research oriented skills

Explore Jobs

• Jobs Near Me
• Remote Jobs
• Full Time Jobs
• Part Time Jobs
• Entry Level Jobs
• Work From Home Jobs

Find Specific Jobs

• $15 Per Hour Jobs
• $20 Per Hour Jobs
• Hiring Immediately Jobs
• High School Jobs
• H1b Visa Jobs

Explore Careers

• Business And Financial
• Architecture And Engineering
• Computer And Mathematical

Explore Professions

• What They Do
• Certifications
• Demographics

Best Companies

• Health Care
• Fortune 500

Explore Companies

• CEO And Executies
• Resume Builder
• Career Advice
• Explore Majors
• Questions And Answers
• Interview Questions

The Most Important Research Skills (With Examples)

• What Are Hard Skills?
• What Are Technical Skills?
• What Are What Are Life Skills?
• What Are Social Media Skills Resume?
• What Are Administrative Skills?
• What Are Analytical Skills?
• What Are Research Skills?
• What Are Transferable Skills?
• What Are Microsoft Office Skills?
• What Are Clerical Skills?
• What Are Computer Skills?
• What Are Core Competencies?
• What Are Collaboration Skills?
• What Are Conflict Resolution Skills?
• What Are Mathematical Skills?
• How To Delegate

Find a Job You Really Want In

Research skills are the ability to find out accurate information on a topic. They include being able to determine the data you need, find and interpret those findings, and then explain that to others. Being able to do effective research is a beneficial skill in any profession, as data and research inform how businesses operate.

Whether you’re unsure of your research skills or are looking for ways to further improve them, then this article will cover important research skills and how to become even better at research.

Key Takeaways

Having strong research skills can help you understand your competitors, develop new processes, and build your professional skills in addition to aiding you in finding new customers and saving your company money.

Some of the most valuable research skills you can have include goal setting, data collection, and analyzing information from multiple sources.

You can and should put your research skills on your resume and highlight them in your job interviews.

What are research skills?

Why are research skills important, 12 of the most important research skills, how to improve your research skills, highlighting your research skills in a job interview, how to include research skills on your resume, resume examples showcasing research skills, research skills faqs.

• Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs

Research skills are the necessary tools to be able to find, compile, and interpret information in order to answer a question. Of course, there are several aspects to this. Researchers typically have to decide how to go about researching a problem — which for most people is internet research.

In addition, you need to be able to interpret the reliability of a source, put the information you find together in an organized and logical way, and be able to present your findings to others. That means that they’re comprised of both hard skills — knowing your subject and what’s true and what isn’t — and soft skills. You need to be able to interpret sources and communicate clearly.

Research skills are useful in any industry, and have applications in innovation, product development, competitor research, and many other areas. In addition, the skills used in researching aren’t only useful for research. Being able to interpret information is a necessary skill, as is being able to clearly explain your reasoning.

Research skills are used to:

Do competitor research. Knowing what your biggest competitors are up to is an essential part of any business. Researching what works for your competitors, what they’re doing better than you, and where you can improve your standing with the lowest resource expenditure are all essential if a company wants to remain functional.

Develop new processes and products. You don’t have to be involved in research and development to make improvements in how your team gets things done. Researching new processes that make your job (and those of your team) more efficient will be valued by any sensible employer.

Foster self-improvement. Folks who have a knack and passion for research are never content with doing things the same way they’ve always been done. Organizations need independent thinkers who will seek out their own answers and improve their skills as a matter of course. These employees will also pick up new technologies more easily.

Manage customer relationships. Being able to conduct research on your customer base is positively vital in virtually every industry. It’s hard to move products or sell services if you don’t know what people are interested in. Researching your customer base’s interests, needs, and pain points is a valuable responsibility.

Save money. Whether your company is launching a new product or just looking for ways to scale back its current spending, research is crucial for finding wasted resources and redirecting them to more deserving ends. Anyone who proactively researches ways that the company can save money will be highly appreciated by their employer.

Solve problems. Problem solving is a major part of a lot of careers, and research skills are instrumental in making sure your solution is effective. Finding out the cause of the problem and determining an effective solution both require accurate information, and research is the best way to obtain that — be it via the internet or by observation.

Determine reliable information. Being able to tell whether or not the information you receive seems accurate is a very valuable skill. While research skills won’t always guarantee that you’ll be able to tell the reliability of the information at first glance, it’ll prevent you from being too trusting. And it’ll give the tools to double-check .

Experienced researchers know that worthwhile investigation involves a variety of skills. Consider which research skills come naturally to you, and which you could work on more.

