Effective Communication of Research Findings with Users of Knowledge for Impact

INTRODUCTION

Understanding how to capture, analyze and use data is essential for researchers, educators, private sectors among other actors in research. Although collecting and analyzing accurate data in a reliable and timely manner is important, it is not sufficient to guarantee identification and informed policy action as well as sustainable development in the absence of dissemination of research findings to knowledge users through effective methods. Also, considering the much time and resources used to collect, collate and analyze data by these actors, knowledge on effective methods of disseminating of the research findings to the relevant users for necessary action is important.  This 5 days course will equip participants with knowledge on writing various effective research outputs for policy makers, donors, development practitioners, extension service providers, farmers among other beneficiaries of research. Participants gain knowledge on how to write projects reports, cases (most significant change stories), evidence brief, posters and policy briefs, manuscript for publication in referred journals among other outputs.

DURATION

5 days

TOPICS TO BE COVERED

Module 1: Data handling and analysis using the software of choice

• Introduction to excel /SAS/SPSS/Stata/ R/Python/NVIVO/E-VIEWS (software of choice)
• Terminologies used in excel/SAS/SPSS/Stata/ R/Python/NVIVO/E-VIEWS (software of choice)
• Handling Data Files in excel/ SAS/SPSS/Stata/ R/Python/NVIVO/E-VIEWS (software of choice)
• Basic Statistical Analysis using excel/SAS/SPSS/Stata/ R/Python/NVIVO/E-VIEWS (software of choice)
• Statistical Associations in SAS/SPSS/Stata/ R/Python/NVIVO/E-VIEWS (software of choice)
• Advanced analysis in SAS/SPSS/Stata/ R/Python/NVIVO/E-VIEWS (software of choice)

Module 2: Data analysis using software of choice

• Descriptive data analysis (means, standard deviation, median, interquartile range, frequencies and percentages) using SAS/SPSS/Stata/ R/Python/NVIVO/E-VIEWS (software of choice)
• Diagnostic tests (tests for outliers, multicollinearity, normality etc)
• Single comparison tests test statistics (t- tests, Independent t-test, Mann-Whitney test/ Wilcoxon rank sum, One-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, Paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, Repeated measures ANOVA, Friedman test)
• Tests of association (Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient, Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient, chi-square tests, Simple Linear Regression
• Presentation of results using Tables and Figures
• Interpretation of results from descriptive, diagnostic, single comparison and tests of associations

Module 3: Principles of effective writing

• Principles of communication
• Effective communications of research findings for impact
• Effective communications of research findings for impact
• Packaging of research findings
• Contents of project report / case or most significance change story/ evidence brief/ policy brief/ a manuscript for publication in a referred journal
• Exercise on writing one research output

Module 4: Identification of effective common public awareness tools

• Exercise on writing one research output (project report / case or most significance change story/ evidence brief/ policy brief/ a manuscript for publication in a referred journal)
• Identification of basic principles that should always be kept in mind while writing research outputs (project report / case or most significance change story/ evidence brief/ policy brief/ a manuscript for publication in a referred journal)

→ Good writing

→ Essential contents

→ Presentation

→ Language issues

• Review of written article

Module 5: Content of a manuscript for publication in a referred journal

• Selecting relevant journal
• How to detect predatory journal
• Outline and content of a manuscript