research skills workshops

Foundations of Clinical Research

This Harvard Medical School six-month, application-based certificate program provides the essential skill sets and fundamental knowledge required to begin or expand your clinical research career.

Associated Schools

Harvard Medical School

What you'll learn.

Understand and apply the foundational concepts of biostatistics and epidemiology

Develop a research question and formulate a testable hypothesis

Design and begin to implement a clinical research study

Cultivate the skills required to present a clinical research study

Critically evaluate the research findings in medical literature

Synthesize crucial statistical analyses using Stata software

Course description

The Foundations of Clinical Research program is rooted in the belief that clinical research training is critical to professional development in health care. Clinical research training not only creates potential independent investigators, but also enables clinicians to advance their careers through a greater understanding of research evidence. Designed to provide learners with the foundational knowledge and skill sets required to produce high-quality clinical research, our program will lay the fundamental groundwork in epidemiology and biostatistics required for a multifaceted career in clinical research.

The overarching goal of the Foundations of Clinical Research program is to equip the next generation of researchers with the skill sets essential to evaluating evidence, understanding biostatistics, and beginning their clinical research careers. Our aim is to ensure that learners develop a strong foundation in the design, implementation, analysis and interpretation of clinical research studies.

During the program, our innovative active learning approach emphasizes the traditional tutorial system with weekly live video tutorials, seminars and symposia anchored by 3 live intense weekend online workshops.  The Foundations of Clinical Research program’s six-month online curriculum emphasizes real-time skill-based learning. 

Participants will be eligible for Associate Alumni status upon successful completion of the program. Early tuition and need-based tuition reductions may be available.

Course Outline

Live Workshops

The interactive workshop curriculum will focus on hands-on skill development through active learning. To that end, the intensive schedule is designed to accelerate the growth of high-yield clinical research skills via individual and team-based workshop exercises. Students will be immersed in a dynamic learning environment that encourages collaboration and collegial networking with faculty and peers. 

Essential elements of the workshop include instruction and practical exercises in the core concepts of biostatistics, epidemiology and research question development, as well as critical assessment of the medical literature and practical training in statistical software using real-life datasets. In addition to providing training in mentorship, academic career development and leadership, we create a supportive and active learning environment where opportunities for knowledge retention and networking abound.

Live Symposia, Tutorials and Seminars

Symposia, tutorials and seminars are mandatory and will be delivered live online and organized according to eight specific clinical research topics. 

Eight 3-Hour Symposia

• Instruction on a specific clinical research topic (e.g., cohort study design and interpretation)
• In-depth discussion on a related epidemiology concept (e.g., odds ratio)
• Hands-on guidance for implementing the related analysis with statistical programming in Stata

Eight 1-Hour Tutorials

• Interpret and report on papers related to the specific clinical research topic

Eight 1-Hour Special-Topic Seminars

• The biostatistical and epidemiological concepts to specific clinical research topics with concrete examples

Assignments

All students will be expected to complete all assignments by the due dates. Assignments will be graded as either “pass” or “fail.”

Individual Assignment 1

Individual Research Question and Study Design

• Generate a novel research question in the evidence-based PICO format
• Receive expert faculty review

Individual Assignment 2

Design, Implement and Present an Original Abstract

• Design and implement a clinical research study based on a publicly available dataset
• Analyze and create data visualizations via a user-friendly R Shiny web app
• Write a formal 350-word abstract suitable for submission to an international conference
• Present a digital poster to faculty at Workshop 3

Online Lectures

Research Study Introduction 

• Designing a Clinical Research Study I–III
• Introduction to Evidence-Based Medicine, Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• Study Design 1 – Observational
• Study Design 2 – Randomized Controlled Trials
• Study Design 3 – Quasi-Experimental Studies
• Introduction to Biostatistics
• An Investigator’s Responsibility for Protection of Research Subjects
• How to Search PubMed
• Overview of Evidence-Based Medicine

Statistical Programming in Stata

• Loading Data
• Basic Programming Commands
• Data Cleansing
• Data Analytics I – Central Tendency
• Data Analytics II – Statistical Testing
• Data Analytics III – Regression Testing

Instructors

Jamie Robertson

Djøra Soeteman

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Educational resources and simple solutions for your research journey

Building Academic Research Skills: Top 10 Courses for Researchers

Building academic research skills is an essential part of a researcher’s journey. At Researcher.Life, we understand how critical the process of lifelong learning is for researchers looking to strengthen and grow their career. Our carefully curated research skill courses are designed to help researchers develop and improve key scientific research skills , such as data analysis, research design, and critical thinking.

The science and research landscape is constantly evolving, with new methods and tools being developed all the time. By pursuing these handpicked courses, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of research methods and techniques and apply them to their own research projects. Timely research skills and courses can help academics stay current with the latest research methods and tools and learn how to apply them to their own research projects.  

Many of our 120+ academic research skill courses are taught by researchers, with years of expertise in varied fields of research, who offer insights and guidance based on their own experiences. This can be particularly valuable for researchers who are just starting out or who are working on a new type of research project.  

Scientific research skills are in high demand in today’s job market, as businesses and organizations seek to make data-driven decisions and remain competitive.

Here are some of the most in-demand academic research skills and research courses that we offer that can put you ahead in the journey to success.

Table of Contents

Writing and publishing a manuscript  

Learn the essentials of planning a research project, writing a manuscript, and everything needed to publish a manuscript in a globally renowned journal.  

Understanding The Basics Of Publishing A Research Article In A Journal    

This short academic research skill program explains the role of scientific journals, how to select the right journal for your manuscript, and the importance of peer review. It also presents tips to write a high-quality manuscript with a list of final checks before you submit to your chosen journal.  

  IMRAD Format Research: Master The IMRAD Format For Publication Success  

This program imparts key skills for researchers by demystifying the IMRAD structure. It helps you organize ideas across sections without missing key data and create a publication-ready manuscript that allows editors and peer reviewers to quickly scan, evaluate and validate research findings.   

Creating high-quality manuscripts   

Know how to write error-free manuscripts and get the essential writing and language skills for researchers targeting publication in top academic journals.  

