Curriculum
This program features a blended learning model comprising live workshops, self-paced on-demand sessions, live webinars and writing exercises that work to elevate your writing skills. These exercises can be tailored to your specific writing goals. Each specialized track culminates in a capstone project, where each participant develops a submission-ready written work.
Over the course of one year, participants will:
- Attend three 4-day workshops
- Participate in monthly virtual live webinars
- Access our asynchronous Moodle learning site to work in collaborative groups.
- Formulate a research project
- Submission to a research ethics committee
- Conduct and analyze research data
- Work with a writing specialist
- Write a manuscript and submit for publication.
The Research Question
All research begins with formulating the research question, which is developed through a careful consideration of the important gaps in knowledge that the investigator desires to address.
We will help participants how to choose an important, novel, feasible, ethical research question. Even if you are not sure what research area you want to address, we will walk you through the process.
Writing the Proposal
Once a research question has been formulated, we will address formulation of the hypothesis, the scientific objectives, the conduct of the literature review and choosing the research methodology that will address the research question and the objectives. At this junction, we will review how to write the Introduction, Background and Methods Sections of the proposal.
Submission to a Research Ethics Committee
Once a proposal is written we will address the ethical requirements needed to submit to a research ethics committee. Issues to cover include informed consent process, privacy and data security, safeguards for vulnerable populations, recruitment efforts including social media recruitment, and proper reporting of adverse events.
Conducting and Analyzing
We will review processes for collecting data and input into spreadsheets for analysis. Common statistical tests to perform bivariate and multiple regression analysis. For qualitative research, we will discuss grounded theory and content analysis and methods for developing codes and themes. We will demonstrate the use of popular software that helps to organize the codes.
Writing the Manuscript
We will review the presentation of results and how to write the Discussion and Conclusion sections. The proper manner to cite references and review common reference softwares. We will also review grant writing for funding.
Publishing
We will discuss the mechanisms for publishing including how to select the proper journal and how to respond to reviewers’ comments.