Examples of Types of Individual Projects
Individual projects can take many forms. There is the “traditional” essay where
the student researches a topic and then writes a report that critically reviews
the literature. Alternatively the topic can be presented as an oral presentation
to other staff members in a “journal club/audit meeting” type forum. Often a
project takes the form of a piece of work that benefits the department (and
hence the patients) where the student is placed. This is good for the
department and also for the student who feels they have produced something
useful, helpful and relevant that can be in use after they have moved on.
Students may want to present to their placement centre information about
some aspect of work they have undertaken at the university. The ideas set out
below are examples of projects that previous students have carried out. It is
by no means prescriptive.
1.
Essay/presentation - Bilateral hearing aids give better outcomes with
presbyacusis than a single hearing aid. Discuss whether the evidence
supports this statement or not.
2.
Essay/presentation - Several types of transducer are available for
carrying out air conduction audiometry. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of the different transducers making reference to relevant
evidence.
3.
Essay/presentation - For carrying out caloric testing and recording the
British Society of Audiology’s Caloric Test Protocol states that, in the absence
of local normative data, a canal paresis of greater than 20% is abnormal.
Discuss the evidence that has lead to this figure.
4.
Essay/presentation - The Health Visitor’s distraction test can be
performed quickly and requires little specialist equipment. Compare and
contrast the advantages and disadvantages of this technique compared to
Visual Reinforcement Audiometry. Use evidence from the literature to justify
your conclusions.
5.
Essay/presentation – Discuss the evidence that patients who have
been fitted with hearing aids using real ear measurements have better
outcomes than those who have not.
6.
Normative data collection - The department may have a new piece of
equipment for which normative data are required. A good example of this is
diagnostic ABR. Although the test is not often carried out there may be rare
occasions where it is needed. Each piece of equipment needs its own normal
values for latencies and inter-peak intervals. As well as the data being
obtained, there is the added advantage of giving the student practice in this
area and thus the appropriate section of the IRCP can be filled in.
7.
Protocols – the department may be revising their protocols or indeed
devising new ones for new processes (eg open fits). The project may involve
synthesising the latest research in the area and drawing up an evidencebased, best practice protocol. Other examples include designing patient
leaflets/noticeboards.
8.
Previous Learning at University - students may want to brief other
staff about interesting initiatives they have previously undertaken at university.
Examples might be the peer review process or Inter-professional Learning,
This type of activity is good for staff because that are undertaking professional
development by finding out about new topics from their students.
Placement year project list 2007-08 students
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Setting up the Scan-C test for APD testing
Essay on tinnitus management
Essay on Meniere’s disease
Normative data collection for Cortical ERA
Case study on a BAHA patient with an acoustic neuroma
Leaflet production about the loop system and local implementation
points in the area
7. Investigating obscure auditory dysfunction testing and producing test
protocol
8. Presentation on BAHA
9. Leaflet on caring for a child’s hearing aid
10. Essay on the use of the internet for the treatment of tinnitus – critical
review
11. Presentation on the use of 1kHz tone in tympanometry in children
under 4 months of age
12. Presentation on auditory neuropathy
13. Producing guidelines for fitting a Spirit 3 hearing aid
14. Presentation on otosclerosis
15. Talk to volunteers and communication rehabilitation officers on new
hearing aids
16. Hearing aid satisfaction survey and audit
17. Essay on the benefits of bilateral amplification
18. Investigated and designed a protocol for open fit
19. Produce a departmental poster for patients on balance testing
procedure and the conditions they could detect
20. Audit on the waiting times in ENT clinics – with a presentation to the
department
21. Investigation into the effect of different earmould materials on the
frequency response of the hearing aid
22. Leaflet production for the department describing the skills needed to be
learnt by a student during the placement year
23. Information leaflet for parents whose children were diagnosed with
permanent deafness by the NHSP describing local services, support
and hearing aid care
24. Essay on Downs syndrome
25. Presentation on earwax and its removal
26. Essay on the mosquito sound system teenage deterrent
27. Presentation on the use of T’ai Chi as a vestibular rehabilitation tool
28. Essay on “A comparison of the health visitor’s distraction test and the
newborn hearing screening programme and how this relates to early
intervention”
29. Presentation on DPOAE and TEOAE – at Journal club
30. Talk to care assistants on presbyacusis, hearing impairment,
communication strategies and hearing aid maintenance.
31. Study comparing none REM h-aid fitting, patients’ closeness to target
and satisfaction survey.