How To Avoid Critical Language Errors In Your Research Paper?  

Poor language is among the top reasons for journal rejection, but delivering an error-free manuscript can be a challenge if you are working on your first paper or have English as a second language. This well-paced academic research course  explains the types of language errors, how to eliminate these flaws and ensure your manuscript meets the high standards required for journal publication.  

Statistical Analysis and Data Management  

With the amount of data generated by businesses and organizations, being able to analyze it using statistical software such as SPSS, SAS, or STATA and making sense of this data is an essential technical skill for researchers .   

Statistical Analysis Explained  

This two-part course lays the foundation of a key technical skill for researchers. Learn how to choose the right data analysis method for your work, interpret the data correctly, and how to style your research by finding connections between types of variables.   

How to Manage Research Data Efficiently  

This interactive scientific research skill program helps you understand how to handle huge data sets and use special tools to manage your data. It explains basic data management policies, guidelines for data analysis, open science repositories and licensing, and data sharing.   

Critical Thinking for Innovative Research  

The ability to think critically and evaluate information is crucial when conducting research; it enables you to take up new challenges.   

Essential Thinking Strategies For Researchers – Masterclass With David Eagleman  

Develop an essential skill for researchers in this masterclass by David Eagleman, neuroscientist, New York Times bestselling author, and adjunct professor at Stanford University. This program helps you come up with creative solutions, identify biases, and make logical connections based on evidence.   

Effective Research Communication Skills  

Researchers need to be able to communicate and convey their findings in a clear, concise manner to give their work more visibility and impact.   

Scientific Communication Course for Researchers  

This academic research skill program teaches you about different writing styles for varied audiences and how to mould your writing to communicate effectively with your readers. This includes writing reports, creating visualizations, and presenting information to various stakeholders.  

Science Communication Fundamentals: How to Improve Research Visibility and Impact  

This well-paced course reveals fundamental requirements and best practices to communicate and promote your research by using various platforms. Learn about the different channels to reach your target audience and use online tools to drive visibility and amplify the impact of your research work.  

Research Project Management  

Research often involves managing multiple projects simultaneously, and academics need to be able to plan, prioritize, and execute projects effectively.  

How to develop qualities necessary to succeed as a scientific researcher  

This academic research skill course helps you transition from student to researcher by developing your networking, leadership, and problem-solving abilities. With these essential technical skills for researchers you can identify the kind of research you’re inclined to and map your path to success.  

How To Succeed By Developing The Habits Of Super Productive Researchers?    

Learn how to shift gears, improve your productivity, and grow your career with practical strategies and expert advice to help you steer and forge your path to a successful research career through this academic research skill course.   

To conclude, having these critical skills for researcher that allow you to conduct research and analyze data effectively is highly valued in today’s job market. Developing these academic research skills can help individuals to stand out to potential employers and advance their careers. Keep learning!  

Q: How to develop research skills?

Enhance research skills by practicing information search in databases, refining critical evaluation, and learning proper citation. Engage with diverse research methodologies, attend workshops, and collaborate with experienced researchers. Regular reading, staying updated with research trends, and seeking mentorship contribute to skill growth.

Q: What are benefits of research skills?

Research skills empower individuals to discern credible information, make evidence-based decisions, and contribute original insights. These skills are crucial in academia, professional settings, and personal life, fostering analytical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability.

Q: How you can improve your research skills?

Sharpen research skills by setting clear research goals, learning various research methodologies, mastering reference management tools, and seeking feedback on your work. Collaborating with peers, attending conferences, and publishing findings can also refine your skills and expand your expertise.

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• Training, Workshops & Capacity Building

Ongoing training and workshops are available across the University online, and in person when available , to help researchers learn best practices around research data, methodologies, and transformations.

Eligibility information is outlined below based on providers with offerings that are available to the entire Harvard community or a specific unit/appointment. 

University-wide, harvard library, visual eloquence.

A Participatory Workshop on Creating Effective Data Visualizations: Visual Eloquence is a participatory workshop on visualizing data and understanding the powerful role it plays in analysis and presentation for digital scholarship. Participants will learn some fundamental principles for presenting data and will work with others to put them into action. The workshop features brief presentations, a small-group exercise working with a dataset and visualization tools to create a visual presentation, and a discussion.

Fundamentals of Digital Scholarship

This two-day seminar is designed to introduce participants to the core stages of digital scholarship’s research workflow: the acquisition, manipulation, analysis, and presentation of data. The seminar is intended to serve as a springboard for students, faculty, and staff who wish to explore the potential of digital scholarship. It provides a solid foundation from which participants can continue to develop these skills, whether on their own or through a series of advanced, subject-specific follow-up seminars currently in development.

All Harvard affiliates

Service Provider

Digital Scholarship Support Group

Service Fee

Service website.

https://dssg.fas.harvard.edu/event/viselo-summer-2020/

Contact Information

[email protected]

Harvard Library, Research Data Management Program

Best practices for biomedical research data management.

Hosted on Canvas Network, the course presents approximately 20 hours of self-paced content. Each of the nine modules is dedicated to a specific component of data management best practices, and includes video lectures, presentation slides, readings & resources, research teaching cases, interactive activities, and concept quizzes. Course is aimed at a broad audience including librarians, biomedical researchers, undergraduate and graduate biomedical students, and all other interested individuals. Biomedical research today is not only rigorous, innovative and insightful, it also has to be organized and reproducible. With more capacity to create and store data, there is the challenge of making data discoverable, understandable, and reusable. Many funding agencies and journal publishers are requiring publication of relevant data to promote open science and reproducibility of research. In order to meet to these requirements and evolving trends, researchers and information professionals will need the data management and curation knowledge and skills to support the access, reuse and preservation of data. This course is designed to address present and future data management needs.

Carpentries Training

Carpentries Lessons and Workshop Courses. Upon request of Harvard teams, departments, and groups, members of the HL-RDM will work to organize and/or provide in-person or online Carpentries ( https://carpentries.org ) trainings. Costs for this service vary; some trainings may be free, others will require support for instructor travel-related expenses. Additionally, free online videos on a variety of research data management topics, including creating data management plans (DMPs) and working with biomedical data are available.

