This dynamic 5-week Research Skills Development Course (RSDC) uses didactic and hands-on, learning-while-doing training to develop the skills and competency to conceptualize, design, write, and communicate a thoughtful, persuasive, and fundable research proposal that addresses a public health concern.
Course includes English as a Second Language instruction during the entire five weeks. Also included is hands-on software training for collecting and organizing research literature (e.g., PubMed®, Web-of-Science®, Google Scholar®, EndNote Web®). Organized social events (including July 4th festivities), airport pickup on arrival and departure, books and supplies, and refreshments are included.
Course Topics
- PubMed ® literature search and EndNote ® basics
- Anatomy of proposal, conceptual framework, field concentrations and budget Basic biostatistics and analytic epidemiology
- Causation
- Surveys and sampling
- Ethical consideration (IRB approval)
- Successful scientific writing
- Interpretation and communication of data
- Effective oral communication skills
- Objectives
- Apply the purpose and objectives of scientific research in proposal development
- Retrieve relevant and appropriate published data, information, and scientific evidence relevant to an issue
- Discriminate between appropriate study designs
- Identify ethical, legal, and social issues of responsible scientific research
- Plan data collection, activities, and budget
- Apply knowledge management processes and utilize bibliographic tools in proposal development
Course Themes
- Week 1: Define the problem; Search the literature
- Week 2: Study design and methodology
- Week 3: Anatomy of a proposal
- Week 4: Scientific writing
- Week 5: Peer review and presenting the proposal
Course Description
This course uses didactic and hands-on training to develop competency in scientific research skills. Its aim is to help students design and develop a thoughtful, persuasive, and fundable scientific research proposal that addresses a health concern. Students come with research questions and during the 5-week period develop a protocol, defend it orally in class, and depart ready to submit it to a funding agency. This course helps students understand and develop the elements of a research project. Students receive hands-on software training to conduct a literature review and establish a literature database (e.g., EndNote Web®). They also learn skills in scientific writing and oral presentation. Students will also have an opportunity to experience the culture of Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Course Objectives
- Apply the components of scientific research in proposal development
- Retrieve appropriate published data, information, and scientific evidence relevant to public health issue
- Discriminate among appropriate study designs
- Develop program priorities and an evaluation approach for the proposal
- Identify ethical, legal, and social issues for responsible scientific research
- Plan data collection, tasks, and budget
- Apply knowledge management processes and utilize bibliographic tools in proposal development
- Verbally communicate the research proposal plans for marketing purposes
List of Learning Objectives Associated with the Competencies
- Generate a thoughtful, persuasive research proposal ready for submission to a funding agency
- Specific class sessions and assignments will build students’ ability to:
- Describe the scientific foundation of the field of public health
- Identify the basic public health sciences (including, but not limited to biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, health services administration, and social and behavioral sciences)
- Recognize the ethical principles in the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of data and information
- Describe the public health applications of quantitative and qualitative data
- Describe how data are used to address scientific, political, ethical, and social public health issues
- Recognize the primary objectives of each section of a proposal
- Formulate a problem statement and specific research aim
- Formulate a well-written hypothesis (quantitative) or research question (qualitative) and appropriate specific aims and objectives
- Develop a targeted review of the literature to relate research aims to the current state of knowledge and use of methods in the field
- Retrieve scientific evidence from a variety of text and electronic sources
- Describe the scientific evidence related to a public health issue, concern, or, intervention
- Distinguish the key components of the problem/question and represent them in a visual “conceptual framework” of the research or program
- Determine appropriate methods for data collection and outline their implementation
- Identify stakeholders for participation and collaboration in the study
- Recognize the integrity and comparability of data
- Discuss the limitations of research protocols
- Identify gaps in data sources
- Identify sources of public health data and information
- Develop a realistic and feasible budget and timeline
- Critique a proposal
- Prepare a proposal for funding from external sources
- Develop written and oral English communication skills related to scientific research