FutureLearn

Why Planning Your Research Matters (FutureLearn)

Offered by Griffith University, Deakin University,

Learn how to plan your research effectively and define your research question. Why is planning your research so important? Planning your research can make all the difference to the results of your research project. This online course will show you how to create a comprehensive research plan and help you define your research question.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

You’ll learn how to craft critical questions, develop comprehensive methods and understand the true potential of your research to improve our lives, workplaces and communities.
Throughout this course, you’ll be guided through a complete planning process to help you conduct your research effectively and turn your ideas into reality.

What topics will you cover?

Undertaking a literature review
Specifying a researchable question
Crafting a research methodology
Assessing the potential impact of your research
Writing your research proposal

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

Define a specific, researchable question
Review accessible literature relating to your question
Plan a defensible methodology to answer your research question
Develop a research impact and dissemination plan

Go to Class

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

FutureLearn

Coventry University

Researching Risk, Disasters and Emergencies (FutureLearn)

Engineering Business

Learning how to research disasters and related fields so you can understand how to help people during moments of crisis. How can we help other people before and or during disasters? How we can improve water and sanitary facilities in refugee camps? How can drones and virtual reality technologies help with emergency response exercises? Get answers to these questions and more with this course that explains the vital research processes necessary for responses to emergencies and disasters.

No sessions available

2 Weeks

Disaster Research Emergency

Coursera

University at Buffalo,The State University of New York

ADHD: Everyday Strategies for Elementary Students (Coursera)

Education Social Sciences

This course will provide an overview of ADHD diagnosis and treatment. Course participants can expect to learn about ADHD as a developmental disorder that begins early in childhood, and participants will also learn about evidence-based approaches for diagnosing ADHD. Following that, two evidence-based treatment approaches (the Daily Report Card and Parenting Strategies) will be introduced. (Note these course activities are informational and are not intended to replace working with a licensed/trained professional).

Sep 28th 2026

4 Weeks

Planning Education ADHD

FutureLearn

St George's, University of London

Medical Equipment Donations to Low Resource Settings (FutureLearn)

Health & Society Medicine & Pharmacology

Learn how to plan a medical equipment donation to a low-resource setting that's appropriate, sustainable, and has a real impact. Navigate the pitfalls of planning and organising donations of medical equipment. Unavailability of essential clinical equipment can be a serious problem in low-resource settings. On this course, developed in collaboration with the Tropical Health Education Trust (THET), you‘ll learn best practices in planning a donation of medical equipment to a low-resource setting.

Self Paced

2 Weeks

Planning Health Sustainability

Coursera

Lund University

Greening the Economy: Sustainable Cities (Coursera)

Sci: Physical & Earth Sciences Sci: Environment

How can we shape urban development towards sustainable and prosperous futures? This course will explore sustainable cities as engines for greening the economy. We place cities in the context of sustainable urban transformation and climate change. Sustainable urban transformation refers to structural transformation processes – multi-dimensional and radical change – that can effectively direct urban development towards ambitious sustainability and climate goals. We will connect the key trends of urbanization, decarbonisation and sustainability.

Sep 28th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Planning Energy Economy

FutureLearn

University of Birmingham,The University of Nottingham,British Library

Learning from the Past: A Guide for the Curious Researcher (FutureLearn)

Humanities History

Learn how to understand the past to explain the present, and get to know the amazing sources and resources of the British Library. Discover sources that help you understand the past, and explain the present! The language of history determines how we view our world and understand urgent issues, such as the environment, conflict and human rights.

Available now

3 Weeks

Image History Language

FutureLearn

The University of Sheffield

Making Sense of Data in the Media (FutureLearn)

Economics & Finance Social Sciences

Learn how to make sense of social statistics and economic data with this introductory course on quantitative social science. Increasingly, we’re bombarded with all sorts of data about how society is changing. From opinion poll trends and migration data to economic results and government debt levels.

Available now

3 Weeks

Data Media Social Sciences

FutureLearn

University College London,Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre,Njala University

Development and Planning in African Cities: Exploring theories, policies and practices from Sierra Leone (FutureLearn)

Engineering Social Sciences

As African cities grow, learn how development and planning help urban actors to make cities just and sustainable for all. In the next 35 years, Africa will need to accommodate almost 900 million new urban dwellers. Hundreds of smaller cities are doubling in size every 20 years, half of Africa’s urban dwellers live in informal settlements in precarious conditions, and 75% of these are younger than 35. Our course will explore African cities through the lenses of spatial justice and social diversity, challenging myths and assumptions about urban development and demonstrating how different processes interact and shape the development of a city.

Self Paced

4 Weeks

Planning Development Africa

FutureLearn

King's College London

Research Methods: A Practical Guide to Peer and Community Research (FutureLearn)

Education Health & Society

Identify how to conduct your own research and develop your own ethical research project on this practical course. Learn how to conduct research to initiate positive social change. This practical, four-week course from King’s College London provides an overview of all aspects of research, with the principle aim to support and empower people to conduct their own research to initiate positive social change.

Self Paced

5-12 Weeks

Research Methods Social Change Research

FutureLearn

University College London

Community Based Research: Getting Started (FutureLearn)

Social Sciences

Learn the skills you need to carry out research in your own community using the 'citizen science' approach of UCL's RELIEF Centre. Community based research means involving a community in all stages of a research process - this kind of research can give people the power to transform their lives. On this course you will learn the basics of community based research by examining the citizen science methodology used by the RELIEF Centre in Lebanon.

Self Paced

3 Weeks

Ethics Community Research

FutureLearn

Coventry University

Healthcare Research: For Healthcare Professionals (FutureLearn)

Health & Society

Discover how to conduct and evaluate healthcare research, and use your findings to inform best practice and guidelines. Research is a vital part of healthcare. It underpins best practice, provides evidence for national and international guidelines, and ultimately improves outcomes for patients. This online course provides an introduction to healthcare research.

No session available

2 Weeks

Health Healthcare Ethics

FutureLearn

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Global Disability: Research and Evidence (FutureLearn)

Health & Society Medicine & Pharmacology

Explore how to conduct and interpret findings from global disability research. Understand why and how to do research in the field of global disability. In this course you will learn from researchers, persons with disabilities and policy makers as we look to enhance our understanding of the importance of evidence, and how research can be conducted, interpreted and used to inform policy and practice.

Available Now

3 Weeks

Health Global Health Research

FutureLearn

University of Leeds

Introduction to Research Ethics: Working with People (FutureLearn)

Education

Find out how to conduct ethical research when working with people with this online course for academic researchers. Ensure your research is up to the highest ethical standards. On this course, you will learn the principles of ethical research, and how to manage human subject research in sensitive and appropriate ways. You will consider issues like gaining consent, making sure that personal information is handled safely, and recruiting vulnerable participants.

Self Paced

2 Weeks

Ethics Research Ethical Research