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Research Methods Courses and Certifications

Learn Research Methods, earn certificates with paid and free online courses from Harvard, Stanford, MIT, University of Pennsylvania and other top universities around the world. Read reviews to decide if a class is right for you.

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Understanding Medical Research: Your Facebook Friend is Wrong

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Foundations of Clinical Research

This Harvard Medical School six-month, application-based certificate program provides the essential skill sets and fundamental knowledge required to begin or expand your clinical research career.

Associated Schools

Harvard Medical School

What you'll learn.

Understand and apply the foundational concepts of biostatistics and epidemiology

Develop a research question and formulate a testable hypothesis

Design and begin to implement a clinical research study

Cultivate the skills required to present a clinical research study

Critically evaluate the research findings in medical literature

Synthesize crucial statistical analyses using Stata software

Course description

The Foundations of Clinical Research program is rooted in the belief that clinical research training is critical to professional development in health care. Clinical research training not only creates potential independent investigators, but also enables clinicians to advance their careers through a greater understanding of research evidence. Designed to provide learners with the foundational knowledge and skill sets required to produce high-quality clinical research, our program will lay the fundamental groundwork in epidemiology and biostatistics required for a multifaceted career in clinical research.

The overarching goal of the Foundations of Clinical Research program is to equip the next generation of researchers with the skill sets essential to evaluating evidence, understanding biostatistics, and beginning their clinical research careers. Our aim is to ensure that learners develop a strong foundation in the design, implementation, analysis and interpretation of clinical research studies.

During the program, our innovative active learning approach emphasizes the traditional tutorial system with weekly live video tutorials, seminars and symposia anchored by 3 live intense weekend online workshops.  The Foundations of Clinical Research program’s six-month online curriculum emphasizes real-time skill-based learning. 

Participants will be eligible for Associate Alumni status upon successful completion of the program. Early tuition and need-based tuition reductions may be available.

Course Outline

Live Workshops

The interactive workshop curriculum will focus on hands-on skill development through active learning. To that end, the intensive schedule is designed to accelerate the growth of high-yield clinical research skills via individual and team-based workshop exercises. Students will be immersed in a dynamic learning environment that encourages collaboration and collegial networking with faculty and peers. 

Essential elements of the workshop include instruction and practical exercises in the core concepts of biostatistics, epidemiology and research question development, as well as critical assessment of the medical literature and practical training in statistical software using real-life datasets. In addition to providing training in mentorship, academic career development and leadership, we create a supportive and active learning environment where opportunities for knowledge retention and networking abound.

Live Symposia, Tutorials and Seminars

Symposia, tutorials and seminars are mandatory and will be delivered live online and organized according to eight specific clinical research topics. 

Eight 3-Hour Symposia

• Instruction on a specific clinical research topic (e.g., cohort study design and interpretation)
• In-depth discussion on a related epidemiology concept (e.g., odds ratio)
• Hands-on guidance for implementing the related analysis with statistical programming in Stata

Eight 1-Hour Tutorials

• Interpret and report on papers related to the specific clinical research topic

Eight 1-Hour Special-Topic Seminars

• The biostatistical and epidemiological concepts to specific clinical research topics with concrete examples

Assignments

All students will be expected to complete all assignments by the due dates. Assignments will be graded as either “pass” or “fail.”

Individual Assignment 1

Individual Research Question and Study Design

• Generate a novel research question in the evidence-based PICO format
• Receive expert faculty review

Individual Assignment 2

Design, Implement and Present an Original Abstract

• Design and implement a clinical research study based on a publicly available dataset
• Analyze and create data visualizations via a user-friendly R Shiny web app
• Write a formal 350-word abstract suitable for submission to an international conference
• Present a digital poster to faculty at Workshop 3

Online Lectures

Research Study Introduction 

• Designing a Clinical Research Study I–III
• Introduction to Evidence-Based Medicine, Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• Study Design 1 – Observational
• Study Design 2 – Randomized Controlled Trials
• Study Design 3 – Quasi-Experimental Studies
• Introduction to Biostatistics
• An Investigator’s Responsibility for Protection of Research Subjects
• How to Search PubMed
• Overview of Evidence-Based Medicine

Statistical Programming in Stata

• Loading Data
• Basic Programming Commands
• Data Cleansing
• Data Analytics I – Central Tendency
• Data Analytics II – Statistical Testing
• Data Analytics III – Regression Testing

Instructors

Jamie Robertson

Djøra Soeteman

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How To Choose A Research Topic

Step-By-Step Tutorial With Examples + Free Topic Evaluator

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewer: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | April 2024

Choosing the right research topic is likely the  most important decision you’ll make on your dissertation or thesis journey. To make the right choice, you need to take a systematic approach and evaluate each of your candidate ideas across a consistent set of criteria. In this tutorial, we’ll unpack five essential criteria that will help you evaluate your prospective research ideas and choose a winner.

Overview: The “Big 5” Key Criteria

• Topic originality or novelty
• Value and significance
• Access to data and equipment
• Time limitations and implications
• Ethical requirements and constraints

Criterion #1: Originality & Novelty

As we’ve discussed extensively on this blog, originality in a research topic is essential. In other words, you need a clear research gap . The uniqueness of your topic determines its contribution to the field and its potential to stand out in the academic community. So, for each of your prospective topics, ask yourself the following questions:

• What research gap and research problem am I filling?
• Does my topic offer new insights?
• Am I combining existing ideas in a unique way?
• Am I taking a unique methodological approach?

To objectively evaluate the originality of each of your topic candidates, rate them on these aspects. This process will not only help in choosing a topic that stands out, but also one that can capture the interest of your audience and possibly contribute significantly to the field of study – which brings us to our next criterion.

Criterion #2: Value & Significance

Next, you’ll need to assess the value and significance of each prospective topic. To do this, you’ll need to ask some hard questions.

• Why is it important to explore these research questions?
• Who stands to benefit from this study?
• How will they benefit, specifically?

By clearly understanding and outlining the significance of each potential topic, you’ll not only be justifying your final choice – you’ll essentially be laying the groundwork for a persuasive research proposal , which is equally important.

Criterion #3: Access to Data & Equipment

Naturally, access to relevant data and equipment is crucial for the success of your research project. So, for each of your prospective topic ideas, you’ll need to evaluate whether you have the necessary resources to collect data and conduct your study.

Here are some questions to ask for each potential topic:

• Will I be able to access the sample of interest (e.g., people, animals, etc.)?
• Do I have (or can I get) access to the required equipment, at the time that I need it?
• Are there costs associated with any of this? If so, what are they?

Keep in mind that getting access to certain types of data may also require special permissions and legalities, especially if your topic involves vulnerable groups (patients, youths, etc.). You may also need to adhere to specific data protection laws, depending on the country. So, be sure to evaluate these aspects thoroughly for each topic. Overlooking any of these can lead to significant complications down the line.

Criterion #4: Time Requirements & Implications

Naturally, having a realistic timeline for each potential research idea is crucial. So, consider the scope of each potential topic and estimate how long each phase of the research will take — from literature review to data collection and analysis, to writing and revisions. Underestimating the time needed for a research project is extremely common , so it’s important to include buffer time for unforeseen delays.

Remember, efficient time management is not just about the duration but also about the timing . For example, if your research involves fieldwork, there may specific times of the year when this is most doable (or not doable at all).  So, be sure to consider both time and timing for each of your prospective topics.

Criterion #5: Ethical Compliance

Failing to adhere to your university’s research ethics policy is a surefire way to get your proposal rejected . So, you’ll need to evaluate each topic for potential ethical issues, especially if your research involves human subjects, sensitive data, or has any potential environmental impact.

Remember that ethical compliance is not just a formality – it’s a responsibility to ensure the integrity and social responsibility of your research. Topics that pose significant ethical challenges are typically the first to be rejected, so you need to take this seriously. It’s also useful to keep in mind that some topics are more “ethically sensitive” than others , which usually means that they’ll require multiple levels of approval. Ideally, you want to avoid this additional admin, so mark down any prospective topics that fall into an ethical “grey zone”.

If you’re unsure about the details of your university’s ethics policy, ask for a copy or speak directly to your course coordinator. Don’t make any assumptions when it comes to research ethics!

Key Takeaways

In this post, we’ve explored how to choose a research topic using a systematic approach. To recap, the “Big 5” assessment criteria include:

• Topic originality and novelty
• Time requirements
• Ethical compliance

Be sure to grab a copy of our free research topic evaluator sheet here to fast-track your topic selection process. If you need hands-on help finding and refining a high-quality research topic for your dissertation or thesis, you can also check out our private coaching service .

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Online Course Report

Independent Online Course Rankings

10 Best Online Courses for Research 2021

To learn research online means sifting through hundreds of possible courses. But you don’t want to take just any class. You want top research courses to help you build the skills you need.

Courses related to research come in all shapes and sizes. You might take a statistics course for researchers. You might take free online research courses with certificates. The research course you take might be geared towards social science. Others might focus on medical research. You get the point.

Featured Programs

• Biostatistics
• University of North Texas Research Design: Inquiry and Discovery
• University of London Understanding Research Methods

Disclaimer: Some courses may include an affiliate link. Courses were chosen first based on the methodology with affiliate links only added after the ranking was complete.

Online research courses offer students of all levels a chance to learn new skills. You can also refresh existing skills by taking these classes.

Choosing an online course for research should involve something more than simply Googling “research methods online courses.” Instead, you should evaluate potential classes before you enroll.

This ranking of the 10 best online courses for research is just what you need to make an informed decision. We’ve done the hard work for you by narrowing the field of courses down to  ten of the best options.

The courses in our rankings vary in terms of subject matter. They also vary in learning level. Some of the courses on this list are from accredited schools. Some are free. Others require a fee to take the class.

But what they share in common is that each one provides you with a sound education in research.

To better understand how we arrived at our rankings, let’s go over the method we used to rank each course.

Methodology to Determine the Best Basic Online Courses for Research

To arrive at a collection of the top research courses you can take online, we used three criteria to evaluate each class:

Affordability

• Learning level
• Type of certificate

Since college-level courses can be expensive, we used the affordability of a class as our main ranking factor. As the price increases, the number of points awarded to a course decreases.

But money isn’t everything. You also need to take courses that are offered at your learning level. A beginner student doesn’t need an advanced research course. Instead, they need to take beginner-level courses. For ranking purposes, the higher the learning level, the more points the course gets.

The final factor we used to evaluate these courses is the type of certificate that’s offered. There are many different types of certificates available. Some are simple completion certificates. Others are professional or educational certificates. As the quality of the certificate increases, so too do the points a course earns.

To give you a better idea of these ranking methods, let’s have a closer look at each of the three factors we used for scoring.

According to the College Board , the average yearly price of tuition and fees in the U.S. in 2020 was $37,650 for private schools, $27,020 for out-of-state students at public schools, and $10,560 for in-state students at public schools.

Given the high price of a college education, it’s understandable that many college students want to find ways to reduce their costs.

Taking courses related to research online is one way to save money. For example, if you need to brush up on your research skills, taking free online research courses with certificates is a great way to do so without racking up a huge tuition bill.

There are also many low-cost options to learn research online. So, even if you can’t find a free course, you might still find a course of value to you while also keeping costs low.

We’ve scored this factor as follows:

• Free: 6 points
• Under $250: 5 points
• $251-$500: 4 points
• $501-$750: 3 points
• $750-$1,000: 2 points
• $1,000 and above: 1 point

Learning Level

We also took into account the learning level of the courses in our rankings. Learning level refers to whether the course is for beginner, intermediate, or advanced students.

As noted earlier, it’s critical that you take courses that are at your learning level. After all, there’s no sense in taking an advanced research course if you have no education or experience in research. By providing this information to you, you can narrow the list of courses to those that fit your needs.

For scoring purposes, we assign more points the higher the learning level of the course, like so:

• Advanced: 3 points
• Intermediate: 2 points
• Beginner: 1 point

More advanced courses get more points. This is because they are often focused on a narrower subject. So, rather than being a survey course, which is what many beginner classes are, intermediate and advanced research courses dive into more specific topics.

Not only can these kinds of classes be more valuable to students, but they also require more planning on the part of the instructor. So, while the beginner courses in our rankings are all very good, they don’t go into as much depth as the intermediate and advanced courses listed here.

Type of Certificate

The final factor we used to evaluate online courses related to research is the type of certificate offered.

There are three primary types of certificates:

• Completion certificate – These are awarded to students upon successful completion of a course
• Educational certificate – These certificates usually require successful completion of multiple courses. The certificate is provided by the school and is noted on your transcripts.
• Professional certificate – A professional certificate is provided by an organization. This type of certificate comes with credentials you can use as part of your job title. Usually, professional certification requires you to take courses and pass a certification exam.

Since completion certificates are the easiest type to get, they are awarded the fewest points:

• Educational or professional certificate – 2 points
• Completion certificate – 1 point

Using the combination of these three factors, we’ve ranked the following courses as being the best online courses for research.

Ranking the Best Online Courses for Research

#10: psyc 301: research methods in psychology.

This undergraduate course is offered by George Mason University. It is worth four semester credits and is likely to transfer to most colleges and universities.