Data collection . When thinking about the research process, data collection is often the first thing that comes to mind. It is the nuts and bolts of research. How data is collected can be flexible.

For some purposes, simply gathering facts and information on the internet can fulfill your need. Others may require more direct and crowd-sourced research. Having experience in various methods of data collection can make your resume more impressive to recruiters.

Data collection methods include: Observation Interviews Questionnaires Experimentation Conducting focus groups

Analysis of information from different sources. Putting all your eggs in one source basket usually results in error and disappointment. One of the skills that good researchers always incorporate into their process is an abundance of sources. It’s also best practice to consider the reliability of these sources.

Are you reading about U.S. history on a conspiracy theorist’s blog post? Taking facts for a presentation from an anonymous Twitter account?

If you can’t determine the validity of the sources you’re using, it can compromise all of your research. That doesn’t mean just disregard anything on the internet but double-check your findings. In fact, quadruple-check. You can make your research even stronger by turning to references outside of the internet.

Examples of reliable information sources include: Published books Encyclopedias Magazines Databases Scholarly journals Newspapers Library catalogs

Finding information on the internet. While it can be beneficial to consulate alternative sources, strong internet research skills drive modern-day research.

One of the great things about the internet is how much information it contains, however, this comes with digging through a lot of garbage to get to the facts you need. The ability to efficiently use the vast database of knowledge that is on the internet without getting lost in the junk is very valuable to employers.

Internet research skills include: Source checking Searching relevant questions Exploring deeper than the first options Avoiding distraction Giving credit Organizing findings

Interviewing. Some research endeavors may require a more hands-on approach than just consulting internet sources. Being prepared with strong interviewing skills can be very helpful in the research process.

Interviews can be a useful research tactic to gain first-hand information and being able to manage a successful interview can greatly improve your research skills.

Interviewing skills involves: A plan of action Specific, pointed questions Respectfulness Considering the interview setting Actively Listening Taking notes Gratitude for participation

Report writing. Possessing skills in report writing can assist you in job and scholarly research. The overall purpose of a report in any context is to convey particular information to its audience.

Effective report writing is largely dependent on communication. Your boss, professor , or general reader should walk away completely understanding your findings and conclusions.

Report writing skills involve: Proper format Including a summary Focusing on your initial goal Creating an outline Proofreading Directness

Critical thinking. Critical thinking skills can aid you greatly throughout the research process, and as an employee in general. Critical thinking refers to your data analysis skills. When you’re in the throes of research, you need to be able to analyze your results and make logical decisions about your findings.

Critical thinking skills involve: Observation Analysis Assessing issues Problem-solving Creativity Communication

Planning and scheduling. Research is a work project like any other, and that means it requires a little forethought before starting. Creating a detailed outline map for the points you want to touch on in your research produces more organized results.

It also makes it much easier to manage your time. Planning and scheduling skills are important to employers because they indicate a prepared employee.

Planning and scheduling skills include: Setting objectives Identifying tasks Prioritizing Delegating if needed Vision Communication Clarity Time-management

Note-taking. Research involves sifting through and taking in lots of information. Taking exhaustive notes ensures that you will not neglect any findings later and allows you to communicate these results to your co-workers. Being able to take good notes helps summarize research.

Examples of note-taking skills include: Focus Organization Using short-hand Keeping your objective in mind Neatness Highlighting important points Reviewing notes afterward

Communication skills. Effective research requires being able to understand and process the information you receive, either written or spoken. That means that you need strong reading comprehension and writing skills — two major aspects of communication — as well as excellent listening skills.

Most research also involves showcasing your findings. This can be via a presentation. , report, chart, or Q&A. Whatever the case, you need to be able to communicate your findings in a way that educates your audience.

Communication skills include: Reading comprehension Writing Listening skills Presenting to an audience Creating graphs or charts Explaining in layman’s terms

Time management. We’re, unfortunately, only given 24 measly hours in a day. The ability to effectively manage this time is extremely powerful in a professional context. Hiring managers seek candidates who can accomplish goals in a given timeframe.

Strong time management skills mean that you can organize a plan for how to break down larger tasks in a project and complete them by a deadline. Developing your time management skills can greatly improve the productivity of your research.

Time management skills include: Scheduling Creating task outlines Strategic thinking Stress-management Delegation Communication Utilizing resources Setting realistic expectations Meeting deadlines

Using your network. While this doesn’t seem immediately relevant to research skills, remember that there are a lot of experts out there. Knowing what people’s areas of expertise and asking for help can be tremendously beneficial — especially if it’s a subject you’re unfamiliar with.

