Research Courses and Workshops

Description: The purpose of this course is to develop your research skills in health-related issues. These skills are necessary for the development of your research proposal whilst also equipping you with skills for the successful planning and implementation of your research project.

Topics: Introduction to Health Research, Introduction to Research Ethics, Conducting a Literature Review, Research Methods, Study Objectives, Quantitative Methods, Qualitative Methods and Funding for Research

Please note the following is covered under quantitative methods: study designs, variables, sample size, data collection, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics including confidence intervals, t-tests, non-parametric tests, use of statistical programmes (Stata and Statistica).

Level: Introductory

Platform: Ulwazi

Duration: 20 hours

Pre-requisites: None

Description: The course will cover conceptual and theoretical frameworks, methods of data collection and analysis and basics on how to use MAXQDA software to analyse qualitative data.

Topics: Introduction to qualitative research, Characteristics and theoretical background, Designing quality qualitative research questions, Types of qualitative research, Reliability and validity in qualitative research, Methods of data collection and analysis which includes observation and field notes, developing guides for interviews and focus groups, in depth interviews and feedback and a reflective writing exercise and a Basic Introduction to qualitative data analysis using NVivo which includes coding data (using a transcript) and thematic analysis and writing up qualitative research.

Level: Introductory

Platform: In-person

Duration: 18 hours (6 x 3 days)

Pre-requisites: None

Description: The course will cover conceptual and theoretical frameworks, methods of data collection and analysis and basics on how to use MAXQDA software to analyse qualitative data.

Topics: Introduction to qualitative research, Methodological approaches used in qualitative research, Qualitative research questions, Designing interview and focus group discussion guides, Methods of data collection (interviews and focus group discussions, observations and positionality), Designing interview and focus group discussion guides, Data preparation, Qualitative data analysis which includes thematic and content analysis, Basic introduction to MAXQDA and Basics on how to use MAXQDA.

Level: Introductory

Platform: In-person/Microsoft Teams

Duration: 18 hours (6 hours x 3 days)

Pre-requisites: None

Description: This course will provide you with a guide and scientific writing tips on how to write an abstract, an introduction and literature review, methods, results, discussion and conclusion sections of your research proposal, research report, dissertation, thesis and a journal article.

Topics: Proposal writing, Writing an abstract, Introduction and Literature review, Methods and Results and Discussion and Conclusion.

Level: Introductory

Platform: Microsoft Teams

Duration: 6 hours

Pre-requisites: None

Description: This workshop is for early career academics who wish to develop their grant writing skills.

Topics: Factors to consider before you apply for a grant, Types and sources of research grants, Writing a grant application, Grant reviewers and what do they look for in a grant application, An introduction to Research Connect and Peer review of your grant applications.

Level: Introductory

Platform: In-person

Duration: 4.5 hours

Pre-requisites: None

Description: Researchers and postgraduate students are encouraged to present their research not only to increase their research profile but also to meet fellow researchers in their field and to establish research collaborations.

Topics: How to write an abstract, How to present a PowerPoint presentation, How to prepare a Poster presentation

Level: Introductory

Platform: In person

Duration: 7 hours

Pre-requisites: None

Description: A Comprehensive Systematic Review Training using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s methodology and software.

Topics: Introduction to systematic reviews, which includes developing a review question, searching and selecting articles, Systematic reviews of effect and Systematic reviews of qualitative studies

Level: Intermediate

Platform: Zoom

Duration: 40 hours (8 hours x 5 days)

Pre-requisites: None

Fee: R1760

Description: A Scoping Review Training using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s Methodology and Software.

Topics: The workshop will focus on the following: Types of evidence reviews, Introduction to scoping reviews and when to conduct a scoping review, Question development and inclusion and exclusion criteria, Searching for the evidence, Extracting the evidence, Analysis of evidence and reporting findings.

Level: Introductory

Platform: Zoom

Duration: 8 hours

Pre-requisites: None

Fee: R630

Description: The purpose of this course is to develop your postgraduate research supervision skills. These skills are necessary to achieve high throughput rates in the minimum time allowed for completion of a degree whilst not compromising on the quality and for the development of your academic growth.

Topics: Postgraduate supervision, Supervisor-student relationship, Supervisor skills and supervisory styles, Ethics in research supervision, Wits postgraduate administrative requirements and procedures, Writing a research proposal, Writing of thesis/research reports - different formats, Research integrity, Funding for postgraduate students and research

Level: Introductory (Basic)

Platform: Ulwazi

Duration: 20 hours

Pre-requisites: None

Description: This workshop is for early career academics who wish to develop their skills in examining MMed/MDent research reports, Masters dissertations and PhD theses. This workshop aims to provide support to novice examiners and increase examiner capacity and quality in the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Topics: Overview of the examination process at WITS, How to examine a research report, dissertation and thesis, Examining stats in a research report, dissertation and thesis, How to examine a qualitative research report, dissertation and thesis, and how to critique a research report

Platform: Hybrid (In-person, Microsoft Teams)

Duration: 5 hours

Pre-requisites: None

Workshop requirements:

1. Attend all topic sessions and the practical session above either in-person or via Microsoft Teams.
2. Complete a Quiz on Ulwazi

Description: This hands-on workshop will cover basic statistical analysis using Stata software.

Level: Introductory (Basic)

Platform: Microsoft Teams

Duration: 3 hours

Pre-requisites: None

Description: This hands-on workshop will cover basic statistical analysis using Statistica software.

