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Undergraduate Roadmap to Research

​Research Development and Support ​Undergraduate Research

Roadmap to Research
 

This is a basic guide to get you started. It aims to give you a broad idea of the research process from start to finish. The written chapters are extracts from the

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. Some of the recordings (podcasts) are from ​workshops and short courses run by the Research Capacity Development​​ and Funding Office​ in the Research Development and Support Division; others are from the EPE platform​. Although these are primarily targeted at MMed and postgraduate students, they are essentially resources for novice researchers and will have relevance for you as an undergraduate student embarking on research. We are constantly looking to add to and improve these resources, so please feel free to send us feedback by clicking on the links below. 
 

 


 HOW TO USE THIS ROADMAP: The coloured blocks below represent broad phases in the research jouney. Each of these blocks lists more detailed steps. Click on either the block phase heading (e.g. "Exploring") or one of the steps within it (e.g. "Getting ideas") to link to detailed guidance on that topic included further down on this page. You can also watch this video​ that was created by one of our undergraduate student researchers who shares her tips for how she used the Roadmap to help her with her research. ​
 

Exploring

  Planning

  Enabling

  Doing

  Disseminating

 

Exploring

Getting ideas

Research opportunities

​Finding a supervisor

Getting help

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 Watch: 
 

Identifying ideas and opportunities for research​​ 
 

Past student experiences
 

 Find resources: 
 

 

Document
Past student research topics


 

 

Useful resources on topics and questions​
 

 Send feedback​
 

​ Watch: 
 

Identifying ideas and opportunities for research​ 
 

 Find resources: 
 

Find a research project 
 

MBChB research opportunities
 

SU knowledge directory​
 

 Send feedb​ack​
 

​ Read: 

 

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Document
Tips on choosing a supervisor

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 Watch: 

Choosing and working with a supervisor​
 

Finding the right supervisor​
 

 Find resources: 
 

SU staff research interests
 

 Send feedb​ack​
 

​ Watch: 

Support available for undergraduate student researchers 
 

 Find resources: 
 

Contact the Undergraduate Research Office
 

Follow the Undergraduate Research Office on Facebook
 

Follow the Undergraduate Research Office on Twitter​
 

Join the Q Undergraduate Research Society
 

 Send feedb​​ack​
 

Planning                                                                      

The research process
 

​Plotting a timeline

Writing a proposal

​Study design & methods

 Read: 

 

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The research lifecycle​
 

 Watch: 

Overview of the research process: a quick guide​
 

Interactive research toolkit ​​​
 

 Find resources: 

Useful tools for research​
 

 Send feedback​​
 

​ Read: 

 

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Document
The research timeline


 

 

 Watch: 

Overview and timing of the research process

 Find resources: 
 

 

Document
Plan.It calendar​


 

 

Send f​ee​dback​
 

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Document
Outline of a proposal


 

 

Watch: 
 

Formulating research questions, aims and objectives (quantitative focus)

Setting up your research proposal

Writing your research proposal​​
 

​  Find resources: 

Useful resources for writing a proposal​
 

 Send feedb​ack
 

​ Read:

 

Document
quantitative.pdf (175.72 KB)
Quantitative: 

 

 

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Making the most of your biostatistics consult​

 

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Qualitative design and methods


 

 

 Watch: 

An introduction to methodology
 

Overview of research designs (quantitative focus)
 

Linking research questions and research designs​
 

An introduction to qualitative research paradigms and designs 

An overview of qualitative research methodologies and data collection methods ​

Strategies to ensure quality (trustworthiness) in qualitative research​​
 

Short course in clinical research skills (including detailed videos on different study designs)
 

Collaborating with a biostatistician​
 

Understanding sampling and sample size (quantitative focus)​
 

Sampling strategies (quantitative focus)​
 

Sampling and sample size considerations in qualitative research  ​ 
 

Data management
 

 Find resources: 
 