Your coworkers are going to have different areas of expertise than you do, and your network of people will as well. You may even know someone who knows someone who’s knowledgeable in the area you’re researching. Most people are happy to share their expertise, as it’s usually also an area of interest to them.

Networking involves: Remembering people’s areas of expertise Being willing to ask for help Communication Returning favors Making use of advice Asking for specific assistance

Attention to detail. Research is inherently precise. That means that you need to be attentive to the details, both in terms of the information you’re gathering, but also in where you got it from. Making errors in statistics can have a major impact on the interpretation of the data, not to mention that it’ll reflect poorly on you.

There are proper procedures for citing sources that you should follow. That means that your sources will be properly credited, preventing accusations of plagiarism. In addition, it means that others can make use of your research by returning to the original sources.

Attention to detail includes: Double checking statistics Taking notes Keeping track of your sources Staying organized Making sure graphs are accurate and representative Properly citing sources

As with many professional skills, research skills serve us in our day to day life. Any time you search for information on the internet, you’re doing research. That means that you’re practicing it outside of work as well. If you want to continue improving your research skills, both for professional and personal use, here are some tips to try.

Differentiate between source quality. A researcher is only as good as their worst source. Start paying attention to the quality of the sources you use, and be suspicious of everything your read until you check out the attributions and works cited.

Be critical and ask yourself about the author’s bias, where the author’s research aligns with the larger body of verified research in the field, and what publication sponsored or published the research.

Use multiple resources. When you can verify information from a multitude of sources, it becomes more and more credible. To bolster your faith in one source, see if you can find another source that agrees with it.

Don’t fall victim to confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is when a researcher expects a certain outcome and then goes to find data that supports this hypothesis. It can even go so far as disregarding anything that challenges the researcher’s initial hunch. Be prepared for surprising answers and keep an open mind.

Be open to the idea that you might not find a definitive answer. It’s best to be honest and say that you found no definitive answer instead of just confirming what you think your boss or coworkers expect or want to hear. Experts and good researchers are willing to say that they don’t know.

Stay organized. Being able to cite sources accurately and present all your findings is just as important as conducting the research itself. Start practicing good organizational skills , both on your devices and for any physical products you’re using.

Get specific as you go. There’s nothing wrong with starting your research in a general way. After all, it’s important to become familiar with the terminology and basic gist of the researcher’s findings before you dig down into all the minutia.

A job interview is itself a test of your research skills. You can expect questions on what you know about the company, the role, and your field or industry more generally. In order to give expert answers on all these topics, research is crucial.

Start by researching the company . Look into how they communicate with the public through social media, what their mission statement is, and how they describe their culture.

Pay close attention to the tone of their website. Is it hyper professional or more casual and fun-loving? All of these elements will help decide how best to sell yourself at the interview.

Next, research the role. Go beyond the job description and reach out to current employees working at your desired company and in your potential department. If you can find out what specific problems your future team is or will be facing, you’re sure to impress hiring managers and recruiters with your ability to research all the facts.

Finally, take time to research the job responsibilities you’re not as comfortable with. If you’re applying for a job that represents increased difficulty or entirely new tasks, it helps to come into the interview with at least a basic knowledge of what you’ll need to learn.

Research projects require dedication. Being committed is a valuable skill for hiring managers. Whether you’ve had research experience throughout education or a former job, including it properly can boost the success of your resume .

Consider how extensive your research background is. If you’ve worked on multiple, in-depth research projects, it might be best to include it as its own section. If you have less research experience, include it in the skills section .

Focus on your specific role in the research, as opposed to just the research itself. Try to quantify accomplishments to the best of your abilities. If you were put in charge of competitor research, for example, list that as one of the tasks you had in your career.

If it was a particular project, such as tracking the sale of women’s clothing at a tee-shirt company, you can say that you “directed analysis into women’s clothing sales statistics for a market research project.”

Ascertain how directly research skills relate to the job you’re applying for. How strongly you highlight your research skills should depend on the nature of the job the resume is for. If research looks to be a strong component of it, then showcase all of your experience.

If research looks to be tangential, then be sure to mention it — it’s a valuable skill — but don’t put it front and center.

