Designing a research study requires thoughtful planning no matter the subject matter, size, or type of study you are conducting. The Research Methods Resources website developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) is an important asset that helps scientists design studies using the best available methods.
Information on the website includes current thinking among biostatisticians and other methodologists at NIH regarding best practices for study design. You can also find more information on study design methods that are broadly applicable and more specific methods that pertain to trials that randomize groups or deliver interventions. NIH clinical trial requirements are also laid out in detail.
In addition to the research methods resources website, there is an accompanying webinar series titled Methods: Mind the Gap. The webinars in this series explore not only research design, but measurement, intervention, data analysis, and other methods of interest in prevention science. Check out the upcoming webinar on December 8, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. ET titled Supercharging Implementation Science With Insights From Behavioral Economics.