32. Talk in a village hall on general use and care of hearing aids
33. Talk on dead regions
34. Talk on audiometric testing of dementia patients
35. Essay on the treatment of middle ear disorders
36. Production of a click ABR testing protocol
37. Presentation on the role of tuning forks in audiological testing
38. GHABP study
39. BPPV study
40. Protocol for Non-organic hearing loss assessment
41. Effect of fixation on VOR gain
42. Case study on binaural aiding and speech discrimination
43. Department leaflet on after fitting services
44. Presentation on writing a reflective account
45. Presentation on syndromes with a hearing loss associated with them –
(Treacher-Collins etc)
46. Essay on the use and benefit of acoustic reflexes and tympanometry
during the assessment process
47. Patient information leaflet on bone conduction hearing aids
48. Produce a student information guide on earmould plumbing
49. Essay on auditory deprivation
50. Literature review on gain requirements for conductive hearing loss
51. Design a student information pack containing all local protocols
52. Essay on benefits of bilateral compared to unilateral hearing aids in
presbyacusis patients
53. Design protocols for hearing aid fitting in post-mastoid operation
patients and tympanic membrane perforation patients
54. Essay on soundproof properties of audiometric booths
55. Essay on a patient journey of a child failing the NHSP.
56. Essay on the cytomegalovirus
57. Presentation on significant conditions and terms related to ENT
58. Design a poster on the benefit of bilateral compared to unilateral
hearing aid fitting.
59. Essay on the benefit of routine acoustic reflex testing
60. Design a protocol on routine speech testing
61. A step by step guide to nystagmus testing using VNG goggles.
62. Research project on dead regions
63. Presentation on middle ear implants
64. Design a patient leaflet explaining BAHA.
65. A sort out of patient information leaflets in the department and design
collate to design a patient information booklet
66. Essay and guidelines on testing post-meningitic children.
67. Presentation on “A patient focused service”
68. Re-design of patient leaflet on re-tubing
Marking scheme for placement year essays
ASPECT
Structure and
presentation
Critical appraisal and
understanding
References and
supporting material
GRADE
A (70-100%)
Strong overall structure with
clear introduction, main body
of the essay and closing
summary and conclusions.
Skilful use of language and
correct use of scientific
conventions. Concise and
cohesive presentation within
the specified length
requirements and without
obvious omissions or errors.
Clear understanding of the
question and imaginative and
thoughtful discussion of the
key points. Thorough
coverage of main issues with
comprehensive discussion of
peripheral factors giving a
wider perspective. Clear
critical appreciation of source
material and ability to
synthesise information from a
variety of sources.
GRADE
B (60-69%)
Clear overall structure including
introduction, main body of the
essay and closing summary and
conclusions. Proper use of
language and use of scientific
conventions. Clear layout and
presentation within the specified
length requirements with
minimal omissions and errors.
GRADE
C(50-59%)
Adequate evidence of
overall structure. Basic use
of language and scientific
conventions. Adequate
layout and presentation
within the specified length
requirements with minor
omissions and errors.
GRADE
D (40- 50%)
Incomplete structure.
Basic use of
language and
scientific conventions.
Fair presentation
within the specified
length requirements
with a number of
omissions and errors.
GRADE
F (BELOW 50%)
Weak structure and poor
use of language and
scientific conventions. Poor
layout and presentation.
Specified length
requirements not observed.
Major omissions and errors
present.
Clear understanding of the
question and comprehensive
discussion of the majority of key
points. Competent coverage of
main issues with clear evidence
of discussion of peripheral
factors giving a wider
perspective. Comprehensive
use of source material and
ability to synthesise information
from a variety of sources.
Clear understanding of the
question and discussion of
some of the key points.
Coverage of main issues
with evidence of at least
minimal discussion of
peripheral factors giving a
wider perspective.
Adequate use of source
material.
Poor understanding of the
question and insufficient
discussion of the key
points. Insufficient
coverage of main issues
and insufficient or absent
evidence of discussion of
peripheral factors giving a
wider perspective.
Inadequate use of source
material.
Evidence of diverse sourcing
of materials and correct
citation of references without
obvious omission or error.
Evidence of appropriate
sourcing of materials and
correct citation of references
with only minimal omission or
error.
Evidence of adequate
sourcing of materials and
correct citation of
references with minor
omission or error.
Partial understanding
of the question and
discussion of the key
points. Partial
coverage of main
issues with some
evidence of
discussion of
peripheral factors
giving a wider
perspective. Some
use of source
material evident.
Partial sourcing of
materials and
referencing. A
number of omissions
or errors present.
Poor sourcing of materials.
Inadequate referencing.
Major omissions or errors
present.