Example #1: Academic Research

Simon Marks 767 Brighton Blvd. | Brooklyn, NY, 27368 | (683)-262-8883 | [email protected] Diligent and hardworking recent graduate seeking a position to develop professional experience and utilize research skills. B.A. in Biological Sciences from New York University. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Lixus Publishing , Brooklyn, NY Office Assistant- September 2018-present Scheduling and updating meetings Managing emails and phone calls Reading entries Worked on a science fiction campaign by researching target demographic Organizing calendars Promoted to office assistant after one year internship Mitch’s Burgers and Fries , Brooklyn, NY Restaurant Manager , June 2014-June 2018 Managed a team of five employees Responsible for coordinating the weekly schedule Hired and trained two employees Kept track of inventory Dealt with vendors Provided customer service Promoted to restaurant manager after two years as a waiter Awarded a $2.00/hr wage increase SKILLS Writing Scientific Research Data analysis Critical thinking Planning Communication RESEARCH Worked on an ecosystem biology project with responsibilities for algae collection and research (2019) Lead a group of freshmen in a research project looking into cell biology (2018) EDUCATION New York University Bachelors in Biological Sciences, September 2016-May 2020

Example #2: Professional Research

Angela Nichols 1111 Keller Dr. | San Francisco, CA | (663)-124-8827 |[email protected] Experienced and enthusiastic marketer with 7 years of professional experience. Seeking a position to apply my marketing and research knowledge. Skills in working on a team and flexibility. EXPERIENCE Apples amp; Oranges Marketing, San Francisco, CA Associate Marketer – April 2017-May 2020 Discuss marketing goals with clients Provide customer service Lead campaigns associated with women’s health Coordinating with a marketing team Quickly solving issues in service and managing conflict Awarded with two raises totaling $10,000 over three years Prestigious Marketing Company, San Francisco, CA Marketer – May 2014-April 2017 Working directly with clients Conducting market research into television streaming preferences Developing marketing campaigns related to television streaming services Report writing Analyzing campaign success statistics Promoted to Marketer from Junior Marketer after the first year Timberlake Public Relations, San Francisco, CA Public Relations Intern – September 2013–May 2014 Working cohesively with a large group of co-workers and supervisors Note-taking during meetings Running errands Managing email accounts Assisting in brainstorming Meeting work deadlines EDUCATION Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA Bachelor of Arts in Marketing with a minor in Communications – September 2009 – May 2013 SKILLS Marketing Market research Record-keeping Teamwork Presentation. Flexibility

What research skills are important?

Goal-setting and data collection are important research skills. Additional important research skills include:

Using different sources to analyze information.

Finding information on the internet.

Interviewing sources.

Writing reports.

Critical thinking.

Planning and scheduling.

Note-taking.

Managing time.

How do you develop good research skills?

You develop good research skills by learning how to find information from multiple high-quality sources, by being wary of confirmation bias, and by starting broad and getting more specific as you go.

When you learn how to tell a reliable source from an unreliable one and get in the habit of finding multiple sources that back up a claim, you’ll have better quality research.

In addition, when you learn how to keep an open mind about what you’ll find, you’ll avoid falling into the trap of confirmation bias, and by staying organized and narrowing your focus as you go (rather than before you start), you’ll be able to gather quality information more efficiently.

What is the importance of research?

The importance of research is that it informs most decisions and strategies in a business. Whether it’s deciding which products to offer or creating a marketing strategy, research should be used in every part of a company.

Because of this, employers want employees who have strong research skills. They know that you’ll be able to put them to work bettering yourself and the organization as a whole.

Should you put research skills on your resume?

Yes, you should include research skills on your resume as they are an important professional skill. Where you include your research skills on your resume will depend on whether you have a lot of experience in research from a previous job or as part of getting your degree, or if you’ve just cultivated them on your own.

If your research skills are based on experience, you could put them down under the tasks you were expected to perform at the job in question. If not, then you should likely list it in your skills section.

University of the People – The Best Research Skills for Success

Association of Internet Research Specialists — What are Research Skills and Why Are They Important?

MasterClass — How to Improve Your Research Skills: 6 Research Tips

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

Recent Job Searches

• Registered Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Truck Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Call Center Representative Jobs Resume Location
• Customer Service Representative Jobs Resume
• Delivery Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Warehouse Worker Jobs Resume Location
• Account Executive Jobs Resume Location
• Sales Associate Jobs Resume Location
• Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Company Driver Jobs Resume

Related posts

Detail-Oriented Skills (Definition, Examples, And Resume Tips)

Administrative Job Duties (With Examples)

What Are Persuasion Skills? (With Examples)

The Most Important Personal Skills (With Examples)

• Career Advice >
• Hard Skills >
• Research Skills

What are research skills?

Last updated

26 April 2023

Reviewed by

Broadly, it includes a range of talents required to:

Find useful information

Perform critical analysis

Form hypotheses

Solve problems

It also includes processes such as time management, communication, and reporting skills to achieve those ends.

Research requires a blend of conceptual and detail-oriented modes of thinking. It tests one's ability to transition between subjective motivations and objective assessments to ensure only correct data fits into a meaningfully useful framework.