• All Affiliates
• All Faculty
• All Graduate Students
• All Undergraduate Students

Harvard Library Research Data Management

Service Websites

https://hlrdm.library.harvard.edu/

[email protected] (HL; Carpentries Training)

Center for Geographic Analysis

The Center for Geographic Analysis (CGA) provides opportunities for learning geospatial analysis in many ways - credit and non-credit, live and self-learning.

Non-Credit Training at the Center for Geographic Analysis:

• Geographic Information System (GIS) Institute (two-week training institute held every semester. Research proposal required)
• Cartography Workshop (One day workshop held every SPRING semester)
• GIS for the Humanities and Social Sciences (One day workshop held every FALL semester)
• Basic Introduction to GIS (Two-hour workshop held every semester)

All Harvard Affiliates

Some workshops are free, others have a nominal fee for Harvard attendees.

Center for Geographic Analysis: Teaching

Center for Geographic Analysis Contact Form

Unit/Appointment-specific

Countway library (longwood medical area), research data management lifecycle online training.

Online training resources (e.g. RDM videos, tutorials) for members of the Longwood Medical Area biomedical community.

School Affiliates; School Faculty; School Graduate Students

Countway Library (HMS)

https://countway.harvard.edu/services/publishing-data-services/data-serv...

Julie Goldman (Countway):  [email protected]

Harvard Kennedy School

Data & donuts.

A semi-monthly learning and discussion group that offers a welcoming space to engage critically with issues of data and society.

Data Resources for HKS Affiliates

A Libguide that serves as a direct resource and conduit for the data needs of the HKS community, including in the areas of research data management, research computing, data access, and data licensing.

• School Faculty
• Graduate School Fellows
• School Graduate Students (+ School Affiliates for Data Resource)

Harvard Kennedy School Library

https://guides.library.harvard.edu/hks/data_resources

[email protected]

• Research Administration & Compliance
• Research Computing
• Archiving Faculty Research Data and Archiving Data
• Buying and Licensing Data
• Copyright and Intellectual Property
• DASH Open-Access Repository
• Data Cleaning
• Data Curation
• Data Handling
• Data Retrieval
• Data Sharing and Publishing
• Data Visualization
• Dataset Creation
• Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELNs)
• Finding Data
• Geospatial Data
• Harvard Dataverse Repository
• Longwood Health Informationist
• Metadata Creation
• Qualitative Data
• Research Data Management Lifecycle
• Research Design
• Software & Platforms
• Text Analysis
• Active Research
• Dissemination & Preservation

Research Basics: an open academic research skills course

• Lesson 1: Using Library Tools
• Lesson 2: Smart searching
• Lesson 3: Managing information overload
• Assessment - Module 1
• Lesson 1: The ABCs of scholarly sources
• Lesson 2: Additional ways of identifying scholarly sources
• Lesson 3: Verifying online sources
• Assessment - Module 2
• Lesson 1: Creating citations
• Lesson 2: Citing and paraphrasing
• Lesson 3: Works cited, bibliographies, and notes
• Assessment - Module 3
• - For Librarians and Teachers -
• Acknowledgements
• Other free resources from JSTOR

JSTOR is a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students.

Learn more about JSTOR

Get Help with JSTOR

JSTOR Website & Technical Support

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Welcome to the ever-expanding universe of scholarly research!

There's a lot of digital content out there, and we want to help you get a handle on it. Where do you start? What do you do? How do you use it? Don’t worry, this course has you covered.

This introductory program was created by  JSTOR  to help you get familiar with basic research concepts needed for success in school. The course contains three modules, each made up of three short lessons and three sets of practice quizzes. The topics covered are subjects that will help you prepare for college-level research. Each module ends with an assessment to test your knowledge.

The JSTOR librarians who helped create the course hope you learn from the experience and feel ready to research when you’ve finished this program.  Select Module 1: Effective Searching to begin the course. Good luck!

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Research Skills Toolkit

The Research Skills Toolkit spans the duration of a research degree with 37 hours of content mapped to key milestones in a researcher’s career. Pedagogically co-designed with subject experts to reflect current research practices, the toolkit provides a cost-effective online training solution with five innovative digital learning programmes and flexible delivery options.

Advantages of using Research Skills Toolkit

• Provide ‘choose your own adventure’ training for researchers to fit project needs and skill level  
• Support key milestones with interactive, mobile-responsive, bite-sized courses  
• Offer a single source solution for postgraduate researchers to master critical research skills  
• Empower researchers to take responsibility for their own skills development 

Target skills across all domains of the Vitae Researcher Development Framework  

This programme is for:

Masters and doctoral researchers, as well as early career researchers.

Contributors:

Lead advisors:.

• Professor Fiona Denney ,   Professor at Brunel University London, Principle Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
• Professor Douglas Halliday , Former Dean of the Graduate School and current Director of the Multidisciplinary Centre for Doctoral Training, Durham University.

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Becoming a Researcher

• Effective Management of Doctoral and Master's Research
• Intellectual Property in the Research Context
• Working with your Supervisors

Ethical Research

• Becoming an Ethical Researcher
• Research Ethics in Practice

Research Methods 

• Undertaking a Literature Review
• Principles of Research Methods
• Research Methods in Practice

Disseminating your Research

• Getting Published
• Communicating your Research with Impact

Beyond Research

• Career Planning
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship

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For information, trials, and pricing

Try it free, explore our programs today, request a 1-week free trial.

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Research 101, research 101 workshops.

• Getting Started
• Finding Sources
• Peer Review
• Evaluating Sources
• Organizing Research
• For Instructors + GSIs

Research 101 Workshops are for anyone interested in deepening their Library research skills. Designed for students enrolled in a Reading & Composition (R&C) course with a research component, Research 101 Workshops are offered virtually and in-person on set dates and times throughout the semester. Berkeley librarians will guide you through using the UC Berkeley Library strategically and help you hone your research skills. You'll leave feeling empowered and prepared to take on research assignments with new skills and perspectives.  