Useful resources on study design​
 

Useful resources on methods
 

Book a biostatistics consult​
 

Attend the Biostatistics Clinic
 

Useful biostatistics resources​
 

 Send fe​edback​
 

Enabling 

Applying for ethics

Other permissions

Funding your research
 

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Applying for ethics quick guide​​​ 
 

 Watch: 

What to include in an ethics application​
 

How to submit an online ethics application
 

What happens after submission of an ethics application

How to submit a response to modifications on an ethics application

How to submit an amendment to an ethics application

How to submit a progress report 
 

 Find resources: 
 

Undergraduate Research Ethics Committee
 

FAQs about ethics applications
 

Useful resources on research ethics
 

Additional training resources in research ethics (TRREE)​
 

 Send feedback​ 
 

​ Read: 
 

 

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 Watch: 

Overview of the research process and getting permission(s) to do research
 

 Find resources:
 

Apply for SU institutional permission to conduct research on SU staff and students​

Send feedback​

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Document
Research budget template


 

 

 Watch: 

A quick guide to drawing up a simple research budget
 

​  Find resources: 
 

Getting funding for your research
 

 Send feedback​ ​​
 

Doing

Literature review & referencing
 

Data collection

Data analysis

Write up

 Read: 
 

 

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Mendeley quick reference guide

 

 

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 Watch: 

A quick guide to literature searching
 

A quick guide to referencing

Writing the literature review guidance videos:​
 

1. Reading for and mapping the literature review

2. ​​Writing the literature review: conventions of academic writing
 

3. Writing the literature review: incorporating other people's voices (research)

4. Writing the literature review: incorporating your own voice

​  Find resources: 
 

Useful resources on literature reviews
 

How good scientific writing is like good cooking
 

Useful resources on referencing​
 

Guidance on avoiding plagiarism
 

Referencing style guides
 

Mendeley referencing software
 

Training on using Mendeley​
 

 Send feed​​​back​ ​

​ Read: 

 

Tips for conducting semi-structured interviews


 

 

 

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 Watch: 
 

How to design a questionnaire​
 

Quantitative questionnaire design​ 
 

An overview of qualitative methodologies and data collection methods

Strategies to ensure quality (trustworthiness) when doing qualitative research​​
 

Qualitative data collection (interviews)
 

Data management
 

Using Excel to enter data​
 

 Find resources: 

Useful resources on data collection
 

 Send fe​edback ​
 

​ Read: 

 

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 Watch:

Introduction to Biostatistics 1
 

Introduction to Biostatistics 2​
 

Qualitative data analysis​ 
 

 Find resources: 
 

Useful resources on data analysis
 

Book a biostatistics consult
 

Attend the Biostatistics Clinic
 

Useful biostatistics resources​
 

 Send fe​ed​back ​
 

​ Read: 
 

How to write the discussion section​

A template for writing the discussion section​ 
 

Common problems in the results/discussion section​
 

 Watch: 

Writing the results and discussion sections​ 
 

Tips on writing​
 

 Find resources: 

 

Self-help guide for formatting your thesis in MS Word​

 

Useful resources on academic writing
 

 Send fe​edback​ ​
 

Disseminating

Giving feedback

Presenting

Publishing

 Read: ​

 

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Disseminating your research findings​
 

 Watch: 

Planning for feedback and dissemination of your research results
 

 Find resources: 

WHO guidebook on disseminating research findings​

 Send ​feedback 
 

​ Read: 

 

Document
Oral presentation tips 

 

 Watch: 
 

How to write an abstract​ 
 

A quick guide to oral presentations​​
 

A quick guide to poster presentations
 

 Find resources: 
 

Get funding to present your research
 

Present at the FMHS Annual Academic Day 

Past undergraduate student presentations at the FMHS Annual Academic Day
 

 Send f​eedback 
 

​ Read: 

 

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Document
Template for response to reviewers


 

 

 Watch:
 

How to write an abstract
 

How to publish your research in a peer-reviewed academic journal​​

​  Find resources: 
 

Get funding for publishing your research
 

List of accredited journals​
 

Identifying predatory journals​
 

ICMJE authorship guidelines​
 

 Send​ feedback​ ​