As countless fields increasingly rely on data management and analysis, polishing your research skills is an important, near-universal way to improve your potential of getting hired and advancing in your career.

Make research less tedious

Dovetail streamlines research to help you uncover and share actionable insights

What are basic research skills?

Almost any research involves some proportion of the following fundamental skills:

Organization

Decision-making

Investigation and analysis

Creative thinking

What are primary research skills?

The following are some of the most universally important research skills that will help you in a wide range of positions:

Time management — From planning and organization to task prioritization and deadline management, time-management skills are highly in-demand workplace skills.

Problem-solving — Identifying issues, their causes, and key solutions are another essential suite of research skills.

Critical thinking — The ability to make connections between data points with clear reasoning is essential to navigate data and extract what's useful towards the original objective.

Communication — In any collaborative environment, team-building and active listening will help researchers convey findings more effectively through data summarizations and report writing.

What are the most important skills in research?

Detail-oriented procedures are essential to research, which allow researchers and their audience to probe deeper into a subject and make connections they otherwise may have missed with generic overviews.

Maintaining priorities is also essential so that details fit within an overarching strategy. Lastly, decision-making is crucial because that's the only way research is translated into meaningful action.

• Why are research skills important?

Good research skills are crucial to learning more about a subject, then using that knowledge to improve an organization's capabilities. Synthesizing that research and conveying it clearly is also important, as employees seek to share useful insights and inspire effective actions.

Effective research skills are essential for those seeking to:

Analyze their target market

Investigate industry trends

Identify customer needs

Detect obstacles

Find solutions to those obstacles

Develop new products or services

Develop new, adaptive ways to meet demands

Discover more efficient ways of acquiring or using resources

Why do we need research skills?

Businesses and individuals alike need research skills to clarify their role in the marketplace, which of course, requires clarity on the market in which they function in. High-quality research helps people stay better prepared for challenges by identifying key factors involved in their day-to-day operations, along with those that might play a significant role in future goals.

• Benefits of having research skills

Research skills increase the effectiveness of any role that's dependent on information. Both individually and organization-wide, good research simplifies what can otherwise be unwieldy amounts of data. It can help maintain order by organizing information and improving efficiency, both of which set the stage for improved revenue growth.

Those with highly effective research skills can help reveal both:

Opportunities for improvement

Brand-new or previously unseen opportunities

Research skills can then help identify how to best take advantage of available opportunities. With today's increasingly data-driven economy, it will also increase your potential of getting hired and help position organizations as thought leaders in their marketplace.

• Research skills examples

Being necessarily broad, research skills encompass many sub-categories of skillsets required to extrapolate meaning and direction from dense informational resources. Identifying, interpreting, and applying research are several such subcategories—but to be specific, workplaces of almost any type have some need of:

Searching for information

Attention to detail

Taking notes

Problem-solving

Communicating results

Time management

• How to improve your research skills

Whether your research goals are to learn more about a subject or enhance workflows, you can improve research skills with this failsafe, four-step strategy:

Make an outline, and set your intention(s)

Know your sources

Learn to use advanced search techniques

Practice, practice, practice (and don't be afraid to adjust your approach)

These steps could manifest themselves in many ways, but what's most important is that it results in measurable progress toward the original goals that compelled you to research a subject.

• Using research skills at work

Different research skills will be emphasized over others, depending on the nature of your trade. To use research most effectively, concentrate on improving research skills most relevant to your position—or, if working solo, the skills most likely have the strongest impact on your goals.

You might divide the necessary research skills into categories for short, medium, and long-term goals or according to each activity your position requires. That way, when a challenge arises in your workflow, it's clearer which specific research skill requires dedicated attention.

How can I learn research skills?

Learning research skills can be done with a simple three-point framework:

Clarify the objective — Before delving into potentially overwhelming amounts of data, take a moment to define the purpose of your research. If at any point you lose sight of the original objective, take another moment to ask how you could adjust your approach to better fit the original objective.

Scrutinize sources — Cross-reference data with other sources, paying close attention to each author's credentials and motivations.

Organize research — Establish and continually refine a data-organization system that works for you. This could be an index of resources or compiling data under different categories designed for easy access.

Which careers require research skills?

Especially in today's world, most careers require some, if not extensive, research. Developers, marketers, and others dealing in primarily digital properties especially require extensive research skills—but it's just as important in building and manufacturing industries, where research is crucial to construct products correctly and safely.

Engineering, legal, medical, and literally any other specialized field will require excellent research skills. Truly, almost any career path will involve some level of research skills; and even those requiring only minimal research skills will at least require research to find and compare open positions in the first place.

Should you be using a customer insights hub?

Do you want to discover previous research faster?

