Proposal writing and Research Methods

At the end of the course students should be able to: 1. describe the components of a proposal; 2. identify a suitable methodology; 3. select appropriate data collection method; and 4. write a proposal for a study.

Writing a research proposal. Research Methodology. Qualitative and Quantitative data Samples and mixed methods and sampling methods. Types of data and sample size determination. Type and design of questionnaire. Focus Group Discussion. Key informant interviews. Environmental Sampling. Data collection methods. Data analysis including use of computer based analytical packages such as SPSS, EPI-INFO and many others. Proposal and report writing. Topic selection. Justification. Objectives. Literature search. Methodology, results and discussion. Referencing. Research Communication: Ethical Issues. Critique of Research Report. Application of research process in clinical practice. Acknowledgement of contributors and references. Communicating research findings. Utilisation of research findings.