Sign-up for a Research 101 Workshop . (Tip: If you need a quiet place on campus, bring your headphones to a library study space )

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• Last Updated: Mar 12, 2024 12:01 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/research101

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Library Support for Qualitative Research

Qualitative workshops, fall 2024, full list of workshops, fall 2024.

• Types of Interviews
• Recruiting & Engaging Participants
• Interview Questions
• Conducting Interviews
• Recording & Transcription
• Data Analysis
• Managing Interview Data
• Finding Extant Interviews
• Past Workshops on Interview Research
• Methodological Resources
• Remote & Virtual Fieldwork
• Data Management & Repositories
• Campus Access

Scroll further down the page for workshop descriptions and registration links.  

• Preparing for Qualitative Data Analysis: Wednesday, September 11, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (online)
• Developing and Delivering Interview Questions: Wednesday, September 18, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (in person on campus); and Thursday, October 10, 1:30–3:00 p.m. (in person on campus)
• Intro to NVivo (for Windows and Mac): Wednesday, October 9, 2024, 3:00–4:00 p.m. (in person on campus); and Tuesday, November 12, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (in person on campus)
• Managing and Storing Qualitative Data: Tuesday, November 12, 3:00–4:30 p.m. (online)

Preparing for Qualitative Data Analysis

Digging into data analysis can be intimidating. There are key decisions to make: whether or not to use data analysis software, how to navigate the myriad of methodological and theoretical approaches, etc. There are best practices to consider: how to maintain alignment or realign your process in the context of relevant literature that informs your study. If you're new to coding data, creating a codebook, querying, visualizing, and themeing your data, or simply want to compare notes with other qualitative researchers, please join us. You will discover how specific library collections, services, and tools can help guide you on your data analysis journey.

• Preparing for Qualitative Data Analysis: Wednesday, September 11, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (ZOOM. Register here.)

Developing and Delivering Interview Questions

Attend this workshop if you're beginning to draft a qualitative research interview guide, are ready to revise your first draft, or are poised to begin interviewing your participants. Together, we will explore the role of your purpose statement, central research question, review of the relevant literature, and theory questions to the development and operationalization of your interview questions. We will examine different types of questions and the kinds of responses they tend to elicit, as well as problematic question framing. Best practices for the interview conversation will also be introduced, including recommended literature on interviewing dynamics. Finally, you will experience a micro-interview from the perspective of both an interviewer and an interviewee .

• Developing and Delivering Interview Questions:  Wednesday, September 18, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (On Campus. Register here.)
• Developing and Delivering Interview Questions:   Thursday, October 10, 1:30–3:00 p.m. (On Campus. Register here.)

Intro to NVivo for Mac and Windows

We will explore the software using a variety of primary source materials including: interviews, focus groups, images, videos, surveys, and social media platforms. NVivo provides easy ways to code, analyze and visualize qualitative data. NVivo on the Windows operating system has somewhat different functionality than the version for the Mac, and we will address some of these differences.

Please bring your laptop. The software is available for download  for Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) affiliates only. Faculty, students, staff, and researchers from other Harvard schools may download a 14-day trial here .

• Intro to NVivo (for Windows and Mac):   Wednesday, October 9, 3:00–4:00 p.m. (On Campus. Register here.)
• Intro to NVivo (for Windows and Mac):  Tuesday, November 12, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (On Campus. Register here.)

Managing and Storing Qualitative Data

This online workshop, co-taught by Harvard librarians with the director of the Harvard University Area IRB's Human Research Protection Program and the data privacy and information security officer at Harvard University Information Technology (HUIT), will guide you in managing, storing, and in some cases, sharing qualitative research data. You will learn about research ethics pertaining to qualitative data, best practices for handling data with different security levels in the Harvard context, data de-identification, file naming conventions, backup procedures, and options for secure data storage and/or sharing. Join us for this general introduction to qualitative data management to ensure your qualitative research practices comport with ethical guidelines where your data is concerned.

• Managing and Storing Qualitative Data:  Tuesday, November 12, 3:00–4:30 p.m. (ZOOM. Register here.)
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Research Skills Development Course

Advance your skills.

Advance your career.

When you're ready to go farther,

We're ready to guide you.

Our experienced professors will guide you through a proven curriculum, meticulously developed and refined over decades of practical implementation. Our active involvement in current and ongoing research initiatives within our own fields keeps our methods and competencies viable and meaningful, making our instruction and guidance invaluable to students and professionals pursuing funding.

The Research Skills Development Course will give you mastery in the four key components of proposal generation:

01. Conceptualize

Learn how to succinctly and definitively outline your research plan

Understand how to organize your plan in a clear and winning format

Master the components, content, and flow to craft a professional and compelling proposal

Fine tune verbal presentation skills and explore resources for final submission

Combined Years of experience

Our staff comprises professors, researchers, public health policy makers, and doctors. Our course is developed and led by this professional, well-rounded group of instructors, each of whom are specialists with real-world experience in Research Design, Research Skills Development, Public Health Proposal and Grant Writing, and Proposal Delivery and Submission.

Our successes

We’re proud of the work we’ve done to help hundreds of students improve their research and proposal skills.

Learn While Doing

Our unique course allows you to learn while you create your thoughtful, persuasive, and fundable research proposal.

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Research Skills Courses

Explore a wide range of free and certified Research skills online courses. Find the best Research skills training programs and enhance your skills today!

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Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills

Learn essential negotiation strategies and skills for personal and professional success. Master the four-step process: prepare, negotiate, close, and evaluate. Practice with interactive experiences and real-world scenarios.

• 17 hours 50 minutes
• Free Online Course (Audit)

Understanding Medical Research: Your Facebook Friend is Wrong

How can you tell if the bold headlines seen on social media are truly touting the next big thing or if the article isn't worth the paper it's printed on?

• 16 hours 53 minutes

Fundamentals of Qualitative Research Methods

Learn the fundamentals of Qualitative Research Methods, developing a qualitative research question and get data using interviews, focus groups and analyse the data in this course by Yale University

• 1 hour 30 minutes
• Free Online Course

Agile Innovation and Problem Solving Skills

Learn how to deliver greater value through Agile solution targeting and theory of constraints that unleash your team's innovative potential.