Do you share your research findings with others?

Do you analyze research data?

Start for free today, add your research, and get to key insights faster

Editor’s picks

Last updated: 11 January 2024

Last updated: 15 January 2024

Last updated: 17 January 2024

Last updated: 12 May 2023

Last updated: 30 April 2024

Last updated: 18 May 2023

Last updated: 25 November 2023

Last updated: 13 May 2024

Latest articles

Related topics, .css-je19u9{-webkit-align-items:flex-end;-webkit-box-align:flex-end;-ms-flex-align:flex-end;align-items:flex-end;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:wrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;row-gap:0;text-align:center;max-width:671px;}@media (max-width: 1079px){.css-je19u9{max-width:400px;}.css-je19u9>span{white-space:pre;}}@media (max-width: 799px){.css-je19u9{max-width:400px;}.css-je19u9>span{white-space:pre;}} decide what to .css-1kiodld{max-height:56px;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;}@media (max-width: 1079px){.css-1kiodld{display:none;}} build next, decide what to build next.

Users report unexpectedly high data usage, especially during streaming sessions.

Users find it hard to navigate from the home page to relevant playlists in the app.

It would be great to have a sleep timer feature, especially for bedtime listening.

I need better filters to find the songs or artists I’m looking for.

Log in or sign up

Get started for free

Resume builder

The Best Research Skills for a Resume

If you want to apply for a research position, you need to provide evidence of research skills on your resume. In this article, we explore what the best research skills for a resume are, why they are important and how to list them properly. We also provide a researcher resume sample to get you started – you can use it as inspiration or a template.

Table of Contents

What Are Research Skills?

A career like research is an excellent option for anyone who can collect, analyze and interpret data, solve complex problems, dive deep into discovery, and offer innovative solutions. The best thing about being a researcher is that you can not only succeed in science and academia but also climb up the career ladder in the corporate world. Indeed, having solid research skills opens the door to many roles and industries, including academic environments, government settings, transnational corporations, startups, tech giants, and non-profit organizations, to name but a few.

From human behavior to regional studies to biotech, there are myriads of research spheres where a qualified individual can make a difference. Researchers utilize their skills to explore a variety of topics, and if you have your mind set on pursuing a career as a researcher, you need to understand what skill set is pivotal for success in this field.

In a nutshell, research skills are all about searching ways to resolve problems. They are knowledge, abilities and competencies that ensure you can investigate particular topics, perform critical analysis, extract and organize data, interpret results, form hypotheses, and derive data-driven conclusions.

As a researcher, you are expected to be capable of relaying your findings to other people in a compelling and digestible form and even inspire action, both in yourself and in others.

Whether you are a seasoned researcher or a novice in this field, you need to put the right skills on your resume . Below you will find a list of the most in-demand research skills in today’s job market.

The Top 10 Research Skills for a Resume

Communication.

Communication is a crucial aspect of a research career since you are required to share information, relay findings and spread knowledge efficiently and effectively, both orally and in writing . While communication skills certainly have a place on your resume , that doesn’t mean adding “Communication” to your list of skills is enough to move on. You need to provide relevant examples verifying that you can research things as part of a team and work towards a common goal. You could add something like this to add credibility to your claim:

Recruited 7 research assistants for clinical studies by visiting clinics and sending out email invites, increasing participation by 20%.

Explained 100+ research procedures to a group of study participants in 10 days, resulting in a 0% incident rate.

Problem Solving

Being an advanced problem solver means you can consistently identify issues and find effective and efficient solutions to them . It is an extremely valuable skill when it comes to research-based activities, and 86% of employers look for workers who are capable of solving problems in the workplace according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Job Outlook 2022 survey. If you want to add problem-solving skills to your resume, you need to underpin them with relevant accomplishments. For instance, you could add examples like these:

Resolved course accessibility issues by creating interactive presentations for remote learners, increasing student satisfaction by 89%.

Developed and introduced a new computing environment for analysis, identifying 100% of failure patterns and improving issue detection by 75%.

Analytical Skills

Having analytical skills means you can parse data into digestible pieces, interpret them correctly and make data-based connections and conclusions . Data analysis incorporates a vast set of competencies, including technical skills like proficiency in programming languages, such as Python and R, familiarity with data visualization tools, like Tableau and Power BI, and a strong grasp of statistical analysis methods, such as hypothesis testing, regression analysis, and sample size determination. Armed with these skills, a researcher can take data to the next level and drive both innovation and profitability.

