FutureLearn

Why Research Matters (FutureLearn)

Offered by Griffith University, Deakin University,

Explore what research is and why it’s so important to us all. Find out how to make evidence-based decisions. Imagine a world without research, where governments carry out policy based on hunches and manufacturers release products without testing. Research allows us to solve problems on a global scale and make evidence-based decisions.

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

During this course, you’ll get an introduction to what research is, and why it’s so important to us all. You’ll learn fundamental research concepts, meet leading researchers working on real-world problems, and identify an interest area for your own research.

What topics will you cover?

The contribution of research to society
Introduction to fundamental research concepts, including:

. Evidence-based decision-making
. Research paradigms and approaches

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

Identify a potential area of research interest
Discuss how research helps solve problems
Explain paradigms and concepts essential to undertaking and understanding research
Apply a decision-making process based on evidence

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

University of Wollongong

Research Writing: How to Do a Literature Review (FutureLearn)

Education Languages & Literature

Learn how to write a strong literature review with this course designed for research students, at any level, in any discipline. Improve your ability in a fundamental part of research: a literature review. Many students are required to write a critical review of current academic literature in their area of interest - researchers, postgraduates and undergraduates. Developing a great critical review is vital, but not always taught.

No sessions available

4 Weeks

Writing Research Bibliography

FutureLearn

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT),Keele University,University of Worcester,The Clinical Research Network West Midlands

Starting Out in Health and Social Care Research (FutureLearn)

Health & Society

Get step-by-step guidance on every stage of the research process to kickstart your career in health and social care research. Lay the groundwork for your research. Stepping into the world of research can be daunting. So it’s worth doing your research before you begin. On this course led by experts in health and social care research, you’ll be guided through each phase of the research cycle. From formulating a question to publishing your findings, you’ll gain the knowledge you need to start out as a researcher.

Mar 20th 2023

5-12 Weeks

Healthcare Research Social Care

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 of Leeds,National Institute for Health Research - NIHR

What is Health Research? (FutureLearn)

Health & Society

Explore the world of health research and the role volunteers play in transforming treatments and improving health care. Learn about health research and explore opportunities to get involved. Have you ever wondered how doctors and nurses know what treatment or care to give? It’s only through health research that healthcare professionals find new and better ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating disease. Today’s research is tomorrow’s treatment.

Self Paced

3 Weeks

Health Healthcare Research

FutureLearn

University of Glasgow

Research Impact: Making a Difference (FutureLearn)

Health & Society Business

Help your work to benefit society and the economy. Learn what research impact is and how to create it. Discover what drives research impact and why. University research has always made a difference to human understanding. Sadly, the importance of this work isn’t always communicated to the world outside of academia - leading many academics to believe that research is undervalued in society.

Self Paced

3 Weeks

Higher Education Research Research Impact

FutureLearn

University College London

An Anthropology of Smartphones: Communication, Ageing and Health (FutureLearn)

Health & Society

Explore how smartphones have affected our lives by using comparative anthropology as a method of research. Discover digital anthropology and the relationship between technology and ageing. This course will develop your understanding of the concept of digital anthropology as you explore how smartphones have transformed our daily lives and how they can be used productively.

Self Paced

3 Weeks

Ageing Anthropology Research

FutureLearn

The Open University

Finance Fundamentals: Investment Theory and Practice (FutureLearn)

Economics & Finance

 Look at the investment choices open to you, and the risks and returns of each. Start managing your financial future effectively. Ensure your investments are effective and match your risk-return appetite. Research shows that UK households are poor at investment management, with a limited understanding of choices, risks and returns. This could mean that many people cannot afford to retire in future.

No sessions available

4 Weeks

Finance Business Decision Making

FutureLearn

D&AD

How to Enhance Your Creative Empathy (FutureLearn)

Art and Culture

Better understand different types of audience and build empathy with your customers through your creative work. Connect with your target customers and get better results with your work. At the heart of all brilliant, commercial creativity lies people. An end audience who you, as a creative, need to connect with in order for your brilliant ideas to land and get results. This course dives into the head and hearts of humans and will help you understand and build empathy with them.

May 23rd 2022

3 Weeks

Creativity Research Audiences

FutureLearn

Griffith University,Deakin University

Why Planning Your Research Matters (FutureLearn)

Health & Society Business

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.

No sessions available

2 Weeks

Planning Research Effective Research

FutureLearn

University of Birmingham,Chartered College of Teaching

Education Research that Matters: Doing Research in Your Learning Community (FutureLearn)

Education

Build the tools and knowledge to perform your own education research and establish yourself as a teacher-researcher. Learn how to analyse research data and communicate your research findings. Many teachers want to learn new knowledge and methods to improve their teaching, but it can be hard for someone outside of research communities to perform research of their own. On this course, you will learn how to do your own education research and build supported communities of education research practice.

Self Paced

4 Weeks

Education Learning 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

FutureLearn

Develop Conceptual Thinking for Problem-Solving (FutureLearn)

Management & Leadership Health & Society

Use critical thinking and the conceptual thinking framework to approach problems effectively and communicate your solutions. Learn to solve complex problems with strategic thinking Life and business are getting faster and more complex every day. The faster pace ramps up the pressure to act quickly but this complexity demands careful, strategic, conceptual thinking, which takes time.

Jul 26th 2021

4 Weeks

Decision Making Strategic Thinking Thinking