CBR Certificate Course in Applied Research Skills and Report Writing

APPLIED RESEARCH SKILLS AND REPORT WRITING TRAINING COURSE COMPONENTS AND MODULES

Centre for Basic Research (CBR) was established in 1987 and registered as an academic Non-Governmental Organization in 1988, with a mission to generate and disseminate knowledge by conducting research of social, economic, and political significance to Uganda in particular and Africa in general, so as to influence policy,
raise consciousness and improve quality of life.

While one of its objectives is to train researchers, CBR also trains graduates and graduate students as well as interested members of the general public on basic and applied research skills. CBR started training graduates in research methods in June 2006. By June 2010, CBR had trained over 1000 researchers in 24 intakes. The
participants came from Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Germany, Netherlands, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

To cater for the ever-increasing demand for analytical, organizational, and presentation skills for development workers, political leaders at national and district local government levels, students at tertiary institutions, particularly those pursuing the Masters and Doctoral studies, CBR has come out to offer a unique, comprehensive and readily useable research skills training package. This applied research skills training course offers both basic and applied skills covering the entire spectrum of a research process, right from generating a concept note, a research proposal, undertaking data collection, data processing, and analysis, to producing a wide range of research outputs, including books, articles, policy briefs of exceptional excellence.

With experience spanning over three decades as practicing researchers, CBR has a core team of trainers that will transform all those who brace the intensive training course. The month-long course is structured under the following nine modules:

Enrol for the Hybrid Applied Research Skills Training Program

Monday - Friday online classes5:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m

Component 1 (One)

Introduction to Applied Research

Module 1: • Develop critical thinking, listening, reading, and writing skills essential for researchers.
Module 2: Understand the fundamental aspects of research context and content analysis.

Component 2 (Two)

Research Foundations

Module 1: Context Analysis
Module 2: Identifying and formulating the problem/need to be addressed
Module 3: Formulating objectives of the research, business and development project
Module 4: Writing proposals for research, business and development projects

Component 3 (Three)

Research Design and Proposal Development

Module 1: Understanding the research/project cycle
Module 2: Developing research/project tools and instruments
Module 3: Quantitative data collection, data management and data analysis
Module 4: Qualitative data collection, data management and data analysis
Module 5: Collecting research data using online platforms

Component 4 (Four)

Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks

Module 1: Identifying your report audience and targets
Module 2: Specifying research/project report components, format and audience
Module 3: Research/project report writing styles and formats
Module 4: Writing a summary and conclusion for your report

Component 5 (Five)

Data Analysis and Management

Module 1: Stakeholder analysis for research and project products
Module 2: Undertaking evidence-based policy advocacy and engagement
Module 3: Packaging research/project products for dissemination, advocacy and engagement
Module 4: Writing research/project results for the print and electronic media
Module 5: Using webinars to disseminate research/ project results

Component 6 (Six)

Research Project Management

Module 1: Designing and implementing an M&E framework for academic research
Module 2: Designing and implementing an M&E framework for business projects
Module 3: Designing and implementing an M&E framework for development projects
Module 4: Writing research, business development project M&E reports
Module 5: Undertaking qualitative value for money audits for development project

Component 7 (Seven)

Research Reporting

Module 1: Critical Thinking Skills
Module 2: Visioning Tools
Module 3: Problem Identification and Analysis
Module 4: Ranking and Prioritization Tools and Analysis
Module 5: Community Action Planning
Module 6: Skills for Policy Brief Development

Component 8 (Eight)

Research Ethics

Module 1: Description and content of the Course component
Module 2: Gender and Economics
Module 3: Gender and Responsive Policy Analysis
Module 4: Gender, Data and Indices
Module 5: Unpaid Care Work
Module 6: Gender in International Strategies and Policy Frameworks
Module 7: Gender and Macroeconomic Analysis
Module 8: Gender and Trade and Access to Finance
Module 9: Dynamics of Gender-based Violence
Module 10: Gender Responsive Budgeting
Module 11: Gender and Climate Change

Component 9 (Nine)

Policy Advocacy and Engagement (Optional)

Module 1: Understanding key concepts: disputes/grievances, conflicts and violence
Module 2: Conflict context analysis and vulnerability assessment
Module 3: Conflict cycles and stakeholders’ mapping
Module 4: Tools for analysing conflict causes, drivers and triggers
Module 5: Analysis of power dynamics in conflict situations
Module 6: Conflict management: negotiation, mediation, and reconciliation
Module 7: Conflict mitigation and prevention

Component 10 (Ten)

Monitoring and Evaluation

Module 1: Understanding the pastoral production system in Uganda
Module 2: Pastoralism, natural resources and herd management strategies in Uganda
Module 3: Family and social institutions in pastoral settings of Uganda
Module 4: The economic contribution of pastoralism at family, district and national level
Module 5: Pastoralism policy, legal and regulatory frameworks in Uganda
Module 6: Pastoralism and its future: Lessons from Uganda and elsewhere