Being able to make sense of facts and figures both manually and using automated solutions will help you thrive in most roles, so recruiters would love to know that you are an analytical thinker when considering your candidacy. Your best bet here is to make sure they can find this out by examining your resume. You can add examples like the ones below to prove you can tackle complicated issues using your analytical skill set:

Collected, cleaned and analyzed first-party data from 10+ departments to identify the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the company.

Performed regression analysis to determine the effects of a company-wide minimum wage increase, concluding that the hiring process was accelerated by 25% due to the wage change in question.

Qualitative Analysis

Qualitative analysis allows you to analyze a research subject using non-numerical and non-quantifiable parameters, characteristics and indicators and is based on abstract concepts . For instance, you can use qualitative attributes like human behavior or brand reputation to make business decisions or recognize investment opportunities. This skill is in demand today as it helps researchers use their observations to make conclusions, identify patterns and tackle challenges. Since you cannot quantify this area of your expertise, you need to provide relevant context to convince the reader that you are capable of analyzing non-tangible aspects of a subject. You can do that by using appropriate examples, like the following ones:

Evaluated the quality and accuracy of 200+ data sources in a month.

Performed quality control of high-volume content in a rapidly changing environment, maintaining a quality score of 99.9%.

Quantitative Analysis

Quantitative analysis is an approach that allows you to collect, study, measure, and analyze data . From statistical research to financial modeling, quantitative analysis includes a powerful toolkit that helps a researcher refine and simplify vast amounts of raw data to make better decisions and forecast trends.

Quantitative analysis has countless applications: with it, you can track metrics, measure variables and evaluate parameters in multiple fields, from finance and accounting to molecular biology and astrophysics. Therefore, it is no wonder that it is one of the most important research skills for a resume and highlighting it the right way is likely to help you move forward in the job searching process. You can prove that you know how to work with tangible data by providing relevant examples, like the following ones:

Designed a new data analysis technique, saving 30 monthly hours in parameter comparisons.

Used SQL to analyze customer data and identify areas for improvement related to customer conversions, resulting in a conversion boost by 75%.

Academic Writing

Academic writing is the ability to create complex documents containing scientific data, such as formulas, graphs, and charts . Academic writing skills help researchers prepare reports, presentations and articles for scientific journals and magazines, and if you have them, it means you know how to present technical information clearly and concisely. Recruiters from scientific fields are especially interested in candidates capable of writing academically, so submitting a resume with examples of written work is likely to help you secure a position as a researcher. Listing your publications to prove your expertise is the best option here, but since you might not have enough space to add all your papers, books and articles, you could highlight your academic writing proficiency with something like this:

Created 350+ articles on the principles of academic research for the university’s database, increasing student satisfaction by 60%.

Published 30+ papers focused on structural changes in protein conformations.

Literature Review

Literature review is a methodology that implies conducting rigorous research on a particular topic . Having literature review skills means you can explore your subject area in greater depth using sources like books, journal articles, industry magazines, etc. Such competencies allow you to build upon existing knowledge and generate new ideas, accelerating your research and pushing it to its full potential. Naturally, your literature review skills are a valuable asset to your resume. We recommend you to illuminate them with appropriate examples, focusing on tangible outcomes:

Gathered and reviewed 10+ articles on Stata to extract variables from a dataset.

Performed 100+ literature reviews to implement changes in clinical practice, boosting quality of care by 70%.

Time Management

Time management is a powerful soft skill that is especially valuable in research environments. It allows you to manage your time effectively, break large tasks into manageable chunks and prioritize them properly, set up measurable, attainable, and time-bound goals, and even juggle your responsibilities . Proper time management helps you stay focused on your work, boosts your productivity and thereby leads to consistently high results and impressive outcomes. From carrying out experiments to writing reports to teaching, as a researcher, you need to apply time management strategies on a daily basis to successfully accomplish your tasks. You can show you are good at time management on your resume by showcasing your successes, like in the examples below:

Developed a database for organizing behavioral data for 100+ study participants, decreasing data processing time by 30%.

Implemented data analysis techniques in Python, increasing the amount of data analyzed per hour by 17% and accelerating project completion by 40%.

Attention to Detail

Paying attention to detail is a vital aspect of being a researcher. Having this skill helps you gather credible information, perceive meaningful connections, notice discrepancies, and deliver high-quality work based on correct evidence. Since each and every aspect of a career in research requires efficiency and trustworthiness, attention to detail is something you cannot go without – otherwise, your progress will come to a screeching halt. Naturally, you need to illuminate this skill on your resume as recruiters seek candidates who can look at details with a critical eye and minimize distractions. And the best way to do that is by providing a relevant example of success. You can use the ones below for reference:

Checked 10 + data sheets for completion and quality per day, resulting in a <1% error rate.