This course focuses on experimental design and control. Many topics revolve around studying human subjects. Additionally, you will explore topics related to:

• Reliability
• Observational methods
• Survey designs

There is a laboratory component to this research course as well. Both the coursework and lab work can be completed online.

The lab work involves designing a research study. You must also conduct studies and write manuscripts to describe your research.

This course does not include a certificate. However, you can earn college credit that can be applied towards a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Visit the course website.

Affordability : Approximately $5,495 for out-of-state students; approximately $1,585 for in-state students.

Learning Level: Intermediate

Type of Certificate: None

#9: Clinical Research Certificate

This advanced research course is actually a certificate program of study. It requires you to complete 15 semester credits of coursework from Drexel University.

The top research program is offered by Drexel’s College of Medicine. Upon completion of the program, you will have a Certificate of Study in Clinical Research.

The program is 100 percent online. It is taught by industry experts. Though clinical research is the focus, the program is offered to a wide range of students that need research credentials.

Some of the topics you will study include:

• Compliance and safety
• Ethics and law
• Data management
• Clinical research management

This program prepares you to become a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC) or eventually a Certified Clinical Research Associate (CCRA). Both of these are professional credentials that require additional studies to obtain.

Affordability : Approximately $18,000

Learning Level: Advanced

Type of Certificate: Educational

#8: BioStatistics

This beginner course from Doane University and edX introduces you to statistical methods in biological research.

The goal of this course is to teach you how to design experimental studies. You’ll also learn how to design quasi-experimental and observational studies. Likewise, other topics include:

• Collect, analyze, and interpret data
• Effectively summarize data
• How to perform statistical tests

This free research course is credit eligible through Doane University. The credits might transfer to other schools. You will need to check with your academic advisor to determine credit transferability. To take the online course for credit, you’ll need to pay $500 per credit hour and pass the course with a grade of C or better.

If you want the certificate for this course, you have to pay a fee of $99.

Affordability : Free (if the course is not taken for credit; $1,500-$2,000 for credit). Scored as a paid course to account for the cost of the certificate.

Learning Level: Beginner

Type of Certificate: Completion 

#7: Research Design: Inquiry and Discovery

This introductory course is available on Coursera. It was developed for students by the University of North Texas.

Research design is a foundational part of studying research. This course helps you understand how to develop sound research questions. You’ll also gain the skills needed to effectively answer research questions.

Other topics in this free online research course include:

• Information gathering
• Variable measurement
• Experimental and non-experimental designs

You’ll also get a quick introduction to data analysis and reporting. Likewise, there is a module on ethics.

The information in this course is geared towards use in the social sciences. But there are some discussions that frame your studies from a business research and natural science point of view as well.

Affordability : Free to enroll. A fee (usually around $50) might be required. Other costs are involved if you participate in a specialization (usually $39-$79 per month). Learn more about Coursera pricing . This is scored as a paid course.

Type of Certificate: Completion

#6: Introduction to Research Ethics: Working with People

This is a beginner course from FutureLearn and the University of Leeds. The primary focus is on ethical research. Specifically, you’ll learn about ethical practices when working with people.

Your learning begins with an examination of why ethics are important to research. You’ll also learn how to ethically recruit people for your research and how to get informed consent.

Additional topics of study include:

• Working with vulnerable participants
• Risk and harm in research
• How to store personal data

Though this free online research course was designed for future social researchers, the skills learned in the course can be used for other types of research, like market research.

This is a short course and it’s just two weeks in length. If you opt for the free course without a certificate, you have four weeks to complete the class.

Affordability : Free to enroll. A fee of $44 is required to get a certificate. This is scored as a paid course.

#5: Academic Writing for Clarity and Meaning

This free online research course from edX was developed by the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa. It is an introductory class that will teach you how to write clear, concise research reports.

The focus of your learning is on academic writing. This kind of writing requires a different approach than creative writing. Its purpose is to deliver information in a way that is to the point and meaningful.

You will study the following concepts:

• How to develop a structured writing process
• The golden thread
• Paragraph and sentence construction

By the end of the short research class, you will have a new set of tools that allows you to write in a clear and engaging manner.

This is a self-paced course. You can take as long as you wish to complete it. However, most students finish the class in two weeks. It’s worth noting that a $49 fee is required if you want a certificate.

Affordability : Free. Scored as a paid course to account for the cost of the certificate.

#4: Understanding Research Methods

This intermediate course was designed by the University of London. It is available online on Coursera. The primary emphasis of the class is to help you better understand how to conduct research.

The course begins with an outline of research fundamentals. This includes a deep dive into what makes a good research question. Other topics of study include:

• Literature reviews
• Critical research skills
• Reflection in research

The bulk of the topics in this course are aimed at postgraduate students. This is why it is an intermediate and not a beginner course. 

However, there are no prerequisites for the class. You do not need previous experience in research to enroll.

This is a short course, too. Most students need just six hours to complete each of the four course modules.

#3: Qualitative Research

This is a four-week intermediate course from the University of California at Davis. It is available on Coursera.

This highly-rated course begins with a discussion of qualitative research. You’ll learn what it is, how it’s different from quantitative research, and how it can be used to conduct effective research.

Other units of study include:

• Designing qualitative instruments
• How to recruit participants
• How to organize and analyze data

By the end of the class, you’ll gain many new research skills. You’ll be able to explain the limitations of qualitative research. You’ll also have experience in creating questionnaires. Additionally, you will gain knowledge of focus groups.

Since this is an intermediate course, you’ll need two years of business experience prior to enrollment.

You can take this course by itself. If you want to specialize in market research, that option is available as well .

#2: Quantitative Research

This is an intermediate course. It is offered by the University of California at Davis and is available on Coursera.

This course is all about quantitative research. You’ll learn how to assess methods for making quantitative surveys. You’ll also learn how to evaluate the benefits and detriments of this type of research method.

Over the course of four modules, you’ll also learn about:

• Designing, testing, and implementing surveys
• Analyzing statistical models
• How to predict outcomes based on the information gathered

This course is geared towards market research. If you plan to major in marketing or business, it is a good introduction to this field.

This top free online research course can be taken by itself or it can be taken as part of Coursera’s Market Research Specialization . Before enrolling in this class, it is highly recommended that you take the Qualitative Research course discussed earlier.

#1: SPSS for Research

SPSS is one of the most popular analysis programs in social science research. In this intermediate course from Udemy, you’ll learn how to utilize SPSS and become an expert in statistical analysis.

This best online research course covers a wide range of topics in statistics. You’ll perform simple operations, like defining variables. You’ll also use SPSS to make charts. Other topics include:

• Performing basic data analysis
• Testing hypotheses for normality
• Transforming variables
• Analyzing t-tests and ANOVAs

You’ll also learn how to perform regression analyses. This includes simple and multiple regressions as well as sequential and logistic regressions.

Even though this is an intermediate course, you only need a very basic knowledge of statistics. You must also have version 18 of SPSS or newer.

This best online research course includes many features to help you find success. There are more than 50 downloadable resources, more than 14 hours of video, and you can access the course online or on your TV.

Affordability : $12.99 (at the time of writing)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it hard to learn how to conduct research by taking online courses?

Like any topic, courses related to research can be difficult whether you take courses in person or online. By their nature, some research courses are very detailed and complex. This can make online learning a challenge for some students.

Having said that, aside from the difficulties of the subject matter, the biggest factor in whether a course is hard or not is your commitment to learning.

If you put in the necessary work, complete assignments on time, do the course readings, and so forth, you will have a much easier time mastering the art of research. Conversely, you’ll only make it harder on yourself if you don’t participate in completing the course requirements.

This isn’t to say that hard work will make a very difficult class easy. But hard work will make it easier , both in terms of your short-term understanding and your long-term retention of the material.

When you enroll in an online course, you can get a good idea of how much work is required of you. For example, if you learn research online from a college or university, there will be credits associated with the class. A good rule of thumb is that a three-credit class requires six to nine hours of study time outside of class.

As another example, if you take the Understanding Research Methods course in our rankings, you can expect to spend a total of six hours to complete the class.

Obviously, the second course requires less work and is easier to complete. But you must still put forth the effort to complete the course. If you don’t, it will be very hard to learn how to do research online.

What skills do you need to conduct research?

Being a researcher requires that you have a certain set of skills. Some areas of research draw on specialized skills. For example, medical researchers must have a thorough understanding of medical terminology.

However, there are some basic and essential research skills you’ll need regardless of the area of research. The list below outlines some of the most important ones:

• Interviewing skills – Many types of research require you to work with human subjects. In that case, you’ll need the ability to speak effectively and actively listen.
• Analytical skills – Research is all about finding connections. You’ll need to draw on your analytical skills to identify problems, relationships, and solutions.
• Critical thinking skills – Critical thinking skills go hand-in-hand with analytical skills. They include making observations, analyzing data, solving problems, and even devising creative solutions to issues that arise in your research.
• Data collection – Researchers must be able to collect data from multiple sources with a high degree of efficiency and accuracy.
• Report writing – You must have superb written communication skills no matter what kind of research you are doing. Additionally, you should be able to write clear and detailed notes as you conduct your research. This gives you a solid foundation of observational data you can use to write reports later on.
• Time management – Researchers must have a knack for getting tasks done in a timely fashion. This includes steps in the experimental process as well as meeting deadlines for reporting.
• Working well with others – Seldom is research conducted individually. Instead, you’ll be working with other researchers throughout the process. You must possess the ability to work with different types of people who might have very different communication styles.
• IT skills – Most researchers don’t need to know how to code computer programs. But they should know how to use computers to write reports, collect and analyze data, create visual aids, and for administering experimental conditions to subjects.
• Budgeting skills – In many cases, researchers have strict budgets for their research. This means you must have the ability to budget appropriately, track spending, and make budget cuts as needed to keep the research project on track financially.

As noted earlier, this is not a complete list of all the skills you’ll need to be a researcher, but it’s a good start.

What are the steps involved in research?

If you begin scientific research, there are six steps you can follow. These steps are called the Scientific Method.

Step 1: Observation – This step involves simply identifying a problem you want to solve. Making observations will inform you as to the research question you need to devise, which is the next step in the process.

Step 2: Ask a question – If you observe that one of the tires on your car is flat, you might ask the question, “Why is my tire flat?” This is a simplistic example, but you get the point. By clearly identifying a specific question, you set the foundation for conducting research to find an answer.

Step 3: Make a hypothesis – Your hypothesis is a possible answer to the question you’re researching. So, your hypothesis in the flat tire situation might be, “The tire has a leak.” Your hypothesis needs to be narrowly defined (i.e., “there’s a leak”) and it must be testable (i.e., the tire can be submerged in water to see if air bubbles are produced by a leak.

Step 4: Make a prediction – The prediction you make relates directly to the hypothesis. If the hypothesis is that the tire has a leak, you might predict that if you add more air to the tire, it will become flat again over time.

Step 5: Test the prediction – Testing the prediction helps you identify if your hypothesis was correct. In this case, we would air up the tire and submerge it in water to see if air bubbles are produced. If air bubbles arise, our hypothesis is supported. If no air bubbles are present, our hypothesis is not supported. So, in testing the prediction, the hypothesis may or may not be supported. If it is supported, there’s a good chance that the hypothesis is correct. If the hypothesis is not supported, we will need to come up with a new hypothesis.

Step 6: Conclusion – This step involves reflecting on the results of our research. Doing so will inform our next steps. So, if our hypothesis was supported, we might develop more research to confirm it or revise it as needed. If our hypothesis was not supported, we would come up with a new one and begin the research process all over again.

Should I take online courses for research if they don’t have a certificate?

Learning research online doesn’t require that you take courses with certificates. For example, if you simply want to learn new skills, a certificate isn’t important.

There are many good courses related to research that don’t offer certificates or credit. This includes a number of courses on our list. So don’t equate the quality of research methods online courses with whether or not they offer a certificate.

However, there are also many different online courses for research that offer a certificate option. In many cases, these certificates are completion in nature. This means that you automatically get the certificate once you successfully complete the class.

There are free online research courses with certificates you can take. Some certificate courses require a fee, either for the course, the certificate, or both. Sometimes this fee can be nominal. Other times it can be several hundred dollars. If you take a certificate course from a college or university, you could end up spending thousands of dollars.

When you take courses related to research, be sure you understand the type of certificate they offer.

As noted above, many courses have completion certificates. These are the most basic kinds of certificates. These certificates don’t have any educational standing, at least not officially. For that, you’d need to take a course that offers an educational certificate.

An educational certificate is offered by a college or university. For example, Drexel University offers a 15-credit online Clinical Research Certificate .

Typically, to get an educational certificate, you have to complete 15-18 credits. Once you do that, you will have an official certificate from the school you attended. You can note this certificate on your resume and CV just like you would a diploma. For this reason, educational certificates carry more weight than completion certificates.

You can also get a certificate from a professional organization. For example, t he Association for Clinical Research Professionals offers six different research certifications:

• Clinical Research Associate
• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Principal Investigator
• ACRP Certified Professional
• ACRP Medical Device Professional Subspecialty
• ACRP Project Manager Subspecialty

In each case, completing the certification requires a specific process. This usually includes professional development courses and passing an exam.

Once you earn a professional certificate, you can use the certificate as part of your job title. So, if you become a Clinical Research Associate, you can place its acronym – CCRA – after your name.