• 4 weeks, 2-3 hours a week

Understanding Clinical Research: Behind the Statistics

If you’ve ever skipped over`the results section of a medical paper because terms like “confidence interval” or “p-value” go over your head, then you’re in the right place.

• 1 day 3 hours 11 minutes

Research Ethics and Plagiarism

Explore research ethics, plagiarism types, detection tools, and prevention strategies. Learn publication ethics and Indian regulations to enhance academic integrity and writing skills.

Improving Healthcare Through Clinical Research

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Learning Online: Researching Your Project

Improve your online research skills and your ability to critically analyse sources of information.

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Develop essential skills to find, assess, and cite information using academic library resources, enhancing your ability to conduct research for assignments.

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Reproducible Research

Aprenda conceitos e ferramentas para realizar análises de dados reprodutíveis, incluindo programação literária, Markdown e knitr. Desenvolva habilidades para publicar documentos científicos verificáveis e reutilizáveis.

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Empowering students to develop research skills

February 8, 2021

This post is republished from   Into Practice ,  a biweekly communication of Harvard’s  Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning

Terence D. Capellini, Richard B Wolf Associate Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology, empowers students to grow as researchers in his Building the Human Body course through a comprehensive, course-long collaborative project that works to understand the changes in the genome that make the human skeleton unique. For instance, of the many types of projects, some focus on the genetic basis of why human beings walk on two legs. This integrative “Evo-Devo” project demands high levels of understanding of biology and genetics that students gain in the first half of class, which is then applied hands-on in the second half of class. Students work in teams of 2-3 to collect their own morphology data by measuring skeletons at the Harvard Museum of Natural History and leverage statistics to understand patterns in their data. They then collect and analyze DNA sequences from humans and other animals to identify the DNA changes that may encode morphology. Throughout this course, students go from sometimes having “limited experience in genetics and/or morphology” to conducting their own independent research. This project culminates in a team presentation and a final research paper.

The benefits: Students develop the methodological skills required to collect and analyze morphological data. Using the UCSC Genome browser  and other tools, students sharpen their analytical skills to visualize genomics data and pinpoint meaningful genetic changes. Conducting this work in teams means students develop collaborative skills that model academic biology labs outside class, and some student projects have contributed to published papers in the field. “Every year, I have one student, if not two, join my lab to work on projects developed from class to try to get them published.”

“The beauty of this class is that the students are asking a question that’s never been asked before and they’re actually collecting data to get at an answer.”

The challenges:  Capellini observes that the most common challenge faced by students in the course is when “they have a really terrific question they want to explore, but the necessary background information is simply lacking. It is simply amazing how little we do know about human development, despite its hundreds of years of study.” Sometimes, for instance, students want to learn about the evolution, development, and genetics of a certain body part, but it is still somewhat a mystery to the field. In these cases, the teaching team (including co-instructor Dr. Neil Roach) tries to find datasets that are maximally relevant to the questions the students want to explore. Capellini also notes that the work in his class is demanding and hard, just by the nature of the work, but students “always step up and perform” and the teaching team does their best to “make it fun” and ensure they nurture students’ curiosities and questions.

Takeaways and best practices

• Incorporate previous students’ work into the course. Capellini intentionally discusses findings from previous student groups in lectures. “They’re developing real findings and we share that when we explain the project for the next groups.” Capellini also invites students to share their own progress and findings as part of class discussion, which helps them participate as independent researchers and receive feedback from their peers.
• Assign groups intentionally.  Maintaining flexibility allows the teaching team to be more responsive to students’ various needs and interests. Capellini will often place graduate students by themselves to enhance their workload and give them training directly relevant to their future thesis work. Undergraduates are able to self-select into groups or can be assigned based on shared interests. “If two people are enthusiastic about examining the knee, for instance, we’ll match them together.”
• Consider using multiple types of assessments.  Capellini notes that exams and quizzes are administered in the first half of the course and scaffolded so that students can practice the skills they need to successfully apply course material in the final project. “Lots of the initial examples are hypothetical,” he explains, even grounded in fiction and pop culture references, “but [students] have to eventually apply the skills they learned in addressing the hypothetical example to their own real example and the data they generate” for the Evo-Devo project. This is coupled with a paper and a presentation treated like a conference talk.

Bottom line:  Capellini’s top advice for professors looking to help their own students grow as researchers is to ensure research projects are designed with intentionality and fully integrated into the syllabus. “You can’t simply tack it on at the end,” he underscores. “If you want this research project to be a substantive learning opportunity, it has to happen from Day 1.” That includes carving out time in class for students to work on it and make the connections they need to conduct research. “Listen to your students and learn about them personally” so you can tap into what they’re excited about. Have some fun in the course, and they’ll be motivated to do the work.

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Research Skills (Short Course)

Business management (short course).

• Course Overview
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Why Study Research Skills?

The importance of good research skills lies not in the challenge of accessing information on any given topic. In the age of information, it’s quite the opposite - an abundance of conflicting information to make sense of.  Becoming an effective researcher is about knowing not only where to find information, but how to scrutinise the information available to separate fact from fiction.  Not to mention, extract the most important and relevant facts from those of less significance.  The art of effective research lies in adopting a strategic approach from start to finish.  Planning, note taking, reading and analysis - important tasks that come before writing, editing and perfecting your final report. This introductory free research skills course provides an overview of the basics of effective research - ideal for anyone looking to become a more confident and efficient researcher. 

By the end of this course the learner will be able to:

• Identify the benefits to proper research and documentation
• Read for maximum information retention and recall
• Take effective notes  

All free online certificate courses at Oxford Home Study Centre are 100% free of charge from start to finish.  There is no enrolment fee, all study aids are provided via our online learning platform and all of our courses are self-paced for total flexibility.

