Research 101 Course
THE WHY
This course is designed to democratise access to essential research skills for a diverse range of participants. It aims to provide a foundational understanding of research methods, empowering individuals from various backgrounds to engage in scientific inquiry, enhance their professional development, and contribute to the global research community. This course can serve multiple audiences, including citizen scientists, newly hired Research Software Engineers (RSEs), and other individuals seeking to familiarise themselves with the research process.
This initiative is deeply inspired by the capacity building work being done by OLS, through their flagship programs like Open Seeds and Nebula.
Introduction to Research Methods
Course Information
- Course Title: Beginner’s Guide to Research Methods
- Prepared By: Are you interested in contributing? Please, get in touch!
- Contact Hours: Self-paced with a flexible timeline.
- Recommended Texts:
Course Description
This course provides an opportunity for participants to establish and/or advance their understanding of research. Designed for beginners, it covers fundamentals of research — a basic introduction to the language of research, the scientific method, quantitative and qualitative data collection, and ethical considerations. Further on, the course dives into other aspects of research, such as literature review, hypothesis testing and licensing. The participants will be expected to use their knowledge to begin critical review of literature relevant to their field or interests.
The course is designed to be accessible and inclusive, encouraging participation from underrepresented groups and individuals at various career stages.
Use cases
1. Undergraduate and Graduate Students:
Objective: Provide students with a solid grounding in research methodologies before engaging in academic projects.
This contributes to solving the problem of insufficient research training in early academic stages. The benefits include: preparing students for thesis work, internships, and future research roles.
2. Citizen Science:
Objective: Empower everyday individuals to contribute to scientific research projects.
This bridges the gap caused by lack of accessible resources for non-scientists, which prevents them from engaging in meaningful research.
It can potentially enhance public understanding of science, improve community engagement, and crowdsource valuable data for large-scale studies.
3. Newly Hired Research Software Engineers (RSEs):
Objective: Equip new RSEs (from non-research or non-academic backgrounds) with foundational research skills during the first few months on the job.
This reduces the gap between technical expertise and research acumen.
The course can significantly accelerate onboarding, enhance collaboration with research teams, and improve project outcomes.
4. Professional Development for Educators:
Objective: To provide a comprehensive research training program that supports the professional growth of individuals in various fields, enabling them to integrate research skills into their work and advance their careers.
Target audience ranges from educators and health professionals to corporate employees, entrepreneurs and business leaders.
The course addresses skill gaps, enhances career prospects, supports informed decision-making, and promotes innovation. The benefit is that it equips professionals with research skills, improves industry practices, fosters data-driven strategies, and encourages continuous improvement and innovation across various fields.
The overarching goal is to improve the quality of research education, encourage innovation in teaching, and support lifelong learning.
Course Outline
The following is an overview of the topics to be covered in this course. Each unit will include relevant theory, current research, and its application.
Module 1: Understanding Research
- Introduction to research: What is research?
- The research process: Steps involved in conducting research
- Types of research: Exploratory, descriptive, experimental, and qualitative vs. quantitative research. Strengths, limitations, and applications in various disciplines.
- Importance of research questions
- Characteristics of good research questions (including specificity, relevance, and feasibility).
- Techniques for formulating research questions
Module 3: Literature Review and Background Research
- Purpose and significance of literature review.
- Searching and accessing scholarly literature (library resources, computerised databases, and web-based resources).
- Synthesising information, identifying gaps in existing research and determining the direction of a study.
Module 4: Research Design
- Basics of research design: Experimental vs. non-experimental designs
- Variables: Independent, dependent, and control variables
- Sampling techniques: Random sampling, stratified sampling, convenience sampling.
Module 5: Data Collection Methods
- Surveys and questionnaires
- Interviews: Structured vs. semi-structured
- Observational research
- Experimental methods
Module 6: Data Analysis
- Introduction to data analysis
- Descriptive statistics: Measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode) and variability (range, standard deviation).
- Inferential statistics: Introduction to hypothesis testing and significance levels
Module 7: Research Ethics
- Ethical considerations in research
- Informed consent and confidentiality
- Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval process
Module 8: Writing and Presenting Research
- Structure of a research paper: Introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion
- Academic writing style and citation formats (e.g., APA, MLA)
Module 9: Presenting Research
- Effective presentation skills: Creating slides, delivering presentations, and responding to questions
Module 10: Project Management and Time Management
- Planning and managing a research project
- Setting timelines and milestones
- Dealing with setbacks and adjusting plans as needed
Module 11: Peer Review and Revision
- Importance of peer review in research
- Strategies for giving and receiving constructive feedback
- Revising and improving research projects based on peer feedback
Certification! 🎓
Learning outcomes
Module 0: Welcome!