Level: Introductory (Basic)

Platform: Microsoft Teams

Duration: 3 hours

Pre-requisites: None

Description: A practical lecture of general data cleaning and methods used for this purpose (1 hour) and a facilitator assessing data of each attendant (2 hours). Variable labels and value labels will also be covered as well as creating new variables. The do-file approach will be introduced to encourage record keeping and repeatability of analysis and results.

Level: Basic

Platform: Microsoft Teams

Duration: 3 hours

Pre-requisites: Please bring a data set to work with.

Please note this workshop is run every second month and can be attended multiple times in the year.

Description: A practical lecture of different statistical tests, how and when to apply (1 hour) and a facilitator assessing the data analysis of each attendant (2 hours). This workshop will cover many aspects of basic data analysis procedures and the thought process that goes with the choice of statistical methods applied.

Level: Basic

Platform: Ulwazi

Duration: 3 hours

Pre-requisites: 1) Please ensure that you have either attended a Data Management workshop or have had your data cleaned before attending this workshop. 2) Basic understanding of statistics would be advisable/helpful.

Please note this workshop is run every second month and can be attended multiple times in the year.

Description: This workshops covers data capture with Excel, descriptive and inferential analysis using STATISTICA and STATA programmes. Both the basic and the advanced statistics workshops are practical hands-on workshops consisting of a one hour lecture and two hours of exercises.

Topics: This workshop will cover the following:

Day 1: Variables, Data capturing with Excel and Descriptive statistics with STATISTICA and STATA.

Day 2: Inferential statistics - Comparison of means between 2 groups or more with the following parametric tests; t-test (independent, paired), Z-test, and ANOVA, single group.

Day 3: Inferential statistics - Comparison of medians of 2 or more groups with the non-parametric tests; Mann Whitney, Wilcoxon and  Kruskal- Wallis and Comparison of proportions 2 or more groups with the Chi-square and Fisher-exact tests.

Level: Basic

Platform: Ulwazi and Microsoft Teams

Duration: 9 hours (3 hours x 3 days)

Pre-requisites: Advisable to have attended a Research Methodology course/workshop.

Description: This workshop covers multiple linear regression analysis, logistic regression and survival analysis using Stata and Statistica.

Topics: This workshop will cover the following:

Day 1: Multiple linear regression analysis

Day 2: Logistic regression models for binary outcomes

Day 3: Survival (time to event) analysis

Level: Intermediate

Platform: Microsoft Teams

Duration: 3 hours 9 hours (3 hours x 3 days)

Pre-requisites: Individuals who have attended a basic statistics course and/or have a basic knowledge of biostatistics and who are about to collect or have data and are planning their analysis are encouraged to attend.

Description: This workshop will cover study designs and sampling methods, sample size comparing means and precise estimation, and sample size comparing proportions, odds ratios and risk ratios.

Topics:

Day 1: Sampling Methods; Sampling Methods tutorial

Day 2: Precision estimation and comparing means; Sample Size – comparing proportions, including the use of odds ratios and relative risks; Sample Size Calculations tutorial

Level: Intermediate

Platform: Microsoft Teams

Duration: 6 hours (3 hours x 2 days)

Pre-requisites: 1) Individuals who are at the proposal writing stage, planning their research or about to collect data are particularly encouraged to attend; 2) To have attended a basic statistics course/ workshop or have basic statistics knowledge.

Description: The course covers basic to advanced biostatistical methods using R. Basic descriptive statistics, inferential statistics (introductory concepts), correlation and linear regression, logistic regression and then survival analysis are all covered. The course also introduces participants to concepts of creating/generating reproducible and reusable content in R, that is, RMarkdown.   

Topics:

Day 1: Introduction to R environment: R & RStudio installations, installation of relevant packages, basics of R operations, data generation, importing in R, introduction to course datasets etc.

Day 2: Data management (labelling, value labels, data subsetting, etc.), basic descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentage freqs, means, medians, standard deviations etc.), inferential statistics (Unpaired t-tests, Mann-Whitney U  test, ANOVA, Kruskal Wallis test).

Day 3: Correlation and Linear regression analysis using R

Day 4:  Logistic regression analysis using R

Day 5:  Survival analysis and Cox regression analysis using R

Level: Advanced

Platform: Microsoft Teams

Duration: 5 days

Pre-requisites: Basic and advanced statistical methods or epidemiology.

Description: This short training course is ideal for individual or group researchers interested in creating an effective survey instrument for gathering respondent data, including clinical, public health and health sciences data.

Topics:

• Designing questionnaire principles
• Evaluating questions
• Pre-testing & pilot testing

Level: Introductory (Basic)

Platform: Microsoft Teams

Duration: 7 hours

Pre-requisites: Individuals who have a basic knowledge of Research Methodology are welcome. Access to REDcap.

Description: The course covers an overview of systematic review and then how to perform meta-analysis of clinical trials and observational studies using STATA. We highlight concepts on how to formulate an answerable research question, define inclusion and exclusion criteria, search for evidence, extract data, assess risk of bias in studies and perform meta-analysis.

This short training course is ideal for individual(s) or group researchers interested in incorporating Meta-Analysis in their Systematic Reviews for evidence synthesis in Clinical, Public Health and Health Sciences research.

Topics:

• Overview of evidence-based methods.
• Epidemiological concepts
• Meta analysis models
  • Fixed effects
  • Random effects
• Interpretation of meta-analysis results
  • Forest plots
  • Funnel plots
  • I2
• Meta regression and subgroup analysis

Level: Advanced

Platform: Microsoft Teams

Duration: 8 hours

Pre-requisites: Medical degree, basic epidemiology & biostatistics; Medical Officers, Staff and Researchers with basic knowledge and understanding of Systematic Reviews, Epidemiology & Biostatistics are welcome