In person

The learning activities are based on active participation in the process of reading, analyzing, and synthesizing information from medical journals. Students will discuss course content in seminars, deliver presentations, and take part in academic writing sessions led by the professor, as well as in presentations by other students and guest speakers.

Attendance is not mandatory, but certain activities are assessed as part of the evaluation system. If a student does not attend an assessed session, the corresponding portion of the grade will not be considered.

The estimated student workload for this course is 60 hours. The total hours per activity will be distributed as follows:

Objective: Introduce basic research design concepts and promote critical reading.
Methodology: Presentation of theoretical content and practical exercises on research designs and reading scientific articles.

Objective: Foster collaboration and critical thinking among students while analyzing scientific articles.
Detailed Methodology:

• Guided Reading (40 minutes): Students will receive a pre-selected article with a set of key questions provided by the professor to guide the reading.

• Group Discussion (30 minutes): Each group will discuss the answers to the key questions and prepare a summary of the main points of the article, identifying its strengths, weaknesses, and clinical or research relevance.

• Brief Activity (10 minutes): At the end of the session, each group will share their key finding or comment about the article, choosing a representative. To reduce the perception of constant evaluation, there will be no individual grading; instead, group commitment will be assessed through a simple self-evaluation from 1 to 5 points. The professor will only intervene to guide or ask complementary key questions.

Objective: Develop critical and communication skills.
Methodology:

• Each student will be assigned to one of two groups, which will present a viewpoint based on an assigned article.

• The debate will be moderated by the professor with active student participation.

Objective: Prepare and present a detailed critical analysis of a scientific article.
Methodology:

• Selection of the article within the first weeks.

• Project development in groups of 5 people.

• Final presentation with open questions to encourage discussion and promote an informed dialogue.

Students will receive an article to read and analyze and will have to answer a questionnaire with 10 multiple-choice questions (4 options, penalty for incorrect answers) and open-ended questions.

Students will receive an article to read and analyze and will have to answer a questionnaire with 20 multiple-choice questions (4 options, penalty for incorrect answers) and open-ended questions.

• While attendance is not mandatory, students participating in graded activities should be aware that these will take place in the classroom and require confirmation of attendance. Absence from graded activities will be marked as Not Attended for that assessment component. After two absences, the student must take the final exam.

• If students have medical appointments or other unforeseen events, they should be aware that graded activities will not be rescheduled. It is recommended to plan attendance accordingly.

• Students will not be allowed to leave the classroom during graded activities or presentations.

The Moodle website will contain the course schedule, content, and reading materials. Open forums will provide a communication channel throughout the course.
Course assignments will also be integrated into the Moodle platform, and students are expected to have online access to Moodle during sessions to ensure proper progress.

• Questions about assignments and course procedures should be posted in the forums, where all students are encouraged to participate in clarifying doubts. Questions about assignments or procedures will not be answered via email.

• Forum inquiries will only be answered by the professor if they require a brief and clarifying response.

• All course communication must be conducted in English.

• Email communication will be reserved for strictly personal matters.

• A dedicated tutorial time will be available for students to contact professors about any concerns related to the course. Students are encouraged to seek tutorial support as soon as academic concerns arise (NOT before or after class).

• Classroom participation will be assessed and awarded extra points in the course evaluation.

• The second exam session will consist of an individual exam based on the reading of an article, with 20 multiple-choice questions and one open-ended question.

Communication:

• The official course communication channels will be the Moodle forums.

• Announcements Forum: A one-way forum where professors will share relevant information regarding the course. This forum is mandatory reading.

• Consultation Forum: A shared space where students can ask questions. This forum will be moderated by professors and is optional to read.

• Course Procedures Forum: Intended for questions about the course operation. Messages addressed to professors will be answered within 48 hours.

Submission Guidelines:

• All submission deadlines are final. No extensions or exceptions will be granted.

• Students are responsible for verifying the format and content of their documents before submission. No corrections will be allowed after the deadline.

Plagiarism and Cheating:

• Plagiarism and academic dishonesty are considered serious offenses according to Law 3/2022, of February 24, on University Coexistence and may result in expulsion and a permanent record on the student's academic transcript.

• The use of plagiarized or copied content will result in the cancellation of the assignment and automatic notification to the University Coexistence Committee, which will take appropriate disciplinary measures.

For these reasons, the activities detected with suspicion of having been copied will be annulled as grading criteria and immediately notified to the Degree Coordination and the University Coexistence Commission so that the appropriate disciplinary measures can be taken.

Lectures delivered by professors are intellectual property and are subject to image rights. Therefore, unless expressly authorized by the professor, it is strictly prohibited to record sessions, take photographs, or share them. This also applies to recording fellow students' interventions.

Class notes are a transcription of the professor’s discourse and are also subject to copyright. They may only be shared among students enrolled in the course but may not be publicly distributed without prior authorization.

According to Law 3/2022, of February 24, on University Coexistence (Art. 12e), it is a serious offense to improperly use recorded content from university activities protected by intellectual property rights. Any violation will be reported to the University Coexistence Committee for disciplinary action.

All assignments must be submitted exclusively through Moodle. Submissions via email will not be accepted unless expressly requested by the professor. All files must be in Portable Document File (.pdf) format.

Serious offenses include:

1. Unauthorized consultation during an exam.
2. Improper use of electronic devices in class or assessments.
3. Plagiarism or submission of work not personally completed.
4. Disrespect toward professors or classmates.

Any serious offense will result in a disciplinary sanction, which may include the partial or total loss of the final grade. Accumulating three serious offenses will lead to the automatic suspension from the course. Additionally, any student who commits a serious offense will be reported to their academic advisor, who may take further action as needed.