Again, this is much more valuable a certificate than a completion certificate. But, not everyone needs this type of certification. Evaluate your specific needs to determine what, if any, certification you need before enrolling in a course.

Can I earn college credit by taking online courses for research?

If you learn research online, you might be able to earn college credits.

Courses offered by colleges and universities will earn you credit. If the school is regionally accredited, there is a very good chance that those credits will transfer to another school. If the school is nationally accredited, there is still a good chance that the credits will transfer, but less likely so than if the school has regional accreditation.

Usually, courses related to research that you take online from an educational website do not come with credit. Instead, these courses are designed as study aids or refreshers and are not intended to count for college credit.

Before you enroll in courses related to research, be sure you understand if credit is offered. And if you intend to transfer those credits, be sure you’ve talked to your advisor first. They will be able to tell you if the school you’re taking the class from is accredited. They will also be able to tell you if those credits will be accepted at your school.

What are some courses related to research that I can take online?

Taking top research courses online opens up many ways for you to learn about this field. There are many courses related to research you can take. Listing them all would be difficult, if not impossible.

However, we can outline some of the most common research methods online courses. Below is a short-list of classes you might consider taking:

Research methods – These courses focus on various kinds of activities involved in research. You’ll learn about research types, how to devise research questions, conducting literature reviews, and learn other skills that will assist you in doing scientific research.

Research design – These courses typically revolve around regression analysis. You’ll learn about correlations and regressions. You’ll explore multiple regressions and nested models. Speaking of models, you will often build regression models and run analyses of data as well.

Survey research – Researchers should understand how to develop instruments for data collection. Usually, this takes the form of surveys. Instrument design helps you understand how to create valid and reliable instruments for gathering data. You’ll learn how to improve the questions you ask. You’ll also learn the basics of how to design and implement surveys.

Statistics – These courses are highly important for research. You’ll learn how to analyze data and interpret it. This includes running various statistical analyses. You’ll learn how to use a chi square and run ANOVAs. You’ll also learn the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics.

Ethics – Researchers need to understand the ethical implications of their work. Whether you work with animals or humans, you need to know the bounds of what can and cannot be done in the name of research. Ethics courses often discuss things like informed consent, confidentiality, and proper record-keeping.

Research writing – A large part of research is reporting on what you find. But writing for research requires a much different tone and style than writing creatively. Research writing courses dive deep into how to bring your findings together in a clear, cohesive, and understandable manner.

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Home » Research Topics – Ideas and Examples

Research Topics – Ideas and Examples

Table of Contents

Research Topic

Definition:

Research topic is a specific subject or area of interest that a researcher wants to investigate or explore in-depth through research. It is the overarching theme or question that guides a research project and helps to focus the research activities towards a clear objective.

How to Choose Research Topic

You can Choose a Research Topic by following the below guide:

Identify your Interests

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a research topic is your personal interest. This is because you will be spending a considerable amount of time researching and writing about the topic, so it’s essential that you are genuinely interested and passionate about it. Start by brainstorming a list of potential research topics based on your interests, hobbies, or areas of expertise. You can also consider the courses that you’ve enjoyed the most or the topics that have stood out to you in your readings.

Review the Literature

Before deciding on a research topic, you need to understand what has already been written about it. Conducting a preliminary review of the existing literature in your field can help you identify gaps in knowledge, inconsistencies in findings, or unanswered questions that you can explore further. You can do this by reading academic articles, books, and other relevant sources in your field. Make notes of the themes or topics that emerge and use this information to guide your research question.

Consult with your Advisor

Your academic advisor or a mentor in your field can provide you with valuable insights and guidance on choosing a research topic. They can help you identify areas of interest, suggest potential research questions, and provide feedback on the feasibility of your research proposal. They can also direct you towards relevant literature and resources that can help you develop your research further.

Consider the Scope and Feasibility

The research topic you choose should be manageable within the time and resource constraints of your project. Be mindful of the scope of your research and ensure that you are not trying to tackle a topic that is too broad or too narrow. If your topic is too broad, you may find it challenging to conduct a comprehensive analysis, while if it’s too narrow, you may struggle to find enough material to support your research.

Brainstorm with Peers

Discussing potential research topics with your peers or colleagues can help you generate new ideas and perspectives. They may have insights or expertise that you haven’t considered, and their feedback can help you refine your research question. You can also join academic groups or attend conferences in your field to network with other researchers and get inspiration for your research.

Consider the Relevance

Choose a research topic that is relevant to your field of study and has the potential to contribute to the existing knowledge. You can consider the latest trends and emerging issues in your field to identify topics that are both relevant and interesting. Conducting research on a topic that is timely and relevant can also increase the likelihood of getting published or presenting your research at conferences.

Keep an Open Mind

While it’s essential to choose a research topic that aligns with your interests and expertise, you should also be open to exploring new ideas or topics that may be outside of your comfort zone. Consider researching a topic that challenges your assumptions or introduces new perspectives that you haven’t considered before. You may discover new insights or perspectives that can enrich your research and contribute to your growth as a researcher.

Components of Research Topic

A research topic typically consists of several components that help to define and clarify the subject matter of the research project. These components include:

• Research problem or question: This is the central issue or inquiry that the research seeks to address. It should be well-defined and focused, with clear boundaries that limit the scope of the research.
• Background and context: This component provides the necessary background information and context for the research topic. It explains why the research problem or question is important, relevant, and timely. It may also include a literature review that summarizes the existing research on the topic.
• Objectives or goals : This component outlines the specific objectives or goals that the research seeks to achieve. It should be clear and concise, and should align with the research problem or question.
• Methodology : This component describes the research methods and techniques that will be used to collect and analyze data. It should be detailed enough to provide a clear understanding of how the research will be conducted, including the sampling method, data collection tools, and statistical analyses.
• Significance or contribution : This component explains the significance or contribution of the research topic. It should demonstrate how the research will add to the existing knowledge in the field, and how it will benefit practitioners, policymakers, or society at large.
• Limitations: This component outlines the limitations of the research, including any potential biases, assumptions, or constraints. It should be transparent and honest about the potential shortcomings of the research, and how these limitations will be addressed.
• Expected outcomes or findings : This component provides an overview of the expected outcomes or findings of the research project. It should be realistic and based on the research objectives and methodology.

Purpose of Research Topic

The purpose of a research topic is to identify a specific area of inquiry that the researcher wants to explore and investigate. A research topic is typically a broad area of interest that requires further exploration and refinement through the research process. It provides a clear focus and direction for the research project, and helps to define the research questions and objectives. A well-defined research topic also helps to ensure that the research is relevant and useful, and can contribute to the existing body of knowledge in the field. Ultimately, the purpose of a research topic is to generate new insights, knowledge, and understanding about a particular phenomenon, issue, or problem.

Characteristics of Research Topic

some common characteristics of a well-defined research topic include:

• Relevance : A research topic should be relevant and significant to the field of study and address a current issue, problem, or gap in knowledge.
• Specificity : A research topic should be specific enough to allow for a focused investigation and clear understanding of the research question.
• Feasibility : A research topic should be feasible, meaning it should be possible to carry out the research within the given constraints of time, resources, and expertise.
• Novelty : A research topic should add to the existing body of knowledge by introducing new ideas, concepts, or theories.
• Clarity : A research topic should be clearly articulated and easy to understand, both for the researcher and for potential readers of the research.
• Importance : A research topic should be important and have practical implications for the field or society as a whole.
• Significance : A research topic should be significant and have the potential to generate new insights and understanding in the field.

Examples of Research Topics

Here are some examples of research topics that are currently relevant and in-demand in various fields:

• The impact of social media on mental health: With the rise of social media use, this topic has gained significant attention in recent years. Researchers could investigate how social media affects self-esteem, body image, and other mental health concerns.
• The use of artificial intelligence in healthcare: As healthcare becomes increasingly digitalized, researchers could explore the use of AI algorithms to predict and prevent disease, optimize treatment plans, and improve patient outcomes.
• Renewable energy and sustainable development: As the world seeks to reduce its carbon footprint, researchers could investigate the potential of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, and how these technologies can be integrated into existing infrastructure.
• The impact of workplace diversity and inclusion on employee productivity: With an increasing focus on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, researchers could investigate how these factors affect employee morale, productivity, and retention.
• Cybersecurity and data privacy: As data breaches and cyber attacks become more common, researchers could explore new methods of protecting sensitive information and preventing malicious attacks.
• T he impact of mindfulness and meditation on stress reduction: As stress-related health issues become more prevalent, researchers could investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness and meditation practices on reducing stress and improving overall well-being.

Research Topics Ideas

Here are some Research Topics Ideas from different fields:

• The impact of social media on mental health and well-being.
• The effectiveness of various teaching methods in improving academic performance in high schools.
• The role of AI and machine learning in healthcare: current applications and future potentials.
• The impact of climate change on wildlife habitats and conservation efforts.
• The effects of video game violence on aggressive behavior in young adults.
• The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques in reducing anxiety and depression.
• The impact of technology on human relationships and social interactions.
• The role of exercise in promoting physical and mental health in older adults.
• The causes and consequences of income inequality in developed and developing countries.
• The effects of cultural diversity in the workplace on job satisfaction and productivity.
• The impact of remote work on employee productivity and work-life balance.
• The relationship between sleep patterns and cognitive functioning.
• The effectiveness of online learning versus traditional classroom learning.
• The role of government policies in promoting renewable energy adoption.
• The effects of childhood trauma on mental health in adulthood.
• The impact of social media on political participation and civic engagement.
• The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating anxiety disorders.
• The relationship between nutrition and cognitive functioning.
• The impact of gentrification on urban communities.
• The effects of music on mood and emotional regulation.
• The impact of microplastics on marine ecosystems and food webs.
• The role of artificial intelligence in detecting and preventing cyberattacks.
• The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in managing chronic pain.
• The relationship between personality traits and job satisfaction.
• The effects of social isolation on mental and physical health in older adults.
• The impact of cultural and linguistic diversity on healthcare access and outcomes.
• The effectiveness of psychotherapy in treating depression and anxiety in adolescents.
• The relationship between exercise and cognitive aging.
• The effects of social media on body image and self-esteem.
• The role of corporate social responsibility in promoting sustainable business practices.
• The impact of mindfulness meditation on attention and focus in children.
• The relationship between political polarization and media consumption habits.
• The effects of urbanization on mental health and well-being.
• The role of social support in managing chronic illness.
• The impact of social media on romantic relationships and dating behaviors.
• The effectiveness of behavioral interventions in promoting physical activity in sedentary adults.
• The relationship between sleep quality and immune function.
• The effects of workplace diversity and inclusion programs on employee retention.
• The impact of climate change on global food security.
• The role of music therapy in improving communication and social skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
• The impact of cultural values on the development of mental health stigma.
• The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques in reducing burnout in healthcare professionals.
• The relationship between social media use and body dissatisfaction among adolescents.
• The effects of nature exposure on cognitive functioning and well-being.
• The role of peer mentoring in promoting academic success in underrepresented student populations.
• The impact of neighborhood characteristics on physical activity and obesity.
• The effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation interventions in improving cognitive functioning in individuals with traumatic brain injury.
• The relationship between organizational culture and employee job satisfaction.
• The effects of cultural immersion experiences on intercultural competence development.
• The role of assistive technology in promoting independence and quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
• The impact of workplace design on employee productivity and well-being.
• The impact of digital technologies on the music industry and artist revenues.
• The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy in treating insomnia.
• The relationship between social media use and body weight perception among young adults.
• The effects of green spaces on mental health and well-being in urban areas.
• The role of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing substance use disorders.
• The impact of workplace bullying on employee turnover and job satisfaction.
• The effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy in treating mental health disorders.
• The relationship between teacher-student relationships and academic achievement.
• The effects of social support on resilience in individuals experiencing adversity.
• The role of cognitive aging in driving safety and mobility.
• The effectiveness of psychotherapy in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• The relationship between social media use and sleep quality.
• The effects of cultural competency training on healthcare providers’ attitudes and behaviors towards diverse patient populations.
• The role of exercise in preventing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• The impact of the gig economy on job security and worker rights.
• The effectiveness of art therapy in promoting emotional regulation and coping skills in children and adolescents.
• The relationship between parenting styles and child academic achievement.
• The effects of social comparison on well-being and self-esteem.
• The role of nutrition in promoting healthy aging and longevity.
• The impact of gender diversity in leadership on organizational performance.
• The effectiveness of family-based interventions in treating eating disorders.
• The relationship between social media use and perceived loneliness among older adults.
• The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on pain management in chronic pain patients.
• The role of physical activity in preventing and treating depression.
• The impact of cultural differences on communication and conflict resolution in international business.
• The effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in treating anxiety disorders.
• The relationship between student engagement and academic success in higher education.
• The effects of discrimination on mental health outcomes in minority populations.
• The role of virtual reality in enhancing learning experiences.
• The impact of social media influencers on consumer behavior and brand loyalty.
• The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in treating chronic pain.
• The relationship between social media use and body image dissatisfaction among men.
• The effects of exposure to nature on cognitive functioning and creativity.
• The role of spirituality in coping with illness and disability.
• The impact of automation on employment and job displacement.
• The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in treating borderline personality disorder.
• The relationship between teacher-student relationships and school attendance.
• The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on workplace stress and burnout.
• The role of exercise in promoting cognitive functioning and brain health in older adults.
• The impact of diversity and inclusion initiatives on organizational innovation and creativity.
• The effectiveness of cognitive remediation therapy in treating schizophrenia.
• The relationship between social media use and body dissatisfaction among women.
• The effects of exposure to natural light on mood and sleep quality.
• The role of spirituality in enhancing well-being and resilience in military personnel.
• The impact of artificial intelligence on job training and skill development.
• The effectiveness of interpersonal therapy (IPT) in treating depression.
• The relationship between parental involvement and academic achievement among low-income students.
• The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on emotional regulation and coping skills in trauma survivors.
• The role of nutrition in preventing and treating mental health disorders.

