What research skills are you learning to stay current?

?? Clearly Defined Research Objectives: Public health researchers must have the skill to articulate their research objectives clearly. A well-defined research question sets the direction for the entire study. For example, if investigating the impact of a public health intervention on reducing obesity rates, the research question should be precise and focused, such as "What is the effectiveness of a community-based nutrition education program in reducing obesity rates among children aged 5-12 in a specific urban area?" Defining research objectives and questions effectively is the crucial first step in any research project, as it guides the entire research process.

Using a backward-thinking design, the researcher must consider that every study has important stakeholders beyond the academic audience. Those stakeholders are the general public and the population/participants in the study (even if the research is a quantitative analysis of existing data or meta-analyses). Routinely, research is created for academics, while the findings have more implications in the lives of everyday citizens. Participants or the population of the study (depending on characteristics) usually do not have access or subscriptions to academic journals where studies are published. When a study's findings are easily accessible, publicly available, and understandable, we promote public trust. This should be a priority.

To kick off any research project, it's all about nailing down that key question. You want something specific, laser-focused, and totally on point with your field and what you're aiming for. It's gotta be doable too—where you've got enough info and resources to tackle it. A neat trick is the PICO framework—Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome. Like, imagine you're curious about how social media shakes up leadership styles. You could roll with: "How does social media use shake up managers' leadership styles in the IT sector?" That kind of question gets you right to the heart of what you're after!

Research questions don’t need to be very fancy and elaborate. Most often, research is more valuable when you answer basic small level questions because they all make up the big picture. So I usually start with asking, what information is missing that will explain this concept better? Then go on to find if anyone is trying to answer it and you will really get into the rabbit hole of narrowing it down to an unanswered area of that topic.

1. Source Evaluation: ?? Assess the authority, accuracy, currency, and credibility of sources to ensure reliability. #SourceEvaluation #ResearchSkills 2. Relevance and Scope: ?? Verify that the information is not only credible but also directly related and comprehensive enough for your research question. #Relevance #ResearchSources

Once you've got that burning research question, it's time to hit the information trail! Libraries, databases, online platforms—there's a whole treasure trove out there. But hey, not every nugget is gold! That's where your critical thinking game comes in. You've gotta suss out if the info you find is top-notch or not-so-great. Look for stuff like who's behind it (author's creds), when it was published, references, and what the whole deal is about (scope, audience, purpose). Checking these boxes helps figure out if it's a trusty source or if it's a bit shady.

Effective Data Management: ?? Organize collected information systematically using folders, files, spreadsheets, or databases to prevent data loss or duplication. #DataManagement #Organization Proper Citation: ?? Use consistent citation styles like APA, MLA, or Harvard to document sources, ensuring academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism. Consider citation management tools like Zotero, Mendeley or Endnote for easier citation generation. #CitationStyle #AcademicIntegrity

When you've got that heap of info, keeping it all tidy and organized is key. Folders, files, spreadsheets, databases—pick your weapon! Using these tools helps dodge the chaos of losing or repeating important stuff. Oh, and citations? Super important! Consistent styles like APA, MLA, or Harvard (whatever floats your boat) keep things legit and plagiarism-free. And hey, online pals like Zotero or Mendeley? They're your go-to wingmen for generating and managing those citations hassle-free!

For data management I use spreadsheets, folders, and GradePro to track references for literature reviews. For citation style, I am always using APA, AMA, or Chicago Style. It’s important to also check for new updates on these styles as they change once in a while. To manage my citations, I like to use Mendeley, since it’s free, but now I also use EndNote to manage references for systematic reviews.

Once you've gathered your info stash, it's time to dive in and make sense of it all. Think detective mode! You're hunting for themes, patterns, and even those tricky contradictions hiding in the literature. Comparing and contrasting different viewpoints? It's like hosting a debate in your brain! Relating all this juicy info back to your research question and goals is key too. And hey, visualize that treasure trove—tables, charts, diagrams—they're your buddies for summarizing all that insight. Plus, frameworks like SWOT, PESTEL, or Porter's Five Forces? They're your secret weapons to break down and analyze that info in a snap!

Mind maps and power point presentations are really helpful here. So use them to categorise the finding into different buckets, for eg based on the year of publication, the domain area that the research specifically caters to, the depth of the research, some famous authors, interesting graphics etc. You can also make a story out of it, by plotting the progress in a particular field on a timescale starting from the time, the work in the area has been documented, till date. This gives a very nice understanding of the trends followed, and the gaps that can be addressed further for making a impactful contribution.

Collection is only half the research story. You also have to organize and interpret the information. This is both a science and an art. It is a science because there are specific steps required to comply with the scientific method. It's an art because various pieces of data often involve judgment calls. You have to be in tune with your purpose and desired outcomes to make the right judgment calls throughout the effort.

Throughout my career, I have used different ways to communicate findings. Depending to whom I am communicating to, I need to tailor my communication style to effectively share my findings. Here are some ways you can communicate and share your work: - Scientific Conferences: posters and oral presentations - For the scientific community: submit manuscripts for peer-review publications - For public health departments: write white papers and reports. Oral presentations and webinars are also a great way to share findings and to get feedback - Community members: assess your community literacy level. Make sure your findings are written in a grade level that community members are able to understand. Use images, and simple graphs.

Writing online or talking about a topic is such a great way to put your work out, learn from it and get better. It is an interactive cycle that helps you learn through actions, one of the best ways to make progress. Trying to learn everything before applying it takes longer and you miss out on opportunities.

Its also about learning to use AI tools to integrate it with the researching method, while extracting useful information faster. Some of the useful tools in this regard are Research rabbit, Scite both of which help to analyze large amounts of scientific literature and extract relevant information, such as key findings, methodologies, and conclusions. Another one is chat pdf, again a free tool, but super useful one, which allows chatting with the pdf through questions. Many are still stuck in the conventional methods of finding and compiling information, and hence use of AI to bolster research output needs awareness.

Research is indeed a multifaceted process, involving philosophy, approach, methods, strategies, time considerations, and data analysis. Staying current in research demands dynamic skills and alignment with your vision and mission to navigate these layers effectively.