Foundations of Evidence-Based Research

This course teaches the core craft that sits underneath every good research project: turning a vague topic into an answerable question, knowing what different study designs can and cannot claim, spotting bias before it fools you, appraising papers against the reporting standards journals actually use, and navigating publishing — including the realities African researchers face with article processing charges, predatory journals, and international collaborations.

Every lesson is grounded in the landmark methods literature — Sackett on evidence-based practice, Grimes and Schulz on design and bias, CONSORT, PRISMA, STROBE and SPIRIT on reporting, the FAIR principles and the reproducibility manifesto on open science — with full citations you can follow into the originals. The final module turns to the African publishing landscape: APCs and waivers, AJOL and other African-led venues, and the Cape Town Statement on fairness in collaborative research.

Four modules, twelve short lessons, and a module check at the end of each module. Work through it at your own pace; your progress is saved, and quizzes can be retaken as often as you like. The first lesson is open as a free preview.