Our exclusive free courses provide the perfect opportunity to expand your knowledge, develop new skills and explore new professions.  Upon completion of your free online certificate course, you will have the option of claiming one of three different types of certificates for a small fee:

• An official Course Completion Certificate from Oxford Home Study Centre
• A CPD Accredited Certificate to boost your CPD profile
• An Endorsed Certificate issued by the Quality Licence Scheme

Each of these certificates could prove helpful in supporting future job applications, or helping you climb the career ladder with your current employer. All certificates are 100% optional upon successful completion of your course - available to purchase with your preferred postage option.

For more information on certificate costs, head over to our pricing page or contact a member of the team at Oxford Home Study Centre anytime. 

COURSE CONTENT

Topics covered in the course.

Research Skills Short Course covers the following key topics:

• Why Are Research Skills Important?
• Reading and Note-Taking Techniques
• The 7±2 Rule

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Course Info

Research Workshops

UCLA Library research workshops teach relevant skills and encourage critical thinking about the research process.

More Information

About the series.

UCLA Library offers varied workshops designed to help students succeed as undergraduate or graduate Bruins and beyond. These workshops teach relevant skills and encourage critical thinking about the research process.

Workshops cover areas including:

• Getting started with research
• Using citation management software (Zotero, EndNote)
• Mapping and visualization tools
• Writing a literature review
• Organizing data with spreadsheets or databases
• Finding sources at the UCLA Library

Upcoming Workshops in this Series

Past Workshops in this Series

• Mar 14 Workshop People, Places, and Things: Persistent Identifiers in the Research Publication Landscape March 14, 2023 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Online
• Feb 23 Workshop Presentation Strategies and Tools February 23, 2023 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Online
• Feb 16 Workshop Introduction to DEVONthink February 16, 2023 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Online
• Feb 09 Workshop Introduction to Scrivener - 2-9-2023 February 9, 2023 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Related Series

Science focused research skills and topics workshops, aimed at STEM audiences but open to all students.

Foundational research and management skills workshops, open to students at all levels.

Associated Topics

Wi+re online writing and research tutorials, cornerstone research workshops, have further questions.

We're here to help. Chat with a librarian 24/7, schedule a research consultation or email us your quick questions.

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Workshops & Curriculum Support

• Research Skills Topics

Research Topics by Level

Students should acquire basic research skills before moving on to intermediate and advanced skills. The length of instruction for each topic listed below may vary. Please speak with your librarian about reasonable time expectations.

Introductory

• Library orientation
• Topic selection and refinement
• Keyword searching
• Summon searching
• Information sources and the information cycle
• Finding background information
• Academic integrity
• Reading a citation

Intermediate

• Introduction to database searching
• Citing sources (i.e., APA, MLA, etc.)
• Google Scholar searching
• Peer-review process
• Finding statistics and data
• Evaluating the authority of sources and websites
• RefWorks and reference management
• Advanced database searching (i.e., subject searching, controlled vocabularies)
• Grey literature searching (i.e., government reports)
• Scholarly communication
• Copyright/Intellectual property
• Troubleshoot finding a full-text article

Scaffolding Research Skills

Use the following chart to embed research skills throughout your entire program!

*Adapted from the University of Rhode Island .

Information Literacy in Higher Education

Library instruction is based on the The Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2015) adopted by the Association of College and Research Librarians (ACRL) in 2016. The Framework identifies six core concepts of information literacy:

• 1. Authority is Constructed and Contextual
• 2. Information Creation as a Process
• 3. Information has Value
• 4. Research as Inquiry
• 5. Scholarship as Conversation
• 6. Searching as Strategic Exploration
• Last Updated: Sep 13, 2024 10:20 AM
• URL: https://sheridancollege.libguides.com/informationliteracy

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Irish Cancer Society's Research Skills Workshop 2025

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Introduction

The Irish Cancer Society wishes to invite anyone interested in developing their research skills to apply to attend the 2025 Research Skills Workshops in Dublin. This free course will be delivered by Dr Emer Guinan and Dr Linda O'Neill. No research experience is required.

Session Breakdown

Block 1: Thursday, January 16th and Friday, January 17th.

In the January training dates, we will cover how to:

• Understand how to develop a research question and project proposal
• Consider the team members needed to build an effective research team
• Explain the importance of embedding public and patient involvement and engagement in a research project
• Consider the funding requirements of your research
• Understand research approval processes and identify research supports when developing a grant application

Block 2: Monday, March 3rd and Tuesday, March 4th.

In the March training dates, we will cover how to:

• Gain practical experience of protocol development 
• Understand the ethical and local approval process for study start-up
• Identify key considerations with regards to informed consent, recruitment, retention, randomisation, and fidelity.
• Gain practical experience of developing key study documentation, e.g., participant information leaflet and justify the key components of an Investigator Site File
• Consider different avenues of demonstrating research impact and research dissemination
• Increase awareness of mandatory training and data management regulations
• Appreciate the value of embedding health economics, qualitative research and trial methodology research into your work
• Increase awareness of opportunities for getting involved in research

Apply to Attend

This training is free to attend. The course is carried out over two blocks. You may attend both blocks, or just one. In either instance, it is vital to complete all sections  of the form and forward a letter of support from your line manager (more information on page 2 of application). There is no cost to attend.

To secure a place on this course, please download and complete the below application and email to  [email protected] . 

Submission and Key Dates

Completed applications will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis until the course is full.

Please note: The above dates are provisional and subject to change at the discretion of the Irish Cancer Society.

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Researcher Development Workshops

‌The Doctoral College at the University provides a comprehensive Researcher Development Programme, as well as Vitae's, that supports research student development throughout the doctoral degree.

The key features of this programme are that it aligns with the recommendations of QAA and the Research Councils as well vitae's Research Development Framework.  It also encourages student ownership of the development process, with supervisor involvement as a key to success.  Transferable skills can also be evidenced through gaining open badges.

Our workshops are linked to the RDF descriptors as below, for more information visit our Vitae RDF webpage

The Programme

The Personal and professional development opportunities for research students are spread throughout the duration of the research degree and are grouped into 7 themed units.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Please visit the course webpage by clicking on the course titles below and seeking booking instructions at the bottom of the page.

