PRF study plan
PRF · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Research Design and Planning
Map each of the eight domains to its exam weight and rank them by study priority
Draft a research question and matching hypothesis for a hypothetical study and label each as exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory
Compare cohort, case-control, cross-sectional, and randomized designs by listing the strengths and threats to validity of each
Identify and define the major sources of bias (selection, information, confounding) in two example protocols
Your checkpoint
A one-page design comparison table covering four study designs with threats to validity and a worked research question for each
Research Design and Planning & Measurement, Instrumentation, and Data Collection
Construct a sampling plan that specifies target population, sampling frame, sampling method, and required sample size rationale
Distinguish probability from non-probability sampling and match each to a stated study aim
Define operational definitions for three key variables and specify their level of measurement
Select a measurement instrument for a stated construct and justify its reliability and validity evidence
Your checkpoint
A two-page protocol excerpt containing the sampling plan, variable operational definitions, and instrument justification
Quantitative Methods and Statistical Analysis
Compute and interpret descriptive statistics (mean, median, standard deviation, proportions) from a small dataset
State the assumptions of t-tests, chi-square, and ANOVA and choose the correct test for four scenarios
Explain the meaning and interpretation of p-values, confidence intervals, and statistical power
Perform a basic power or sample-size calculation and report the inputs used
Your checkpoint
A worked problem set of 10 statistics exercises with hand calculations and written interpretations
Quantitative Methods and Statistical Analysis & Measurement, Instrumentation, and Data Collection
Specify a multivariable model appropriate to a binary, continuous, or time-to-event outcome
Interpret adjusted effect estimates and explain confounding control in regression
Assess the reliability and validity of a chosen scale using internal consistency and construct evidence
Design a data collection form aligned with each variable in a draft analysis plan
Your checkpoint
A draft statistical analysis plan linking each research question to an outcome, test or model, and covariate list
Ethics, Integrity, and Regulatory Compliance & Literature Review and Evidence Appraisal
Summarize the core requirements of informed consent, IRB review, and vulnerable-population protections
Apply conflict-of-interest, authorship, and data-integrity principles to three short ethical scenarios
Formulate a focused search strategy with defined databases, keywords, and inclusion criteria
Appraise two primary studies for risk of bias using a structured checklist
Your checkpoint
A completed critical appraisal of two studies plus a written ethics review of three scenarios with justified decisions
Literature Review and Evidence Appraisal & Qualitative and Mixed Methods
Distinguish systematic review, meta-analysis, and narrative review and describe when each is appropriate
Interpret a forest plot and explain heterogeneity and publication bias
Compare qualitative approaches (phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography) and match each to a research question
Explain how mixed-methods integration and triangulation are planned and reported
Your checkpoint
A structured evidence summary table for five studies with a paragraph on how a mixed-methods design would extend the evidence
Data Management, Quality, and Reproducibility & Ethics, Integrity, and Regulatory Compliance
Draft a data management plan covering storage, access control, de-identification, and retention
Identify practices that support reproducibility, including version control and documented code
Describe the purpose and structure of a data and safety monitoring plan
Apply reporting guideline selection (e.g., CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA) to three study types
Your checkpoint
A one-page data management and reproducibility plan with a reporting-guideline selection table
Reporting, Dissemination, and Translation of Findings & Data Management, Quality, and Reproducibility
Structure a results section that reports estimates with confidence intervals and avoids causal overreach
Draft a dissemination plan identifying at least three audiences and tailored formats
Explain how findings translate into practice or policy and describe limits on generalizability
Complete a timed 60-question cumulative practice set and review every missed item
Your checkpoint
A full mock-exam score report with a written remediation list for each weak domain
Milestones
Week 2: Can state the sampling method, sample size rationale, and measurement level for any variable in your draft protocol without notes
Week 4: Scores at least 80% on the 10-exercise statistics set and can justify each chosen test in writing
Week 6: Completes a structured appraisal of two studies and correctly distinguishes qualitative from quantitative evidence in a mixed-methods critique
Week 8: Achieves at least 75% on the cumulative mock exam with no domain below 60%, and has a written remediation plan for any domain below 70%