Course Outline

for
Hands on Research Methodology: From Concept to Publication
Class 1: Introduction to Research Methodology and Course Overview

 Participant introduction phase, to know about their research interest

 Overview of the course structure and objectives
 What is research, and give a minimal outline about research types (Original research,
Review, Systematic rev & meta-analysis, Case- report, Letter to editor.etc)
 Introduction to the importance of research methodology
 Explanation of assessment criteria and expectations


Class 2: Literature Review and Developing Research Ideas

Theoretical Content:

 Importance of literature review in research

 Strategies for conducting a comprehensive literature review (Use of keywords, Mesh
terms, Bullion operators, search engines etc.)
 Identifying research gaps and generating research ideas (Present manuscript and
demonstrate how to find a research gap from articles, examples of different sources to
find research gaps)

Practical Content:

 Guided practice on searching and evaluating academic literature (PubMed, Google

Scholar)
 Group discussion and brainstorming for potential research topics (Task for next class)

Class 3: Introduction to Referencing Software

Theoretical Content:

 Overview of referencing styles (APA, MLA, etc.)

 Introduction to referencing software (e.g., Mendeley)

Discussing the importance of proper referencing in scholarly writing

Practical Content:

 Show them how to download, and load the MS word add ins/ extensions.
 Guided demonstration: Using referencing software to manage citations and references
 Task to write an introduction on any topic using referencing software
Class 4: Formulating Research Questions and Objectives

Theoretical Content:

 Crafting clear and focused research questions and hypothesis

 Developing general and specific research objectives

Practical Content:

 Group activity: Refining research questions and objectives for sample topics (Based on
their given tasks in the previous class)
 Instructor-led examples and exercises

Class 5: Study Design and Sampling Techniques

Theoretical Content:

 Introduction to various study designs (experimental, observational, qualitative)

 Different sampling techniques and their applications
 Target population, sample population

Practical Content:

 Case studies on study designs and their appropriateness

 Hands-on activity: Choosing the right sampling technique for a given research scenario

Class 6: Sample Size Calculation and Manuscript Development

Theoretical Content:

 Understanding the significance of sample size determination and sample size calculation
(cross-sectional)
 Basics of manuscript structure and components

Practical Content:

 Calculation of sample size using online tools/manually

 Analyzing and discussing example manuscripts for structure and content

Class 7: Data Collection Tool Development and Practical Session 1

Theoretical Content:

 Designing effective data collection tools (questionnaires, surveys, interviews); scale and
how to find out tools
 Considerations for question wording, response options, types of variables, and order
Practical Content:

 Hands-on workshop: Creating a very short data collection tool using a survey tool (e.g.,
Google Forms)
 Task to develop a data collection tool for their research work (They must have developed
research question and objectives)

Class 8: Proposal Development Part 1 - Research Framework Literature Review and

Theoretical Content:

 Writing an effective literature review for a research proposal

 Give them idea about the type and sources of data (Primary, Secondary, DHS), how it
works.
 Components of a research proposal
 Developing the research framework: Introduction, background, and problem statement

Practical Content:

 Guided activity: Drafting the introduction and problem statement for individual research
proposals (Task for next class based on their previous developed research question and
objectives)

Class 9: Proposal Development Part 2 - Research Design

Theoretical Content:

 Finalizing the research design and methodology

Practical Content:

 Hands-on session: Refining the research design sections of the proposal (Task for next
class)
 Peer review and collaborative improvement of proposals on given task (Introduction and
problem statement)

Class 10: Data Analysis Plan and Management

Theoretical Content:

 Overview of quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques

 Choosing appropriate statistical tests based on research questions
 Planning the data analysis process based on research objectives
 Principles of data management and organization

Practical Content:
  Formulating a data analysis plan for different research designs (Already they must have
developed basic study design and tools)- Task for next class
 Demonstration: Organizing and cleaning sample data for analysis

Class 11: Practical Session 2 - Excel Data Sheet Practice

 Introduction to basic Excel functions for data manipulation

 Interpreting results and drawing conclusions (Present result section of different articles)
 Hands-on exercises: Data entry, cleaning, and simple analysis using Excel (As well as a
task on this will be given- 5 sample datasets will be provided to each team)
 Task to present their proposal by last class

Class 12: Proposal Presentation and Course Wrap-Up

 Students present their research proposal developed during the course

 Reflecting on key takeaways and learning outcomes
 Providing additional resources for further learning and research