Research toolkit

We have developed a research toolkit that provides practical tools for new researchers and those who wish to improve their research knowledge. Learn about the differences between research, quality improvement and evaluation.

• PRIMER toolkit for research collaboration
  Partnership-driven Resources to IMprove and Enhance Research (PRIMER) toolkit for health research in partnership with practices and communities.

• Searching the literature: a guide to comprehensive searching in the health sciences
• Search PubMed/MEDLINE via PICO
• National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools: Understanding research evidence
  Series of short videos to explain some important terms that you are likely to encounter when looking at research evidence.

• Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE)
• GRADE online module
• Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine: Critical Appraisal Worksheets
  Systematic Reviews, Diagnostics, Prognosis and RCTs.
• Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP): Tools and checklists
  Systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case control studies, economic evaluations, diagnostic studies, qualitative studies and clinical prediction rule.
• Critical appraisal tools (University of Adelaide and Joanna Briggs Institute)
  Case control, case reports, case series, cohort studies, diagnostic test accuracy studies, economic evaluations, prevalence studies, quasi-experimental studies (non-randomized experimental studies), RCTs, systematic reviews, text and opinion, analytical cross sectional studies, qualitative research.
• Critical appraisal checklists (Cardiff University)
  Includes CASP tools/checklist as well as other options in the same categories.
• Evidence-based practice (EBP) checklists (University of Glasgow)
  Treatment or prevention, qualitative research, decision analysis, educational intervention, prognosis, harm or causation, guidelines, diagnosis or screening, systematic review, economic evaluations.

• Research hierarchy
  Levels of evidence (sometimes called hierarchy of evidence) are assigned to studies based on the methodological quality of their design, validity, and applicability to patient care.
• Choosing a statistical test
  Guides you in choosing a statistical test for your research.
• Introduction to statistics
  Overview explaining common terms and showing how statistics is used in everyday practice.
• Qualitative research for health services
  Describes the uses of qualitative methods in health services research.
• Use of qualitative methods in published health services and management research: A 10-year review
  This article examines the volume and characteristics of qualitative research articles published in nine major health services and management journals between 1998 and 2008.

• CONSORT 2010 Flow diagram for transparent reporting of trials
• CONSORT 2010 checklist of information to include when reporting a randomized trial
• Reporting guidelines: CONSORT Extensions
• Reporting guidelines: Equator Network
• Reporting guidelines for qualitative research: EQUATOR

• Vancouver Island Health Authority: Health research funding opportunities database
  Funding to support research or knowledge translation.
• University of Western Ontario: Current funding opportunities
  Latest funding opportunities.
• Schulich Medicine and Dentistry: Grant writing resources
  Resources to support you with grant and proposal writing.

• Tutorial for the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical conduct for research involving humans
  Consists of eight modules focusing on the guidance in TCPS 2 that is applicable to all research regardless of discipline or methodology.

• An overview of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods
  Tips and comparisons on data collection methods.

• Qualitative data analysis for health services research
  Practical strategies for conducting and evaluating analyses of qualitative data applicable for health services researchers.

• Knowledge translation resources
  Access knowledge translation planning templates, tools, and publications.
• Uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to Biomedical Journal
• Advice on designing scientific posters
  Guide to designing posters for conferences.