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Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Online and remote research, online & remote research opportunities .

Ground-breaking research is being done everywhere across the world, with much of the work being done from remote locations. Many academic departments offer both in-person and remote research opportunities for undergraduates either through working directly with faculty in a mentored project, through  Vertically Integrated Projects (VIPs), or through  Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). As the university and faculty members adapt to an increasingly flexible workplace, online and remote research opportunities continue to increase. This page provides resources for undergraduate students seeking to find and be involved in remote and online research experiences during both the school year and the summer. 

Where do I find online and remote research?

The sections below share different avenues to find online, virtual, and remote research experiences for both the academic year and over the summer. These opportunities are available for any undergraduate student interested in remote research.

Check out Handshake , which can be used to find research positions, internships, employment opportunities, and networking events that are currently accepting applications!

What is Handshake?

• Handshake is a free-to-use online platform that undergraduates can use to find on-campus and/or off-campus workshops, jobs, internships, research experiences, and events.
• Students must use their UA NetID to create and log into your Handshake account.
• For more tips and tricks on how to utilize Handshake in your research journey, please visit here .

How can I use Handshake to find online and remote opportunities? 

• Log in Handshake  with your UA NetID in order to access the main home page.
• On the left-hand side bar, click on  Jobs .
• Go to  All Filters  and scroll down to the bottom until you see the heading  Labeled by your school .
• In the search bar that is below the Labeled by your school  heading, search  undergraduate research  in order to see the research opportunities that the URA staff has tagged.
• On the top bar, go to the  on-site/remote drop-down heading and filter by  remote - work from home.

ura online work.png

The UA Researchers Database  is   an online list of UA faculty from every academic department that welcome undergraduates students into their research projects. The database is updated regularly with new faculty who are interested in welcoming undergraduate students into their research projects on- or off-campus. Faculty can now indicate their ability to offer remote and online opportunities.

We recommend using our Faculty Profiles resource in conjunction with the UA Researchers Database. While the UA Researcher Database provides brief descriptions of current projects, profiles.arizona.edu  provides a convenient and extensive platform for learning more about a faculty member's research interest, current and past projects, publications, classes, and much more. 

How do I use the UA Researchers Database to find online and remote research?

• Go to our UA Researchers Database , which can be found under our  Find Research  drop-down heading.
• You will be able to set your preferences at the top of the database list, such as your preferred College ,  Department , and  Types of Opportunities  (e.g. for course credit, paid, volunteer, and/or not given). 
• You can also type a certain research interest you may have in the Keyword Search  area.
• You can also set your preferred location! In the  Research Location  menu, choose the  Online  option. This option was recently added to the database, so not many researchers have responded yet. Please Check again regularly for more online opportunities!
• Click the Apply option   when you have set all your preferences to see the list of faculty that best fits with your own interests and preferences!

How do I use the Faculty Profiles resource to find online and remote research?

There are two ways that you can use the profiles.arizona.edu to find online and remote research opportunities; we will be showing you both!

In Conjunction with the UA Researchers Database:

• Once you have found a faculty member that you are interested in from the UA Researchers Database, type their name name in the search bar below the  Search UA Faculty, Educators, Scholars, and Researchers  heading. Sometimes, it takes a long time for the profile to load, so please be patient!
• After the page has loaded, the faculty member's profile will appear below the search bar. Feel free to explore this informtion, which will include their  Biography , Interests  in teaching and research,  Courses , and  Scholarly Contributions , which includes their journals and publications.
• Before reaching out to the faculty member, we encourage you to read through their research interests as well as explore their publications , such as reading the abstract of their publication, in order to gain a better understanding of their research. If you need help in emailing and reaching out to faculty about research opportunities, please go to this helpful resource .

Only Using the Faculty Profiles:

• In the search bar below the  Search UA Faculty, Educators, Scholars, and Researchers  heading, you can search up certain key words that will lead you to faculty profiles that best matches it!
• Try searching up  online  and/or  remote  in the search bar to find faculty profiles that either teach courses or conduct research remotely and/or offer research opportunities that can be done remotely.

There are many online, remote, and virtual research programs available for undergraduate students across a broad variety of research interests. These programs can be summer or academic year and are offered by a number of universities. Please read each program carefully for their description, application requirements, and program dates. This section will be updated regularly as more online programs become available for the summer.

Online Programs for 2024-25

For other online summer research programs, please visit the AAMC's list of Summer Undergraduate Research and the NSF's list of Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) .

Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE) Scholars

Description :   The Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE) offers an immersive online course in Asian Health for undergraduate and graduate students, featuring a 9-week summer focus on Data Science and Vulnerable Populations. The program trains scholars in population science research, equipping them with skills in database analysis, healthcare research, and problem-solving in vulnerable populations. It emphasizes collaboration with various stakeholders and covers topics like Asian health, medical technology, AI, global health, research essentials, innovation, leadership, scholarship, presentation skills, and career development. Students will also be able to build valuable connections within Stanford CARE's global network and present their research at the annual Stanford's CARE Summer Research Symposium .

Application Requirements :   $75 application fee

Deadline :   January 14th, 2024

Program Dates : June 2024-August 2024

Texas A&M University Department of Material Sciences & Engineering Online Research Experience for Undergraduates (O-REU)

Description : The Texas A&M University is pleased to offer an online REU (O-REU) program in partnership with  Los Alamos National Laboratory . During the summer, students are expected to participate ( 40 hours/week ) and are remunerated $5000 for the summer. All activities are carried out fully remotely: there are no in-person meetings and no residency requirement. Travel support for one site visit will also be made available. O-REU is open to US citizens and permanent residents currently pursuing bachelor's degrees.

Application Requirements :   1 page resume, recent electronic transcript, list of preferred mentors (please consult the faculty interests list), and contact information (name, professional affiliation, email address) of two professional references

Deadline : Friday, April 28th, 2024 at 5:00 PM CST

Program Dates : May 24 to August 4, 2024

Please email the application required materials and/or any inquiries to  Ms. Isabel Cantu .

Neoscholar CIS Online Research Program

Description : The CIS online research program is offered throughout the year. A CIS program course usually hosts fifteen students, who are divided into small research groups. The program is generally 24 hours with our professors across ten weeks , including 2 hours of lectures in each of the first six weeks and 3 hours of research seminars in each of the last four weeks. Each course will be assigned an experienced instructor to provide academic instruction sessions and research guidance to students. 

Application Requirements : Please access the application form  and be able to answer its secondary questions.

Deadline : N/A

Program Dates : N/A

Please email any questions or request a brochure from [email protected] .

Description : CrowdMath is an online, open project that gives all college students the opportunity to collaborate on a large research project with top-tier research mentors and an exceptional peer group. MIT PRIMES and Art of Problem Solving are working together to create a place for students to experience research mathematics and discover ideas that did not exist before.

Application Requirements : Please create a free account to participate.

Please email any questions to  [email protected] .

Pembroke College of Cambridge Online Summer Research Programme

Description :  The Online Summer Research Programme offers you the unique opportunity to experience the renowned Cambridge style of teaching from anywhere in the world. It’s a real opportunity to challenge yourself academically and develop deep subject knowledge, working one-to-one with an expert in the field. From cyber warfare to the economic viability of Obamacare, we almost cover it all on our Subject Stream and for everything we don’t, you’re able to propose your own research topics on our Open Stream. Outside of supervisions, you’ll also connect and make friendships with other students on the programme through online networking events.  

Application Requirements : Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2, have finished your first-year of college, and have high level of English Fluency. Please visit the application site to see what other application materials are required (e.g. transcript, project form).

Deadline : TBA

Program Dates : July 1st-28th, 2024

Please email any questions to  [email protected].

BeMo ®  4-Month & 1-Year Research Programs

Description :   BeMo ® offers many different types of online research projects   for all undergraduate students that will best prepare them for their application to medical school.

• Online Independent Research Program : You can get research experience that makes your application stand out from the comfort of your home and have weekly meetings online via video conference with your team of research committee members. You can choose between the 4-months or the 1-year research program to conduct a literature review research project on a high impact topic hand selected by the PhDs.
• Step-by-Step Guided Research : The BeMo® team of research experts will help you each step of the way from choosing the best research topic to scientific research methodology to presentation and publication. Each week you'll meet for private one-on-one consultations to go over your research and get specific guidance and feedback as your progress.
• High-Impact Research Projects : You can research high-impact topics, such as Psychiatric, COVID-19, Substance-abuse, Vaccines, COPD, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Ulcerative Colitis, Stroke, Heart Attack, Asthma, Obesity, Women’s Health, Cancer, and more.
• Master Scientific Research Methodology : You will attend 6 guided workshops and complete 5 exercises to learn research methodology, literature search, data analysis, scientific communication, research manuscript creation, and research presentation. In the 4-months program you'll attend 15 sessions and in the 1-year program you'll receive 48 sessions to guide you at every step of the way.
• Gain Experience Writing Research Papers:  BeMo®  team of research experts will help you complete a research summary paper on your research topic to help you learn the essential principles of scientific inquiry and publication. Your research summary will be published on the BeMo®  website, so you can use it as a reference on your applications and CV.

Application Requirements :  You can schedule a free 15-minute initial consultation , where you will be able to talk about what option of research is the best fit for you. Prices for these research projects are listed on their website .

Program Dates: N/A

The University of Arizona Library  is available online for all UA undergraduate students. Students will be able to find wide variety of online resources, such as research journals, course guides, tutorials for library research, and much more. This section will provide a brief overview of resources that are available and important for online and remote researchers. Please also explore the UA Library Online & Distance Students site , which provides information on research resources, on how to develop your research skill. 

How can I find online research resources?

There are many different ways on how to find online research through the UA Library site. You will be able to access these online resources for free with your NetID and password.

• Use the library search engine to find both print and online content, including articles, books, ebooks, films, and more. You can type any keywords that may aid you in your search in the search bar at the top of the screen.
• You can also search through the online A-Z database  to find a specific resource based on subject, database type, vendor/provider, and keyword (e.g. description or title). 
• If you are unable to find what you need through the website, you can also receive a free library card at your local library, such as at Pima County Public Library , if you are a local resident.
• Finally, you can search for academic resources that are tailored to your discipline . This site features many guides that are categorized by course number (e.g. ENG 101), subject (e.g. General Chemistry), and topic (e.g. AI literacy). You can also search for a specific guide using the search bar near the bottom of the webpage. 

How can I learn and/or improve my research skills?

The UA Library has made quick video tutorials, articles, and quizzes that can teach you skills on how to be a better researcher, through both academics and research. These videos are meant to build your foundation in research, such as how to cite empirical articles, how to evaluate online information, how to find a research interest/topic, etc! Please explore the Learn with Tutorials webpage from the UA Library in order to delve deeper into the resources our online library has to offer! The UA Library also offer support for any researchers , such as funding & networking opportunities, research proposal plans, management of citations, publishing opportunities, and much more!

Not sure how to find an online research opportunity that suits your interests? Need help reaching out to faculty?

The Undergraduate Research Ambassador (URA) Team is here to support you on any step of your research journey. The URA Team URAs are able to provide one-on-one support to students who would like individualized help in exploring possibilities, communicating with a research mentor, sharing their research ideas, or preparing an application for a research program.

How can I individually meet with an URA?

There are many ways for undergraduate students, who are online and/or remote, to receive  one-and-one support  from URAs at any step of their research journey:

• Sign up for a 1:1 meeting!  Schedule your appointment through  Handshake . Meetings are available through zoom and usually last 30 minutes! Appointments can be made throughout the week, including weekends!
• Send an email!  Write any questions, thoughts, or concerns to  [email protected] . You can also send us email drafts, research program applications, resumes, etc for us to review for you!
• Check out other SECD resources!  The  Student Engagement & Career Development (SECD)  also provides individualized support on preparing your resume, CV, or cover letter for any applications through  Lifelab , which appointments can also be made through Handshake  with a  Career Educator  or  Career Peer Coach . 

What academic departments at the UA offer online and remote research?

Each academic department manages their own undergraduate research program and may have specific steps for how to become involved, even for online and remote research opportunities. The list below will provide links and information on the different types of online research, such as VIPs, CUREs, research teams, or faculty projects that are unique to the academic department or college. The full list of all of the academic departments and colleges, with links to their websites, can be found here . 

This sections lists online Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) for the  academic year of 2023-24  and other online research opportunities by online UA Faculty . This site will be updated regularly, so check in with us!