Unit 1: Finding your feet as a researcher

This unit aims to support postgraduate researchers in their transition into their research degrees and includes a University induction, sessions that help in research planning and management, personal and professional development planning, academic writing and doctoral research skills.

Unit 2: Starting your research

This unit focuses on providing the knowledge and skills that postgraduate researchers require when they start their research, and includes workshops on philosophical positioning, ethics and research integrity, literature and archival search skills, and referencing skills.

Unit 3: Foundations for Conducting Research

This unit provides theoretical and practical knowledge in the analysis of data.  Courses are provided in a variety of qualitative and quantitative approaches, as well as how to use data analysis software.

Unit 4: Completing your doctorate in a timely fashion

This unit explores the barriers and facilitators to the successful completion of a research degree and provides workshops to support doctoral researchers through their progression reviews, in their thesis write and as they prepare for their Viva Voce.

Unit 5: Disseminating your research

This unit is designed to support researchers' growing understanding of the variety of different forms of dissemination.  It covers verbal, poster and electronic presentation skills and how to disseminate research to a variety of audiences.  This unit also provides workshops on networking skills, blogging and the use of social media in research dissemination. This unit additionally ensures that PGRS understand their intellectual property rights.

Unit 6: Focusing on your career

This unit directs PGRs' attention toward the future and their potential careers.  It includes workshops on identifying transferable skills, cv and cover letter writing and includes a careers drop-in.  It also supports PGRs in developing teaching skills, bid writing skills and entrepreneurial skills.  

Unit 7: Flexible Learning

TO REGISTER:  Visit the course webpage and click on the 'book now' button next to your selected date. You will be taken to the workshop's eventbrite page where you can register for your free ticket.

MANAGING YOUR BOOKINGS:  You should log into your personal Eventbrite account to manage your bookings. You will receive an automatic reminder email 48 hours in advance of your chosen workshops.

ATTENDING ON TIME : We expect that all research students will arrive on time for workshops and stay for the duration – latecomers are disruptive to the other participants. If you need to arrive a little late or leave a little early please contact the workshop facilitator to ask if this is acceptable.

FAILURE TO ATTEND : We know that things crop up last minute which mean you may not be able to attend a workshop. However it is your responsibility to cancel your booking via Eventbrite.  Please note that failure to attend a workshop for which you have booked will result in a £20 fine to your Faculty.

HOW TO CANCEL YOUR TICKET:  Just log in to  Eventbrite , go to the  My Tickets  page, and locate your order. Select " Manage Order " to view your order details, and then select " Cancel   Order ". Eventbrite will send you and the Doctoral College an email confirming the cancelation.

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Molecular biology laboratory skills workshop: dna extraction & pcr, molecular bio.png.

This workshop is part of the STEM Research Skills Workshop Series. 

Join Dr. Demetra Skaltsas for the two-day Molecular Biology Laboratory Skills Workshop, where we take you on a journey from mastering the basics of DNA extractions to becoming familiar with PCR techniques. This comprehensive workshop is designed to equip students with essential laboratory skills and techniques necessary for success in molecular biology research and related disciplines.

In the DNA Extractions: Basics module, students will learn fundamental skills such as pipetting techniques, proper handling methods, and safety protocols associated with heat blocks and centrifuges. Additionally, participants will gain insights into assessing DNA quality and quantity using nanodrop and Qubit technologies, as well as differentiating between quick extraction methods and others.

Moving on to the PCR module, participants will delve deeper into the intricacies of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This series goes beyond simply performing PCR and running electrophoresis gels. By the end of the series, students will be proficient in various skills including record-keeping, aseptic techniques, and troubleshooting common issues encountered during PCR experiments.

There will be an opportunity for participants to take a proficiency test and gain a certificate stating they received training in micropipetting, DNA extraction, sterile technique, PCR, and gel electrophoresis. It will be offered on the following days/times: 

The workshop will be offered on the following days/times: 

• Option 1: Saturday, October 19, 2024 - Sunday, October 20, 2024; 9am-5pm each day  (breaks included & food provided)
• Option 2: Saturday, October 26, 2024 - Sunday, October 27, 2024; 9am-5pm each day  (breaks included & food provided)
• Option 3: Saturday, November 16, 2024 - Sunday, November 17, 2024; 9am-5pm each day  (breaks included & food provided)
• Option 4: Saturday, November 23, 2024 - Sunday, November 24, 2024; 9am-5pm each day  (breaks included & food provided)

Register HERE:  https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6yvgV9xaZLciFOm

Highlights of the workshop include: 

• Pipetting mastery
• Aseptic technique
• DNA isolation, amplification, visualization, and interpretation
• Primer elutions and dilutions
• Gel electrophoresis
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Time management strategies
• Troubleshooting in research

This series will be offered  multiple times, ensuring flexibility for both introductory sessions and practice sessions for those seeking to refresh their skills or enhance proficiency. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your molecular biology techniques, this workshop provides the foundation for success in the laboratory and beyond. Join us in mastering the art of molecular biology experimentation!

Questions? Email Courtney Leligdon at  [email protected] . 

Interested in learning about other Research Skills Workshops? Visit  ur.arizona.edu/content/stem-skills-workshop !

History Skills Workshop - History Research Skills

This workshop aims to introduce students to the skills that they will need to undertake successful independent research. Our Graduate Outreach Tutors (all of whom are currently working on in-depth and specialist historical research projects) will discuss and engage students with the research process from choosing a question to writing up.

Anna Connolly

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74th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe

Effective communication in health care: implementing mandatory training across Danish hospitals

The fourth episode of the WHO webinar series on enhancing trust through communication skills for health-care professionals will explore how a research project in Denmark led to the development of a mandatory regional training programme on patient communication.

Jette Ammentorp, Professor and Head of Research at the Centre for Research in Patient Communication (CFPK) at Odense University Hospital (Denmark) will present the project, sharing insight into the journey from research to implementation and how the training programme has improved interactions between health-care providers and patients.

The webinar series is organized by WHO/Europe, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Promotion in Hospitals and Healthcare at the Austrian National Public Health Institute, the International Association for Communication in Healthcare (EACH), and the University of Iowa (United States of America).

