Practical guidance for real research problems
Guides, worked examples and lessons from real studies to help you make better research decisions from planning through publication.
16 results in Study Design & Proposals
Study Design & ProposalsGuide3 min readPrimary vs Secondary Sources in Research: Examples
Distinguish primary and secondary sources by the claim you need to support, and learn when to trace a finding back to the original study.
Study Design & ProposalsGuide3 min readMultiple Reports of One Study: Avoid Double Counting
Learn to link multiple publications from one study, distinguish them from duplicate records and prevent double counting in a review.
Study Design & ProposalsGuide3 min readLiterature Search Log Template: What to Record
Create a search log that preserves exact queries, dates, platforms, exports and revisions without confusing search results with studies.
Study Design & ProposalsGuide3 min readPubMed Search Strategy: A Boolean Search Example
Build a PubMed search using concept blocks, synonyms and field tags, then test what your search retrieves and misses.
Study Design & ProposalsGuide12 min readThe Research Proposal Audit: 12 Questions to Ask Before You Send It to Your Supervisor
Before sending your proposal, audit the problem, gap, question, objectives, design, population, sampling, measurement, analysis, ethics and final alignment.
Study Design & ProposalsGuide8 min readHow to Choose Variables for a Quantitative Study Before You Open SPSS
Choose variables from your research question and causal logic, not from a list of demographics or bivariate p-values. A practical workflow for quantitative studies.
Study Design & ProposalsGuide8 min readHow to Write a Research Problem Statement Without Starting With “Globally…”
Stop taking readers on a global-to-local statistics tour. Learn how to write a research problem statement that shows what is happening, why it matters and what remains unknown.
Study Design & ProposalsGuide9 min readHow Long Does Research Ethics Approval Take in Uganda? Longer Than the REC Review Alone
If fieldwork starts in June and the ethics application goes in during May, the study may already be running late. Plan for the whole approval pathway, not the REC alone.
Study Design & ProposalsGuide12 min readYour Research Question and Methods Do Not Match. Here Is How to Fix It
Your methods can be technically correct and still answer the wrong question. Use this alignment test to connect the question, design, sampling, measurement and analysis.
Study Design & ProposalsGuide8 min readHow to Write Research Objectives You Can Actually Analyse
Write research objectives that connect directly to your data and analysis. Learn how to replace vague verbs with objectives that make the evidence you need visible.
Study Design & ProposalsWorked example7 min readConceptual Framework Examples That Actually Explain a Study
See practical conceptual framework examples for quantitative and qualitative studies, and learn what makes a framework explanatory rather than decorative.
Study Design & ProposalsWorked example9 min readHow to Build a Conceptual Framework From Your Research Objectives
Build a conceptual framework step by step from your research objectives, literature and proposed relationships, without creating a box-and-arrow mess.
Study Design & ProposalsWorked example9 min readConceptual Framework Example: Determinants of Stunting in Children Aged 6–23 Months
A layered framework from household conditions to the study outcome, with measures for every construct and an editable version in the builder.
Study Design & ProposalsGuide8 min readHow to Write a Research Proposal in Uganda: A Step-by-Step Guide
A practical, step-by-step guide to writing a research proposal in Uganda, from problem statement to budget, with the standard structure expected by Ugandan universities and research ethics committees.
Study Design & ProposalsGuide4 min readHow to Turn a Rough Research Idea into a Clear Research Question
Most research ideas start messy. This guide shows how to move from a broad interest to a focused, answerable research question.
Study Design & ProposalsGuide4 min readBefore You Submit: A Practical Checklist for Research Proposals
A practical checklist to help students, researchers, and teams catch common proposal gaps before submitting for supervision, funding, or ethics review.