Online Course-Based Research Experiences for Fall 2024

APCV361: Data Analysis and Visualization

Description :   Data Analysis and Visualization will lay a foundation for students to understand how to process, analyze, and visualize data.  Topics include data collection and integration, exploratory data analysis, statistical inference and modeling, machine learning, and data visualization.  The emphasis of the course topics will be placed on integration and synthesis of concepts and their application to solving problems.  Students will explore these topics using software tools.

Prerequisites :   College of Applied Science & Technology (CAST) student, APCV 302 and APCV 320, Prior Python programming

Credits :  3 credits

Other Information : Asynchronous online, optional weekly meetings

Instructor :   Dr. Li Xu , College of Applied Science & Technology

BAT/ENGR/CALS 102 | Data Science Heroes: An Undergraduate Research Experience in Open Data Science Practices

Description :   Despite a growing demand for data scientists, university training in science ethics, code licensing and best reproducibility practices are not generalized for undergraduates. In this Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE), students will conduct an assessment of the current landscape and the evolution of accessibility, documentation and reproducibility practices in bioinformatics. The CURE will be a two-credit course in the Department of Biosystems Engineering accessible to students from any college. Students will learn and reflect upon best practices for open science and science reproducibility. Several practical skills will also be developed such as science communication, as well as the use of computational tools for code versioning and documentation.

Prerequisites :   None

Credits : 3  credits

Other Information : Asynchronous online

Instructor : Dr. Bonnie Hurwitz , Dr. Alise Ponsero, College of Engineering

HWRS 349A&B/350 | Principles of Hydrology

Description : Students in this course will work to answer the question: “Do monsoon storms start later in the day than they did decades ago?” This question has been raised by numerous long-time Tucson citizens, who insist that monsoon storms start in the late evening (after sunset) rather than 3-5pm. While this started as a pedestrian question, it also has meteorological and practical implications if it is in fact true. The in-person class is a hands-on Collaborative Learning course, and there is a practical, applied lab with several field trips, many of which involve interaction with hydrology & atmospheric science professionals. Some examples of field trips for the lab include: Stream gaging with the US Geological Survey; A tour of the National Weather Survey office and a weather balloon launch; A tour of Biosphere2's Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO) Project; and more! This is an excellent course to gain a broad, applied understanding of virtually every subdiscipline in hydrology!

Prerequisites :   Calculus I (MATH 113 or MATH 122A&B)

Credits : 3 Credits

Other Information : Online

Instructor : Dr. Martha Whitaker , College of Science

LING 2/3/499: Community-led Language Technology Development

Description : Students will join a community-based language technology development project, the Coeur d’Alene Online Language Resource Center (COLRC), as an example of a community lead language technology development project that focuses on the needs of a low-resource, minoritized language community. Depending on their skills and interests, participating students will enroll for 1 to 3 credits, at a course level (299, 399, 499) appropriate to their experience, and be assigned to assist in the development and deployment process. The project supports students who wish to develop skills in linguistic analysis and language activism, along with at least one of the following technical skills: coding for frontend, backend, rest interfaces, and scripting (javascript, python); database development (postgres, graphQL); and/or natural language processing (ingest, tokenization, annotation tasks using lum.ai/odinson libraries). Interested students should have at least some familiarity with and enjoyment of coding, but need not have significant experience or expertise in these areas. Students who are members of minoritized or low resource language communities will bring particularly valuable experience and expertise to this work, but any undergraduate student is welcome to participate

Credits : 1-3 credits

Other Information : Asynchronous Online

Instructor :  Amy V Fountain ,  College of Humanities

Online Course-Based Research Experiences for Spring 2024

PAH 420 | Innovation and the Human Condition: Learning How to Improve Life in the Community and Beyond

Description :   This course will equip students with the skills to use the humanities intellectual and analytical traditions to identify and pursue strategic responses to opportunities for innovation in the human condition. Over the course of the semester, students will draw on a range of humanities-based ways of seeing and doing to: 1) identify opportunities for improving the human condition at the community level and beyond; 2) analyze the cultural, political, and economic conditions that influence such opportunities; 3) design technological, industrial, and socio-cultural innovations that are directly responsive to these opportunities; and 4) develop strategic storylines that effectively convey the merits of these innovations to relevant stakeholders.

We will begin by forming small teams of student innovators. Each team will engage, experience, and internalize the course content through a series of activities and tasks that include: 1) identifying a community-based issue or opportunity that warrants an intervention; 2) analyzing the issue or opportunity through secondary research; 3) formulating an innovative strategy that is data-driven and based in the principles and concepts central to the humanities intellectual and analytical traditions; 4) refining and enhancing said innovative strategy through primary research; and 4) developing and delivering a multi-faceted presentation (visual, oral, written) of the strategy to a panel of experts.

Other Information : Asynchronous online, mandatory team weekly meetings, final research project showcase

Instructor :   TBA

HNRS 195J-101: Tasting Tomorrow: Portraying Culture and Futurity through the Culinary World

Description :   The course focuses on a few key areas that center of the relationship we all have with food: examining how food operates in defining culture and discussions around cultural heritage; how specific restaurants and figures have informed the growth of Tucson into a City of Gastronomy; and, how different modalities of food media (food writing, poetry, television, film, web content, art, etc.) shape a variety of discourses on contemporary issues ranging from food scarcity to the politics of eating meat/plants to the treatment of laborers within the broader scope of the food industry. By the end of the semester, students have read and viewed materials to foster robust in-class (or online, or both) discussions of these concerns and themes while producing several research-based small-scale projects using a variety of composing strategies and multimodal mediums (such as using Instagram, developing newsletters/web pages, and executing in-person/digital presentations).

Prerequisites :   Honors College

Credits : 1 credit

Instructor :   Joseph Nardinelli , College of Humanities

HNRS 195H-102: Speaking for Yourself: Understanding Your Linguistic Identity

Description :   We apply methods and concepts from the study of linguistics, with a focus on acoustic and articulatory phonetics for spoken and signed languages, in order to investigate the patterns of language that give each of us our own 'voice'. We share our findings with each other, and in doing so begin to develop an understanding and appreciation of the linguistic diversity around us.

Online UA Research Labs & Projects for Spring 2024

If you are interested in any of these opportunities, you will need to contact the faculty member in charge of the project. Please read our tips on  writing an email to faculty  or schedule a 1:1 Handshake appointment with an URA for personal support on drafting emails.

For other online research opportunities by UA faculty, please visit our extensive database of professors conducting online research and welcoming undergraduate students.

Dr. Dalal Alharthi - Cybersecurity and related fields

Description :   Preferred interest in Cloud Security; Penetration Testing; Incident Response; Human-Computer Interaction (HCI); Privacy; and Cybersecurity Education. I nterdisciplinary Research opportunities are available in the intersection between the area of Cybersecurity and several areas such as Computer Science; Public Administration; Business Administration; and Education.

Prerequisites : None

Types of Opportunities : Volunteer, For Credit

Commitment :  If volunteering, you should commit to 6 hours or more per week. For credit, you may enroll in an Independent Study course.

Principal Investigator :   Dr. Dalal Alharthi , Computer Science

Alicja Babst-Kostecka - Plant Environmental & Genomic Adaptation

Description : My research combines genetic, phenotypic, and environmental information in an integrated framework to study plant adaptation to changing environmental conditions. I am particularly interested in the mechanisms that allow certain plant species to colonize industrially contaminated habitats at former mining sites. These species thereby undergo rapid genetic and physiological adaptation. Specifically, they have evolved the ability to tolerate and sometimes accumulate remarkable amounts of metal trace elements – traits that I am studying in both field and controlled laboratory experiments. My interdisciplinary work sets the stage for mitigating the legacies of industrial exploitation. By advancing the molecular basis of phytoremediation and biofortification efforts, I strive to contribute to improving environmental and human health.

Types of Opportunities : Volunteer, For Credit, Paid

Commitment : N/A

Principal Investigator :   Dr. Alicja Babst-Kosetecka , Environmental Science

Mixed Augmented ViRtual eXtended Reality Laboratory - MA[VR]X

Description : The Mixed Augmented ViRtual eXtended (Reality) Laboratory in the College of Applied Science & Technology is the University of Arizona’s home for research, exploration, and development for alternative and extended reality media and training in southeastern Arizona. We take a very broad view of “extended reality” to include everything from head-mounted display Topics include: Posthuman inquiry, applied post-phenomenology, extended reality, augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, Web3, metaverse, educational technology, instructional technology, human-computer interaction, cybersecurity, cyber operations, digital identity.

Prerequisites : Preferred interested in extended reality and comfortable with fully remote research. Enrollment in APCV 399 (1-3 credit hours) required.

Types of Opportunities : For Credit

Commitment : 3-9 Hours per week

Principal Investigator :   Dr. Ryan Straight ,  College of Applied Sciences & Technology

Purnima Madhivanan   - Public Health & Health Promotional Sciences

Description : Purnima Madhivananis an Associate Professor in Health Promotion Sciences at the Mel & Enid College of Public Health at University of Arizona. A physician by training from Government Medical College in Mysore, she has a MPH and PhD in Epidemiology from the University of California, Berkeley, USA. She completed her post-doctoral training in 2010. She is the Director of Public Health Research Institute of India (PHRII) and is also the Director of the Global Health Equity Scholars (GHES) Training Program in collaboration with Stanford, Yale and University of California, Berkeley. For the past 20 years, her work has focused on disadvantaged populations, elucidating the dynamics of poverty, gender, and the environmental determinants of health, in particular the impact on women and children living in rural communities. She established a clinic in Mysore, India in 2005 while completing her PhD dissertation. For over a decade, the PHRII/Prerana Women’s Health Initiative has delivered low-cost, high-quality reproductive health services to 44,000 low-income women living in Mysore District. Offering a full-service clinic, molecular laboratory and active affiliations with several major tertiary care hospitals, the site is recognized as a research and training site for Global Health. The Saving Children Improving Lives Program focused on increasing integrated antenatal care and HIV testing services for women in rural and tribal communities using mobile clinics with the help of women’s self-help groups to mobilize and follow-up women. This program model was then adapted to provide cervical cancer screening services in the community in India, which is the only community based cervical cancer screening program in India. Dr. Madhivanan’s work focuses on addressing the systemic inequities that put India’s tribal and rural women at-risk for poor health and birth outcomes. Her current work is at the intersection of infectious and chronic diseases with a special focus on cancer. Dr. Madhivanan serves as an advisor to a number of state departments of Public Health, non-profit as well as governmental research organizations. In 2007, she received the prestigious International Leadership Award from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation for her work on HIV prevention. She has received several awards and honors for mentoring. Dr. Madhivanan’s global health credentials and clinical service has brought unique opportunities for collaboration; most recently benefiting students and faculty interested in learning about Global Health and service in a developing world setting.

Prerequisites : Proficient in Social Media, Website, Technology, MS Office

Types of Opportunities : Volunteer, For Credit

Principal Investigator :   Dr. Purmina Madhivanan ,  Public Health

Noshene Ranjbar - Cultural & Trauma Psychiatry

Description : Interested in integrative medicine; integrative psychiatry; culturally-sensitive and trauma-informed work with underserved, particularly American Indian community and refugees; mind-body medicine; physician wellness and burnout; medical student wellness and burnout; integration of indigenous and modern medicine and healing practices; PTSD and trauma-spectrum disorders

Prerequisites : Pre-Med

Types of Opportunities : Volunteer, For Credit, Paid

Principal Investigator :   Dr. Noshene Ranjbar ,  Integrative Psychiatry Program

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113 Great Research Paper Topics

General Education

One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we've done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 113 interesting research paper topics. They've been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily find the best topic for you.

In addition to the list of good research topics, we've included advice on what makes a good research paper topic and how you can use your topic to start writing a great paper.

What Makes a Good Research Paper Topic?

Not all research paper topics are created equal, and you want to make sure you choose a great topic before you start writing. Below are the three most important factors to consider to make sure you choose the best research paper topics.

#1: It's Something You're Interested In

A paper is always easier to write if you're interested in the topic, and you'll be more motivated to do in-depth research and write a paper that really covers the entire subject. Even if a certain research paper topic is getting a lot of buzz right now or other people seem interested in writing about it, don't feel tempted to make it your topic unless you genuinely have some sort of interest in it as well.

#2: There's Enough Information to Write a Paper

Even if you come up with the absolute best research paper topic and you're so excited to write about it, you won't be able to produce a good paper if there isn't enough research about the topic. This can happen for very specific or specialized topics, as well as topics that are too new to have enough research done on them at the moment. Easy research paper topics will always be topics with enough information to write a full-length paper.

Trying to write a research paper on a topic that doesn't have much research on it is incredibly hard, so before you decide on a topic, do a bit of preliminary searching and make sure you'll have all the information you need to write your paper.

#3: It Fits Your Teacher's Guidelines

Don't get so carried away looking at lists of research paper topics that you forget any requirements or restrictions your teacher may have put on research topic ideas. If you're writing a research paper on a health-related topic, deciding to write about the impact of rap on the music scene probably won't be allowed, but there may be some sort of leeway. For example, if you're really interested in current events but your teacher wants you to write a research paper on a history topic, you may be able to choose a topic that fits both categories, like exploring the relationship between the US and North Korea. No matter what, always get your research paper topic approved by your teacher first before you begin writing.

