and postgraduates using Ministry of health facilities: http://www.imr.gov.my/researchmgt

14. Guidelines for Application to Conduct Drug-Related Clinical Trials in Malaysia (2nd edition).

15. Code of Federal Regulations. Title 45-Department of Health and Human Services; Part 46-Protection of Human subjects. Updated 1 Oct 1997. Available at: www4.law.cornell.edu/cfr

2

Versi 2.0 Tarikh: 15 Feb 2008 INVESTIGATORS AGREEMENT, HEAD OF DEPARTMENTS AND INSTITUTIONAL

APPROVAL PERSETUJUAN PENYELIDIK, PENGESAHAN KETUA JABATAN DAN INSTITUSI

This document is intended for online submission for purpose of formal research review and approval. It is to be used in lieu of other equ