- At the end of module 0, participants will:
- Become familiar with the course structure, schedule, and expectations. This preparation will facilitate engagement in the program.
- Connect with the organisers and fellow coursemates, in order to establish a collaborative and supportive learning community.
- Reflect on their motivation for joining the course and set personal goals for their learning journey.
Module 1: Understanding Research
- At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Articulate a clear definition of research, and an understanding of its purpose.
- Describe the steps involved in conducting research.
- Distinguish between different types of research methodologies, such as exploratory, descriptive, experimental approaches, etc.
- At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Explain the significance of research questions in guiding the research process.
- Recognise how well-crafted questions contribute to the clarity and focus of a study.
- Discuss the characteristics of good research questions.
- Employ various techniques for formulating research questions through hands-on exercises.
Module 3: Literature Review and Background Research
- At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Grasp the purpose and significance of conducting a literature review.
- Describe the role of literature review in contextualising research, and informing the direction of their own study.
- Demonstrate practical skills in searching and accessing scholarly literature using various resources.
- Identify key themes in research publications, as well as the existing knowledge gap.
Module 4: Research Design
- At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Grasp the fundamental concepts of research design, distinguishing between the various types, with an understanding of the advantages and limitations.
- Identify and differentiate between variable types, understanding their roles in experimental studies and their impact on research outcomes.
- Describe the sampling techniques, and their applicability to different research contexts.
Module 5: Data Collection Methods
- At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Understand the data collection methods, learn how to design, administer, and analyse survey instruments effectively.
- Differentiate between structured and semi-structured interviews, describing when and how to use each approach.
- Describe how to systematically observe and record behaviours or phenomena in natural or controlled settings.
- Evaluate the causal relationships between variables and the importance of experimental design, control, and manipulation of variables for valid and reliable results.
Module 6: Data Analysis
- At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Provide a basic overview of the data analysis techniques, and their usefulness in deriving meaningful insights from research findings.
- Explain the measures of central tendency and variability, highlighting how they enable researchers to summarise and interpret data distributions effectively.
- Grasp the basics of inferential statistics, including hypothesis testing and significance levels, using them to make informed conclusions and decisions based on sample data.
Module 7: Research Ethics
- At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Discuss ethical considerations inherent in research, recognising the importance of maintaining integrity and protecting the rights and welfare of research participants.
- Understand the principles of informed consent and confidentiality, how to obtain it voluntarily from participants and safeguard their privacy throughout the research process.
- Express knowledge of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval process, and understand its role in ensuring research compliance with ethical standards and regulations.
Module 8: Writing and Presenting Research
- At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Outline the structural components of a research paper, as it relates to organising research findings.
- Discuss academic writing style conventions and citation formats (e.g., APA, MLA) for proper attribution of sources.
- Through hands-on activities and peer feedback, learners will develop essential skills in writing and presenting research, honing their abilities to communicate their findings clearly, logically, and persuasively to academic audiences.
Module 9: Presenting Research
- At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Demonstrate proficiency in creating engaging and informative presentation slides, incorporating visual aids and multimedia elements to enhance audience comprehension and engagement.
- Develop effective public speaking skills, mastering techniques for delivering presentations confidently, articulately, and persuasively.
- Refine their ability to listen actively and respond to questions, comments and feedback gracefully and professionally.
Module 10: Project Management and Time Management
- At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Employ acquired project management skills needed for planning and executing research projects.
- Demonstrate competency in time management, utilizing strategies to prioritise tasks, manage deadlines, and balance competing demands effectively throughout the research process.
- Appreciate the need for resilience and adaptability; know how to adjust plans as needed to navigate setbacks and unforeseen challenges in research projects.
Module 11: Peer Review and Revision
- At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Recognise the significance of peer review in ensuring the quality of research outputs; understand its role in providing constructive feedback, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and promoting accountability and transparency in scholarly endeavours.
- Cultivate effective strategies for giving and receiving constructive feedback, honing their abilities to provide thoughtful critiques, offer actionable suggestions, and communicate feedback in a professional and respectful manner.
- Engage in the revision process, applying peer feedback to improve the quality and effectiveness of their research projects.