113 Good Research Paper Topics

Below are 113 good research topics to help you get you started on your paper. We've organized them into ten categories to make it easier to find the type of research paper topics you're looking for.

Arts/Culture

• Discuss the main differences in art from the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance .
• Analyze the impact a famous artist had on the world.
• How is sexism portrayed in different types of media (music, film, video games, etc.)? Has the amount/type of sexism changed over the years?
• How has the music of slaves brought over from Africa shaped modern American music?
• How has rap music evolved in the past decade?
• How has the portrayal of minorities in the media changed?

Current Events

• What have been the impacts of China's one child policy?
• How have the goals of feminists changed over the decades?
• How has the Trump presidency changed international relations?
• Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
• What factors contributed to the current decline in the rate of unemployment?
• What have been the impacts of states which have increased their minimum wage?
• How do US immigration laws compare to immigration laws of other countries?
• How have the US's immigration laws changed in the past few years/decades?
• How has the Black Lives Matter movement affected discussions and view about racism in the US?
• What impact has the Affordable Care Act had on healthcare in the US?
• What factors contributed to the UK deciding to leave the EU (Brexit)?
• What factors contributed to China becoming an economic power?
• Discuss the history of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies  (some of which tokenize the S&P 500 Index on the blockchain) .
• Do students in schools that eliminate grades do better in college and their careers?
• Do students from wealthier backgrounds score higher on standardized tests?
• Do students who receive free meals at school get higher grades compared to when they weren't receiving a free meal?
• Do students who attend charter schools score higher on standardized tests than students in public schools?
• Do students learn better in same-sex classrooms?
• How does giving each student access to an iPad or laptop affect their studies?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Montessori Method ?
• Do children who attend preschool do better in school later on?
• What was the impact of the No Child Left Behind act?
• How does the US education system compare to education systems in other countries?
• What impact does mandatory physical education classes have on students' health?
• Which methods are most effective at reducing bullying in schools?
• Do homeschoolers who attend college do as well as students who attended traditional schools?
• Does offering tenure increase or decrease quality of teaching?
• How does college debt affect future life choices of students?
• Should graduate students be able to form unions?

• What are different ways to lower gun-related deaths in the US?
• How and why have divorce rates changed over time?
• Is affirmative action still necessary in education and/or the workplace?
• Should physician-assisted suicide be legal?
• How has stem cell research impacted the medical field?
• How can human trafficking be reduced in the United States/world?
• Should people be able to donate organs in exchange for money?
• Which types of juvenile punishment have proven most effective at preventing future crimes?
• Has the increase in US airport security made passengers safer?
• Analyze the immigration policies of certain countries and how they are similar and different from one another.
• Several states have legalized recreational marijuana. What positive and negative impacts have they experienced as a result?
• Do tariffs increase the number of domestic jobs?
• Which prison reforms have proven most effective?
• Should governments be able to censor certain information on the internet?
• Which methods/programs have been most effective at reducing teen pregnancy?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Keto diet?
• How effective are different exercise regimes for losing weight and maintaining weight loss?
• How do the healthcare plans of various countries differ from each other?
• What are the most effective ways to treat depression ?
• What are the pros and cons of genetically modified foods?
• Which methods are most effective for improving memory?
• What can be done to lower healthcare costs in the US?
• What factors contributed to the current opioid crisis?
• Analyze the history and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic .
• Are low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
• How much exercise should the average adult be getting each week?
• Which methods are most effective to get parents to vaccinate their children?
• What are the pros and cons of clean needle programs?
• How does stress affect the body?
• Discuss the history of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
• What were the causes and effects of the Salem Witch Trials?
• Who was responsible for the Iran-Contra situation?
• How has New Orleans and the government's response to natural disasters changed since Hurricane Katrina?
• What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
• What were the impacts of British rule in India ?
• Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki necessary?
• What were the successes and failures of the women's suffrage movement in the United States?
• What were the causes of the Civil War?
• How did Abraham Lincoln's assassination impact the country and reconstruction after the Civil War?
• Which factors contributed to the colonies winning the American Revolution?
• What caused Hitler's rise to power?
• Discuss how a specific invention impacted history.
• What led to Cleopatra's fall as ruler of Egypt?
• How has Japan changed and evolved over the centuries?
• What were the causes of the Rwandan genocide ?

• Why did Martin Luther decide to split with the Catholic Church?
• Analyze the history and impact of a well-known cult (Jonestown, Manson family, etc.)
• How did the sexual abuse scandal impact how people view the Catholic Church?
• How has the Catholic church's power changed over the past decades/centuries?
• What are the causes behind the rise in atheism/ agnosticism in the United States?
• What were the influences in Siddhartha's life resulted in him becoming the Buddha?
• How has media portrayal of Islam/Muslims changed since September 11th?

Science/Environment

• How has the earth's climate changed in the past few decades?
• How has the use and elimination of DDT affected bird populations in the US?
• Analyze how the number and severity of natural disasters have increased in the past few decades.
• Analyze deforestation rates in a certain area or globally over a period of time.
• How have past oil spills changed regulations and cleanup methods?
• How has the Flint water crisis changed water regulation safety?
• What are the pros and cons of fracking?
• What impact has the Paris Climate Agreement had so far?
• What have NASA's biggest successes and failures been?
• How can we improve access to clean water around the world?
• Does ecotourism actually have a positive impact on the environment?
• Should the US rely on nuclear energy more?
• What can be done to save amphibian species currently at risk of extinction?
• What impact has climate change had on coral reefs?
• How are black holes created?
• Are teens who spend more time on social media more likely to suffer anxiety and/or depression?
• How will the loss of net neutrality affect internet users?
• Analyze the history and progress of self-driving vehicles.
• How has the use of drones changed surveillance and warfare methods?
• Has social media made people more or less connected?
• What progress has currently been made with artificial intelligence ?
• Do smartphones increase or decrease workplace productivity?
• What are the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom?
• How is Google search affecting our intelligence?
• When is the best age for a child to begin owning a smartphone?
• Has frequent texting reduced teen literacy rates?

How to Write a Great Research Paper

Even great research paper topics won't give you a great research paper if you don't hone your topic before and during the writing process. Follow these three tips to turn good research paper topics into great papers.

#1: Figure Out Your Thesis Early

Before you start writing a single word of your paper, you first need to know what your thesis will be. Your thesis is a statement that explains what you intend to prove/show in your paper. Every sentence in your research paper will relate back to your thesis, so you don't want to start writing without it!

As some examples, if you're writing a research paper on if students learn better in same-sex classrooms, your thesis might be "Research has shown that elementary-age students in same-sex classrooms score higher on standardized tests and report feeling more comfortable in the classroom."

If you're writing a paper on the causes of the Civil War, your thesis might be "While the dispute between the North and South over slavery is the most well-known cause of the Civil War, other key causes include differences in the economies of the North and South, states' rights, and territorial expansion."

#2: Back Every Statement Up With Research

Remember, this is a research paper you're writing, so you'll need to use lots of research to make your points. Every statement you give must be backed up with research, properly cited the way your teacher requested. You're allowed to include opinions of your own, but they must also be supported by the research you give.

#3: Do Your Research Before You Begin Writing

You don't want to start writing your research paper and then learn that there isn't enough research to back up the points you're making, or, even worse, that the research contradicts the points you're trying to make!

Get most of your research on your good research topics done before you begin writing. Then use the research you've collected to create a rough outline of what your paper will cover and the key points you're going to make. This will help keep your paper clear and organized, and it'll ensure you have enough research to produce a strong paper.

What's Next?

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Thinking about becoming a nurse practitioner? Nurse practitioners have one of the fastest growing careers in the country, and we have all the information you need to know about what to expect from nurse practitioner school .

Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius? We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa).

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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Free Online Research Methods Courses

These free online research methods courses will teach you about different methods which researchers can use for the collection of data. Broadly, all varieties of research methodologies can be categorised as one of four types: observational, experimental, simulational, and derived. If you need to learn about the efficient and rigorous collection of data, check out this page for more.... …Read More These free online research methods courses will teach you about different methods which researchers can use for the collection of data. Broadly, all varieties of research methodologies can be categorised as one of four types: observational, experimental, simulational, and derived. If you need to learn about the efficient and rigorous collection of data, check out this page for more. Read Less

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Research methods can differ across fields, industries and subject matter. But there are some principles that should always be present to ensure an objective and accurate result.

Essentials of Research Methodology

This course is vital as it breaks down everything you need to know about conducting basic scientific research, including selecting samples, writing proposals, formulating your research question and - most important of all - how to collect and analyse data.

Genealogy Research and Family History

 Humans have moved around the world for millennia but it’s only recently that ordinary people could trace their heritage using historical records. This course shows you how to chart your family background, an often moving experience. For specific guidance on researching your Irish ancestors, enrol in An Introduction to Irish Family History.

Market Research Essentials

Before you see a new product, service or ad, a lot of behind-the-scenes research went into seeing if there was a need for it, who the customers would be and what price could be charged. ‘Market research’ is used by big and small companies around the world.

Research is the specific study of a defined topic and a vast number of careers use it - here are just a fraction:

Documentary makers

Conservationists

Investigative journalists

Manufacturers

Policymakers

No, not at all! While it is true that pure research is mostly done at academic institutions, a lot of research is gathered by non-academics. If you do want to go into a more academic field, then the following courses are very beneficial:

How to Write Citations, References and Bibliographies

From your first year all the way to your postgrad work, knowing the correct way to do citations, references and bibliographies in your written work is non-negotiable, especially if you want to be published in academic journals in your field.

Mastering the Academic Research Paper

Again, this course contains useful tips on how to produce a thesis that is professional, well written and topical. Complete this course to improve your work, to get better marks, secure grants and possibly even get published.

If, however, you want to be in business, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn and borrow from the academics. A lot of their skills are transferable into other fields and can be adapted to give great results. If you want to learn how to do that, then enrol in this interesting course:

Research Skills for Business Success

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Enhance Your Research Skills:  10 Best Research Methodology Courses Online 

• Updated on  
• Feb 28, 2024

Research methodology is useful in a variety of industries such as business, manufacturing, engineering, laboratory science, social science and communications, and technology. Those with excellent knowledge of research can take up a career as a research assistant, research technician, forensic science technician, market researcher, and clinical research coordinator. Fortunately, there are plenty of research methodology online courses. These courses help students sharpen their critical thinking skills, learn how to collect and analyze data, and write concisely. The courses can be incredibly useful for anyone seeking a career in research methodology. Keep reading to learn about the best research methodology online course

This Blog Includes:

Research methodologies, understanding research methods, understanding clinical research: behind the statistics, quantitative and qualitative research for beginners, comparative research designs and methods, biospecimen research methods, certificate course in research theory, design, and methods, udemy research methods courses , research methodology, essentials of research methodology, 10 best research methodology online course.

Proper research methods can ensure that research is conducted in a systematic, and objective manner. Thus, minimizing any chance of bias and increasing the credibility of the findings. Here is a list of the 10 best research methodology online courses. The course level, duration, and other details are provided for your reference.

The Queen Mary University of London is offering a course on research methodologies. The course is meant for beginners and covers topics such as types of research methodologies, different sampling approaches, and [primary and secondary data collection approaches. The course is meant for beginners and has a 4,.7 rating on Coursera. Students can dedicate 19 hours to learning this course.

Website: https://www.coursera.org/learn/research-methodologies

Here is how you can become a researcher 

The University of London MOOC is offering an Understanding Research Methods. This is one of the top research methodology online courses. The course consists of 4 modules covering several topics. For example, what is research and what makes a good research question? What is a literature review and why do we need one? Why are planning and management skills important?  The course has video-based content, reading, and peer review systems. It has been rated 4.6 on Coursera.

Website: https://www.coursera.org/learn/research-methods

The University of Cape Town is offering another excellent research methodology online course. The program helps a student make sense of the statistical results presented in the published literature and research. Students will also get an overview of widely used statistical analysis techniques and will learn to interpret results. The course is meant for beginners and has a 4.8 rating on Coursera. 

Website: https://www.coursera.org/learn/clinical-research

The National University of Singapore (NUS) is providing one of the leading research methodology courses online. This is an introductory course that is useful across disciplines.  Students will receive both a theoretical and practical understanding of research techniques for all stages of the research process. This is a self-paced course that can be completed in 8 weeks. It has a 4.5 rating on Edx.

Website: https://www.edx.org/learn/research/

Comparative Research Designs and Methods is an excellent research methodology online course. The course provided by Federica Web Learning helps students to get an understanding of comparative analysis and its importance in social sciences for explanation and theory building. Students will also learn to apply systematic comparative analysis to politics in the real world. There is no prerequisite for taking this course. However, those with basic quantitative or qualitative methodological training can find this course easy.

Website: https://www.edx.org/learn/social-science/

The University of British Columbia is offering the course ‘Biospecimen Research Methods’. The course is useful in improving the research quality. Students will learn to apply the best practices to collect, store, and use biospecimens in their laboratory. The course is held for 6 weeks and is taught by professionals who have extensive experience in biobanking from the University of British Columbia and BC Cancer. The course is meant for advanced learners.