Each webinar examines the critical role of effective communication in building trust within health-care settings, and the challenges health-care professionals face in effectively communicating with each other and patients.

The series also aims to inform future WHO guidance and recommendations on establishing national communication skills training programmes in hospitals, drawing on insights and lessons from programmes in various countries. 

Register for this webinar via the link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing instructions for joining the session.

Webinar registration link

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Integrating 4C/ID model into computer- supported formative assessment system to improve the effectiveness of complex skills training for vocational education

• Published: 23 September 2024

Cite this article

• Haoxin Xu 1 ,
• Tianrun Deng 2 ,
• Xianlong Xu   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0736-7932 2 ,
• Xiaoqing Gu 2 ,
• Lingyun Huang 3 ,
• Haoran Xie 4 &
• Minhong Wang 3  

In the 21st century, the urgent educational demand for cultivating complex skills in vocational training and learning is met with the effectiveness of the four-component instructional design model. Despite its success, research has identified a notable gap in the address of formative assessment, particularly within computer-supported frameworks. This deficiency impedes student self-awareness of skill mastery and limits effective monitoring of skill learning in the classroom by teachers. To address this gap, the study introduces an enhanced four-component instructional design model that seamlessly integrates formative assessment. Based on this model, an automated system for assessing complex skills was developed, with the aim of formative assessment and improving skill learning. A control experiment involving 54 industrial robot professional participants in vocational colleges has preliminarily verified the feasibility and effectiveness of computer-supported formative assessment. The findings reveal that this approach significantly enhances students’ schema construction, knowledge, skill mastery, and transfer ability, thereby improving the overall effectiveness of complex skill learning. In addition, participants who underwent computer-supported formative assessment reported high levels of system satisfaction and usefulness, with no adverse impact on their learning attitudes, motivation, or cognitive load. This study contributes a robust theoretical framework and practical case study for computer-supported formative assessment in complex skill learning, providing empirical support for the advancement of computer-supported teaching. The integration of formative assessment within the four-component instructional design model offers a novel perspective, addressing a critical gap in the existing literature and laying the foundation for future developments in this educational domain.

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Acknowledgements

The research will not have been possible without the cooperation of teachers and administrators from Shanghai Technical Institute of Electronics Information. We would particularly like to acknowledge our discussions with Dr. Wangqi Shen, who provided consultation in the preparation of this paper.

This study was funded by Key Project of Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (17DZ2281800).

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Tianrun Deng, Xianlong Xu & Xiaoqing Gu

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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Haoxin Xu, Tianrun Deng, Xianlong Xu, Xiaoqing Gu, Lingyun Huang, Haoran Xie, and Minhong Wang. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Haoxin Xu and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xianlong Xu .

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The study was conducted with the approval of the East China Normal University Committee on Human Research Protection, and all subjects were adults. Prior to the start of the experiment, the subjects were informed of the purpose, method, process, and other information of the study, and written consent was obtained from all subjects.

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Appendix A. Formative assessments interface for students

Scenario-based task

Subject knowledge test

Schema task

Appendix B. Interface of reports

Interface of students’ individual reports

Interface of class reports 1

Interface of class reports 2

Appendix C. Post subject knowledge test

1.1 c.1 post subject knowledge test.

Here are only part of the questions.

1. The ( workpiece ) refers to the object being processed in the mechanical machining process, while the tool denotes the instrument required for a robot to accomplish a specific task.

2. By default, when a single robot is in operation, the ( world coordinate system ) remains aligned with the base coordinate system.

3. The tool coordinate system is fixed at the end of the tool, and its coordinate origin is abbreviated as ( TCP ).

4. When creating tool coordinates using the six-point method in simulation software, it is advisable to switch to ( B ) mode when the reference point and fixed point are relatively close.

A. Normal B. Incremental C. Automatic D. Deceleration

5. When using the six-point method to create tool coordinates in simulation software, it is necessary to set ( AB ).

A. Center of gravity coordinates B. Tool mass C. TCP point D. Base coordinates

6. The recommended workflow for arranging peripheral devices outside the workstation is as follows: ( C-D-A-B-E )

A. Rotate the external device model.

B. Directly move or use point-and-click to approximate the device’s position.

C. Import the required models.

D. Display the robot’s workspace.

E. Use the “Set Position” function for fine-tuning the position.

7. In the incremental mode, the user increment in the teach pendant screen’s bottom right corner can be set in size. ( \(\underline{\checkmark }\) )

8. In the manual state of the robot, pressing the first gear of the enable button will stop the motors, putting the robot in a protective stop state. ( \(\underline{\times }\) )

Note: Fill-in-the-blank questions: 1, 2, 3. Multiple-choice questions: 4, 5. Sorting question: 6. Judgment questions: 7, 8

1.2 C.2 Post scenario-based task

Task description: Please create a robotic trajectory workstation, name the workstation with your student ID, and then import necessary models such as the robot, tool, workpiece, peripheral devices, etc. Use the six-point method to determine the tool coordinates, name the tool coordinates as “tool” followed by the last two digits of your student ID, and save the corresponding TCP data. Finally, through point teaching and programming, make the robot follow the counterclockwise trajectory as shown in Fig. 13 . Programming tasks include establishing initialization routines, trajectory walking routines, and returning home routines. Submit the task archive and program text upon completion.

Note: Ensure to perform programming tasks to establish initialization routines, trajectory walking routines, and returning home routines. Save all relevant data and submit the compressed task archive along with the program text.

The post-test for academic performance

1.3 C.3 Post schema task

Task description: Please draw a mind map illustrating the trajectory planning for operating industrial robots. Provide detailed descriptions for each step, including the purpose and significance of each step.

Note: There is an example of a student answering.

Appendix D. The survey scales for various aspects

Appendix e. the results of levene’s test, appendix f. the results of mann-whitney u-test, rights and permissions.

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Xu, H., Deng, T., Xu, X. et al. Integrating 4C/ID model into computer- supported formative assessment system to improve the effectiveness of complex skills training for vocational education. Educ Inf Technol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-13037-8

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Accepted : 02 September 2024

Published : 23 September 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-13037-8

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