Website: https://www.edx.org/learn/biology/

Here is how you can become a clinical research associate 

The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) is offering a 3-month research methodology online course. The Certificate Course in Research Theory, Design, and Methods is suitable for those who have an understanding of research approaches and want to use them in their studies or professional practice. The course will outline the fundamentals of research methods and is targeted towards postgraduate studies or students preparing for higher education. The course is interactive and consists of several discussions and practical exercises. The online classes start in October.

Website: https://iica.nic.in/

Udemy is offering some of the best short research methodology online courses. Each course on this platform covers a unique topic. Some of the popular courses available on this platform are Quantitative Research Design for a Proposal, Research Methodology: Complete Research Project Blueprint, and UX Design & Research: Better UX using Heuristic Evaluation, among others. The courses consist of on-demand videos and articles. Certification is available.

Website: https://www.udemy.com/topic/research-methods/

Swayam is offering another excellent research methodology course online. The course is meant for PhD students and covers all conceptual and methodological issues involved in conducting successful research. A certificate is available for students. However, students need to meet the assignment score and the final exam score for the same. The course is taught by Prof. Soumitro Banerjee a faculty member of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur,

Website: https://onlinecourses.nptel.ac.in/noc22_ge08/preview

Check out the Types of Research Design: Process and Elements

Alison is offering one of the leading research methodology online courses. The course teaches a student to design, conduct, and document a scientific research project.  Students will also learn to collect, process, analyze, and present data for a research report. The course is held for 1.5-3 Hours of Learning and has CPD accreditation. Students will have to complete a final assessment to obtain a certificate. 

Website: https://alison.com/course/essentials-of-research-methodology

Related Articles:

Yes. There are several online research methodology online courses for PhD students. For example, on  LinkedIn Learning students can access courses like understanding research methods and how to write and publish a scientific paper.  Alision also provides free online research methodology courses with certification.

IGNOU is offering several PhD programs that consist of research methodology as a subject. Aside from that, IGNOU is holding workshops for research methodology. However, there is no separate IGNOU research methodology online course that students can enroll in.

Alison Essentials of Research Methodology course is a completely free online course with certification. Students can also enroll for Research Methodology related courses on Coursera or Edx. However, it is important to note that only the audit of these courses is available for free. Certification requires payment.

Hope this blog provides you with all the important details. For more information about such courses, visit our online courses page .

Blessy George

Blessy George is a Content Marketing Associate at Leverage Edu, boasting over a year of experience in the industry. Her expertise lies in crafting compelling content tailored to online courses, making her a go-to source for those navigating the vast landscape of digital learning. In addition to online classes, she writes content related to study abroad, English test preparation and visas. She has completed her MA degree in Political Science and has gained valuable experience as an intern.She is known for her extensive writing on various aspects of international education, garnering recognition for her insights and contributions. Apart from her professional pursuits, Blessy is passionate about creative writing, particularly poetry and songwriting.

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University Libraries      University of Nevada, Reno

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General Library Research: Start Your Research

• Find Sources
• Start Your Research
• Advanced Search Strategies
• Get MLA Citation Help
• Get APA Citation Help

Identify Your Topic

Brainstorm ideas.

Selecting a topic can be tricky. Your professor will usually assign a general theme that reflects the course material and your paper will need to focus on some aspect of that theme. Look through lecture notes and assigned readings to find a topic. Start by thinking of a topic you are interested in or curious about. Researching a topic that sparks your interest can be a great motivator.

Create a Concept Map

Once you've selected a general topic, create a concept map. Concept maps help you identify subtopics and topic-related ideas.

Write down your central topic (if you don't have one yet, use the course theme). Around the central topic, write down as many subtopics as you can think of. Continue writing related ideas and subtopics. As you write, think about how the subtopics might interconnect with each other or how they relate. Think of questions you might have about those connections.

Some helpful websites for concept mapping:

Visuwords - an interactive thesaurus and dictionary. Provides related terms, synonyms, broader and narrower terms.

Bubbl - an online concept mapping tool. (3 maps are free)

Find Background Information

Browse information sources.

Once you've identified a topic you'd like to explore further, take the time to get to know more about that topic. This step is called  background research . Background research helps you:

• Gain familiarity with a topic
• Identify differing perspectives of a topic
• Identify the experts, researchers, and scholars familiar with a topic 
• Explore possible research topics
• Identify specialized terms or jargon that can be used for searches later

Here are some sources of background information to consider as you explore your research topic:

• Encyclopedias provide basic information on a wide range of subjects. There are general encyclopedias, such as Encyclopedia Britannica , and subject-specific encyclopedias, such as the Encyclopedia of Social Media and Politics .
• Newspapers and magazines are regular publications of events covering social, political, or cultural interests. They often document the reactions, perspectives and opinions of an event around the time it happened. They can help you learn more about a culture, time period, and provide historical perspective to past events.
• Google - Search engines like Google can lead you to both good and bad information. Be critical of the websites you visit. For more help on evaluating sources go to the "Evaluate Your Sources" section below.
• Wikipedia - Wikipedia is a useful resource to start learning more about a topic, but remember that anyone can edit Wikipedia. Use the References of Further Readings at the end of an entry to verify information within the article. 

For more help, check out the Quick How To page on g enerating a research question .

Narrow Your Topic or Research Question

Identify open vs. close-ended questions.

Close-ended questions can be answered by a simple "yes" or "no," whereas open-ended questions go beyond a simple answer and require mindful, detailed responses.  Your research question should be open-ended. Open-ended questions require more critical thinking and sources of information to answer compared to close-ended questions.   Research questions often start with "how" or "why". Here is an example of a close-ended question modified into an open-ended question: Close-ended : Do many children in the U.S. have allergies? Open-ended : How does country of birth affect a child's chances of developing asthma?

Ask Who? What? When? Where? Why?

Once you have a basic understanding of your topic and the issues surrounding it, narrow your research question by asking the following questions:

• Who? - Are you interested in a specific group of people? Can you narrow your focus to a group or demographic, such as age, gender, ethnicity, location, or socio-economic status?
• What? - What are current issues around this topic? Anything in the news?
• When? - Is your topic current or historical? Was it during a specific time period? Are there any important events surrounding your topic? 
• Where? - Can your topic focus on a specific location? Where, geographically, might this topic be significant?
• Why? - Why is this topic important? Why should others be interested?

It's okay for your research question to change over time as you find more information about your topic, or take out ideas that don't work.

For more help, check out the libraries' Quick How To page on Generating a Research Question .

Refine Your Searches

Use keywords, not sentences.

The  keywords  you use are an important part of your search strategy.  Keywords , or  search words , are words or short phrases that represent the main ideas or concepts in your topic. Identify main concepts by writing down your research question and selecting nouns important to the meaning of your research question. For example, the research question "How is climate change affecting agriculture in Nevada?" has three main concepts:

• climate change
• agriculture

It's important to have additional keywords on hand, in case a search fails or doesn't produce desired results. For each main concept, write a list of related terms, synonyms, broader or narrower ideas. Brainstorm related terms, ask a classmate/professor/librarian for help, use a thesaurus, or continuing reading about your topic.

For more help, check out the Quick How To page on Choosing Keywords .

Evaluate Your Sources

As you search for information you will come across many different types of sources such as websites, journal articles and books, but how do you know if the information is suitable or appropriate for your research assignment? What does it mean for a source to be credible? And why is it important to use credible sources?

To learn more, check out the Quick How To page on Evaluating Sources .

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A series to prepare clinical researchers for the socra ccrp (certified clinical research professional) or the acrp ccrc (certified clinical research coordinator) certification exam. this course also serves as an orientation for anyone interested in learning about clinical research., historical events, evolution of regulations, ​ and phases and types of studies.

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Ethics and Research Misconduct​

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Study Startup, Part I​

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Study Startup, Part 2​

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Essential Documents, Part I​

Session 9 PPT

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Session 10 PPT

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Investigational Product

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21 CFR 312, 21 CFR 812, 21 CFR 814

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Recruitment | HIPAA Regulations in Clinical Research | 21 CFR 11​

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Contracts, Study Closure, Differences Between FDA OHRP and ICH​

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Session 18 Video

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UVA’s Online Data Science Master’s Program Adds Health Care-Focused Course

Affiliated faculty.

Data science can help inform decision-making in a vast array of fields, but there are few sectors where it can be more consequential than in health care.

Christian Wernz , a lecturer at the University of Virginia’s School of Data Science and lead data scientist at Sentara Health, has seen first-hand both the promise of data in driving better health outcomes and the challenge of implementing new technology in an industry that is often hesitant to embrace change. 

“The health care industry is one of the slowest to adopt any new technology. They’re very risk averse and conservative — in part for good reason, because if they make mistakes, people die,” he said. 

At the same time, Wernz added, medical professionals can sometimes focus too much on the potential downside of new tools, such as large language models, to their detriment and lose sight of their ability to enhance a patient’s experience. 

Data scientists, he said, “need to understand that mindset.” 

That’s why, this fall, Wernz is teaching a new course titled “Health Care Data Science,” which is offered as an elective through the online master’s program at the School of Data Science . 

The idea, Wernz explained, is that the class will take “students on a journey from the source of the data all the way to the very end of someone making a decision based on these data” in a health care setting. 

It’s a journey Wernz knows well, both from his time in academia and his experience working within the health care system.

Wernz served as an assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering at Virginia Tech earlier in his career and found himself increasingly drawn to health care. 

He would go on to teach health care administration at Virginia Commonwealth University. Soon after, he would develop a deep interest in data science, which led to a realization.

“I realized that the best way to learn about data science is to actually do it, and getting data from hospitals was basically impossible or very, very slow at best,” he said. 

So, he left academia to become a data scientist with UVA Health for three years. Then, in 2024, Wernz joined Sentara, a nonprofit health care system operating in Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida. 

Now, he’ll combine his industry experience with his time in the classroom to offer an all-encompassing course on how to effectively practice data science in health care settings.

The first step, he said, is understanding the landscape in which you’re operating.

“Hospitals have these massive electronic health record systems where they store these data. And so, knowing health care terminology, how health care and how a hospital works, is critical to be able to understand and put these data into context,” Wernz said. 

He added: “Someone who does not have this background would have a very difficult time, even with the best of technical skills.”

The class will also, of course, focus on strengthening students’ technical skills, including educating them on how to find and extract health care data using the programming language known as structured query language, or SQL.

From there, students will explore various aspects of analyzing data and how to visualize it through the data visualization tool Tableau to gain some initial insights. 

Finally, Wernz and his students will dive into how machine learning can be used with data to make predictions, as well as the ethical and economic considerations that come with model implementation.

“How certain does your model have to be before you start intervention? For that, you have to understand the economic and health benefits and risks with taking actions, and that actually informs what your threshold is,” he said. 

For instance, he explained, if a medication has no side effects, and a physician thinks but is not certain a patient has an infection, the drug in question may be administered without significant concern.

“But let’s say this medication has massive side effects,” Wernz said. “Now you want to be more sure of that.”

Getting to the point where students can produce a machine learning model that helps clinicians confidently make these decisions will be a focus of the class, Wernz said. 

Wernz said he has already seen health care systems showing more willingness to embrace machine learning capabilities, including at his current employer, which, he said, didn’t have a data science team two years earlier but now recognizes it as “a core competency.”

While data science can be applied in myriad fields, Wernz sees a particular need for a health care-focused class.

“As an industrial and systems engineering professor, I looked at manufacturing, the supply chain, health care — health care as a domain is magnitudes more complex than any of the other topics,” he said, estimating that medical students learn roughly 20,000 new terms. 

When tackling a health care project, Wernz explained, data scientists must develop an expertise in the narrow medical domains they are working in and a proficiency with data sets they have never worked with before. 

Challenges like these, he said, are why there is a need for a data science class dedicated to health care: “You need both of these skills, the methodological and the domain expertise.”

After this fall, the class is scheduled to be offered again in summer 2025 then in spring 2026.  

Christian Wernz

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4,500 students to receive free AI training by end-2025

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More adults and students will have access to free online training in artificial intelligence (AI) and other technology topics over the next year announced global tech company IBM on Aug 23.

IBM announced a collaboration with Republic Polytechnic (RP), Singapore Polytechnic (SP) and training provider Junior Achievement (JA) to use and adapt lessons from some 1,000 tech-related courses in the IBM SkillsBuild platform for an estimated 4,500 students and adult learners over one year.

The collaboration was announced at the IBM office at Marina Bay Financial Centre, where Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam, who was the guest of honour, welcomed the collaboration for it can help locals find new job opportunities and acquire tech skills which are in short supply.

Building an AI-equipped workforce would require “a proactive approach by going upstream to prepare our youths even before they enter the workforce,” said Ms Rahayu on Aug 23.

She said: “It includes integrating AI education and digital literacy into vocational training and equipping them with the foundational skills required to do well in a rapidly changing job market.”

SkillsBuild courses are available for free as part of IBM’s goal to provide online training to 30 million people globally by 2030. According to IBM chief impact officer and vice president Justina Nixon-Saintil, some 11.5 million people have used the educational platform, which was launched in 2021, as at the end of 2023.

IBM, NUS to set up new AI research and innovation centre

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Ms Nixon-Saintil said that one way to reach keen learners is to collaborate with schools.

SP will be tapping on SkillsBuild’s AI, data and cybersecurity courses to support learning for their computing courses, while RP plans to introduce it into its curriculum, specifically to train students in data sciences and AI skills, among other topics.

Both polytechnics will also explore using the resources in common curriculum modules to ensure all students are well versed in AI.

Mr Loh Yew Chiong, SP’s deputy principal, said the online courses can be utilised as quizzes for lecturers to keep track of students’ understanding of AI subjects.

Students will also be encouraged to complete AI or other courses to attain IBM’s professional certifications, which help to enhance their portfolio when applying for jobs, said Mr Loh.

RP chief technology officer Fong Yew Chan said IBM SkillsBuild provides plenty of useful material that adds on to the school’s curriculum. 

Non-profit organisation JA, which organises career and financial literacy workshops in schools, aims to use the online resources to support the learning of roughly 3,000 students within a year, said executive director Ng Hau Yee.

Ms Ng said: “If you tell kids to go online to do a quiz, they probably won’t do it by themselves. So we can use the modules to design our courses as a teaser to topics like AI and cybersecurity.”

There has been no shortage of efforts by schools and enterprises to build AI talent here following Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s announcement in 2023 on Singapore’s renewed national AI strategy to triple its AI talent pool.

New degrees and scholarship programmes have since been offered at the Nanyang Technological University, backed by an initial $4 million to support AI education and research in 2024.

Besides its dedicated AI degrees and minor in AI on offer to students, Singapore University of Technology and Design introduced AI courses for adult learners in 2024. These include classes on using generative AI and understanding the science behind such programs.

Even professionals in non-IT sectors like logistics and finance have been sent to attend tech training sessions to acquire digital skills through efforts by the authorities and trade associations.

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Massachusetts has made community college tuition-free. What will that mean for enrollment, quality, and workforce development?

HKS education expert David Deming says more people could be attracted to a community college education, but cautions about diluting the quality of the programs. 

Massachusetts recently joined the ranks of states and other localities that have made community colleges tuition-free. David Deming , the Isabelle and Scott Black Professor of Political Economy and HKS faculty co-director of the Project on Workforce , is an economist whose research focuses on higher education and the future of the labor market. We asked him about the growing national movement to eliminate community college tuition and how this effort may be reshaping the country’s workforce development policies.

Q: The idea of free community college really gained traction over the last decade, with nearly 30 states now offering a variety of different tuition-free community college plans. As a scholar who has examined the critical role community colleges play in workforce development, what impact have these plans had?

The idea of free community college is not new. In fact, community colleges in many states were free until the 1960s. Even some four-year schools like the CUNY system in New York City and the University of California system were free until about 50 years ago. Ronald Reagan was elected governor of California in 1966 on a platform of charging tuition to UC students in the name of fiscal responsibility. 

The basic problem is that colleges have been victims of their own success. A generation ago, 20% of people went to college. Now it’s more than 60%, and the population has expanded substantially as well. The promise of free college is just a lot more expensive than it used to be. 

The modern free community college movement really started in 2014 when Republican Governor Bill Haslam of Tennessee signed the Tennessee Promise Scholarship Act of 2014, which provided free tuition and mentoring for recent high school graduates to attend any community college or college of applied technology in the state. A bunch of other states followed Tennessee’s lead, and today about half of all states have some form of tuition-free college program. 

Most programs are still too recent to look at longer-run impacts like degree completion and earnings. One exception is a study of an early version of the Tennessee program in Knox county , which found that free community college increases associates degree completion by more than 20%. However, it found no significant impacts on BA completion or on short-run earnings, although the participants were still relatively young to look at labor market impacts. 

The bottom line is that these programs clearly increase community college enrollment. Whether they have broader positive economic impacts is still uncertain.

Q: Is tuition the biggest hurdle for students trying to access community colleges across the country? What other hurdles exist?

The main reason so many states have enacted free community college plans is that they don’t cost very much taxpayer money. Why? Tuition is already very low, and more importantly, most states (including Massachusetts) have enacted so-called “last dollar” plans that only kick in after students apply for and receive federal financial aid. To put some numbers to it—average community college tuition in Massachusetts is about $4,500. The maximum Federal Pell Grant is $7,395. Since most community college students are low- or middle-income, and many are young and financially independent, they would already have gone for free even without the new Massachusetts plan.  

In my view this makes the Massachusetts plan more valuable, because the advertising value of “free community college” will get many people in the door who would have gone for free anyway. Now they know before they apply for aid, rather than having to fill out a long form and wait for a month or more. These folks are busy and have complicated lives. The administrative burden of applying for aid looms just as large as the financial cost, but knowing that it will be free at the end of the day could make more people take the plunge.

“The primary risk of free community college is that we will focus too much on price, and not enough on quality. … The risk is that the fiscal burden of free tuition will cause legislators to cut appropriations over time.”

David deming, q: is there a concern that these tuition-free programs might inadvertently undermine enrollment numbers and the subsequent viability of some four-year colleges.

Potentially. The evidence I’ve seen suggests that it does divert some students away from four-year colleges, but that the net impact is positive. This is partly because of the advertising value I mentioned above, but also because some community college students who enroll on the promise of free tuition will end up transferring to a four-year school down the line.

The big losers are private institutions, who will lose students to the promise of free tuition in the public sector. In my view this is a good thing, not because private institutions are per se bad (I teach at one!), but because the competitors to community colleges are typically large online for-profit schools that charge high tuition and deliver poor value for money.

Q: Massachusetts was relatively slow in making community college free. In fact, Tennessee has been a national trendsetter in this movement, with policymakers flocking to the state to see how community colleges there attract and retain students. How was this significant expansion of education spending in a relatively conservative state such as Tennessee possible?

Like many other states, the Tennessee Promise program was funded primarily by proceeds from the state lottery. In Massachusetts, the legislative deal that established free community college also allowed the Massachusetts state lottery to move online, which they expect will increase sales and revenue. Some people think lotteries are exploitative, but lawmakers typically think the tradeoff is worth it.

Q: Back in Massachusetts, what steps should policymakers and community college administrators take to ensure the rollout of this tuition-free initiative is a success?

The primary risk of free community college is that we will focus too much on price, and not enough on quality. Community college tuition may be about $4,500 per year in Massachusetts, but the true resource cost of the education is more than double that amount. In other words, the cost of paying the salaries of community college instructors, student support, building maintenance, and everything else is much higher than what can be funded by tuition. The gap is made up by state legislative appropriations—essentially, the taxpayers fund a transfer of tax revenue each year directly to community colleges. Students were paying $4,500 per year to get a $10,000 per year education.

The risk is that the fiscal burden of free tuition will cause legislators to cut appropriations over time. Concretely, this would mean larger classes, less student support, and a lower quality education all around. A $10,000 per year education would become a $5,000 per year education, even if the price is still “free.”

We know from many studies that spending increases graduation rates, and the best programs in dynamic fields like nursing and technology are often more expensive to maintain. So, the main risk is that free community college will become lower quality and stop being a good deal for students, who, after all, are still foregoing a lot of income to attend.

Banner image: a professor delivers a lecture to students at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston. Photo by Josh Reynolds/AP Photos. Faculty portrait by Martha Stewart.

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2024 top online learning library companies.

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A corporate learning library is a repository of on-demand content for corporate and individual learning and development. Online learning libraries can be internally created and curated, accessed by learners on external sites, or a blend of the two.

These companies are comprehensive or specialized online course providers that offer on-demand content solutions, that cover a range of subject areas or topics and offer advanced features and capabilities.

We continuously monitor the training marketplace looking for the best providers of online learning libraries that offer a breadth of capabilities and services. This annual list is designed to help buy-side organizations in their search for the right training partners.

Selection of this year’s Top Online Learning Library Companies List was based on the following criteria:

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Anna Menon of Polaris Dawn wrote a book for her children. She'll read it to them in orbit

'it’s a story of how love can overcome any distance,' menon told usa today of her children's book, 'kisses from space,' which she plans to read on the second day of the all-civilian mission..

• "Kisses from Space" tells the story of a mother dragon who returns home to her children after an out-of-this-world adventure.
• Menon plans to read the book while in orbit aboard the SpaceX Dragon. She and the Polaris Dawn crew will also sign and auction off the book to support St. Jude.

Back in the days when both Anna Menon and her husband worked at SpaceX , the couple would spend daily commutes regaling their two children with fanciful stories.

The kids would soon be dropped off at daycare, and mom and dad would then head to SpaceX headquarters, at the time still located in the Los Angeles area . But despite the time the family spent apart, those stories they shared every day before separating became a meaningful way for them to remain connected.

In recent years, Menon found herself reflecting on those nostalgic memories as she trained for a journey that will in the coming days take her further from her family than she's ever been before. As she prepared to head to outer space as part of the all-civilian Polaris Dawn crew , Menon found yet another way to stay tethered to her kids back on Earth.

Earlier this year, Menon co-authored a children's book, " Kisses from Space ," that stemmed from her desire to share her cosmic adventures with her two young children. Menon has shared the book with her son and daughter many times already, but when she launches next week on a SpaceX Dragon capsule, she plans to read the book to them from all the way in orbit.

“It’s a story of how love can overcome any distance," Menon said in a phone interview with USA TODAY after arriving this week  at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for the launch. "And, it’s a story I wrote for my kids, ultimately.”

Polaris Dawn: SpaceX is about to launch a billionaire and 3 others into orbit on civilian mission

Anna Menon writes children's book based on Polaris Dawn experience

"Kisses from Space" tells the story of a mother dragon who returns home to her children after an out-of-this-world adventure. While the dragon characters are familiar to her children from those long-ago commutes, the story itself is a new one – inspired, of course, by Menon's own experience preparing for Polaris Dawn.

“Those stories became wonderful connection points for us as we were apart for most of our days,” Menon recalled of the tales she would make up with her husband Anil Menon, who is now a NASA astronaut (the family has since relocated to Houston.)

While training for Polaris Dawn, Menon shared her idea of authoring a children's book with Jared Isaacman, the billionaire entrepreneur funding the mission along with SpaceX. With Isaacman's support, Menon recruited her cousin Keri Vasek to co-author the story with her and award-winning illustrator Andy Harkness to create the visuals.

"Kisses from Space" was published June 4 by Random House Books for Young Readers. Written in whimsical rhyme, the story of a mother's unwavering love and devotion to her children is one Menon believes is relatable for any parents who have been away from their kids, even if it wasn't as distant as outer space.

“It was just an entirely special process to get to write this book with Keri," Menon said. "It's a message that I do want to come across to my kids, but it’s a message that lots of people around the world can relate to.”

Menon to read 'Kisses from Space' while in orbit

Menon arrived and entered quarantine with her family Monday at the Kennedy Space Center as she and the other crew members make the final preparations before launch.

But when the four-member crew under Isaacman's command rocket into the upper reaches of Earth's orbit early Monday, Menon's family will of course stay behind. To remind her children – James, 6, and Grace, 4 – that mom is still thinking of them, Menon plans to read "Kisses from Space" to them from the spacecraft on the second day of the mission.

Video of the book reading will be beamed live to her children, as well as some youngsters at  St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, before it is presented to the public at a later time, Menon said.

The copy of the book that Menon is reading in orbit will be signed by all four Polaris Dawn crew members and auctioned off to benefit St. Jude.

What to know about the Polaris Dawn mission

The first of three human spaceflights under the Polaris Program, Polaris Dawn is meant to test SpaceX technology to set the stage for  future deep space exploration as NASA and other space agencies set their  sights on destinations like Mars .

The Polaris Dawn crew will spend five days in orbit before reentering Earth's atmosphere on day six and splashing down at one of seven sites off the Florida coast.

When the crew launches, they will reach an altitude of 870 miles above Earth's surface – higher than any human has traveled since NASA’s Apollo lunar program in the 1970s – before descending to a new cruising orbit about 435 miles above Earth. The treacherous path will take the crew through the Van Allen radiation belts – or more than three times higher than  the International Space Station .

While in orbit, the crew will complete some 40 scientific experiments – many of which are to understand the human body's reaction to long spaceflights – and test a new laser-based satellite communication system using Starlink.

The crew will also attempt to become the first-ever private citizens to conduct a spacewalk, opening the Dragon's hatch to expose themselves to the vacuum of space.

Anna Menon's role on Polaris Dawn crew

The spacewalk maneuver is an incredibly risky one, but Menon , a mission specialist and medical officer for Polaris Dawn, didn't appear rattled at the prospect of it.

Until now, spacewalks have only ever been conducted by government astronauts. And because most spacecraft have airlocks, conducting one does not typically require depressurizing the entire capsule.

But because the Dragon does not have an airlock, the entire spacecraft will have to be depressurized before the hatch is opened, exposing all four crew members to the vacuum of space. For this reason Menon and her crewmates will all be wearing Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) suits designed by SpaceX to receive oxygen through tethers.

"There's been a tremendous amount of preparation that’s gone into this by the SpaceX team," she said.

For Menon, the upcoming trip to orbit is her first, despite working at SpaceX since 2018 as a lead operations engineer and serving in mission control during multiple crewed missions.

Because Anil only recently became a graduate of NASA's astronaut program, Menon is also the first in her family to head to space.

“I’m incredibly honored to get to go and really thrilled to have the opportunity," Menon said. "It was a dream from a young age and I never thought it would happen.”

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]