Supervised the maintenance and updates of the lab’s database with a 99% accuracy rate.

Editing & Proofreading

Editing and proofreading skills are essential to perform successful research since they ensure it is both accurate and easy to read . While editing is more about making your text more digestible and improving the overall quality of your writing, proofreading corrects surface issues like errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Both require you to have a solid command of the language you use and a certain degree of focus. The devil is indeed in the details, so you need to always polish your texts before submitting them. Only this way will they be perceived by your peers and superiors as constructive and professional. And to prove you are good at editing and proofreading, you need to add appropriate examples to your resume. Here is how you can demonstrate your ability to provide high-quality texts:

Edited 11 federal grant proposals designed by my team, which generated $200+ in lab funding.

Edited a research paper co-authored with 2 postdoctoral employees regarding protein generation, which received the Best Paper Award in 2020.

How to List Research Skills on a Resume

Your resume is the best place to highlight your research experience and the value you could bring to your next role. The key here is to put your research skills in the right section so that they get noticed by the reader. You have no fewer than 7 options here:

• A dedicated research section
• Your work experience section
• The education section
• The list of your research publications
• The projects section
• The skills section
• Your resume summary

If you have a solid research background, you may want to create a separate section on your resume and call it Research or Research Experience . This place will help you expand on your projects and their details, specify the nature of your research, and describe the specifics of your previous roles, providing relevant examples and demonstrating the most prominent accomplishments.

If your career is all things research, the work/professional experience section can incorporate your research skills and accomplishments. List your employers and your duties, along with the dates of your employment, like you would do when describing your non-research work experience.

Your education section is an appropriate place to highlight your research skills if you are a student or a recent graduate. You can put it at the top of your resume if you want to draw more attention to your research background when applying for your first job in science or academia.

If you have a whole host of published works, it could be a great idea to create a separate section for listing your publications . This will help you add credibility to your research skills and accomplishments. Research-related accomplishments can also be highlighted as projects on your resume. This might be appropriate if your research background is not so extensive or not quite relevant to your current career aspirations.

You can list your research skills in your skills section as long as they are tangible and relevant for the job you want to land. We recommend you to avoid general skills here and focus on industry-specific expertise, illuminating it with the keywords you can find in the corresponding job listing and relevant skill levels .

Highlighting your research skills in the summary section is appropriate if you are applying for a role where a robust research background is essential. Your resume summary is just a few lines appearing at the top of the document, so make sure to add only the most important research skills there – those that you want the reader to see first and foremost.

Why Are Research Skills Important?

Research-oriented positions and most jobs in academia require you to have a solid set of research skills. Employees outside these roles can also benefit from research experience – research skills are transferable , meaning you can bring them to the table no matter your position, career field or job level. Therefore, they are a valuable addition to a resume in many cases.

Businesses and organizations are eager to employ candidates with proven research skills because they can

• come up with original plans and ideas,
• design innovative products and services,
• improve processes,
• keep up with technology,
• identify customers’ needs and requirements and find ways to meet them,
• resolve complicated issues,
• analyze competitors’ strengths and weaknesses,

By adding research skills to your resume, you show recruiters that you can think outside the box, know how to work with data and technology, are capable of making well-informed decisions, and are good at solving problems. This makes you a valuable hire in today’s skill-based job market

A Resume Sample to Apply for a Research Position

JOHN/JANE DOE Research Assistant Location ⋅ Email ⋅ Phone number Diligent and hardworking clinical researcher seeking a position at [Name of Company] to apply academic expertise and facilitate biological research. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Company/Organization, Location Dates of Employment Research Assistant Assisted scientists in 30+ research projects related to therapeutics for COVID-19 Conducted data-driven testing with an accuracy rate of 98% Supervised a team of 3 junior research assistants with daily laboratory duties Company/Organization, Location Dates of Employment Graduate Research Assistant Participated in cell research projects as part of a cross-departmental team of 30 researchers. Performed cell counts with 99% accuracy Was engaged in developing a platform to investigate immune responses to virus-infected hepatocytes. … Company/Organization, Location Dates of Employment Research Student Assistant Gathered and analyzed data and evidence for 10+ clinical research cases monthly. Awarded “Research Impact Award” in recognition of consistent research excellence (only 1 student is awarded in a class of 100). … EDUCATION NAME OF UNIVERSITY Location Degree, Major Dates of Education SKILLS Molecular cloning RNA isolation Cell counting Knowledge of SQL code and queries Data analysis Literature review

A career in research is an extremely exciting yet quite a demanding path. Since the competition for positions in the field is very fierce, as a researcher, you need to have high levels of determination and persistence and a powerful combination of skills. The research skills we have outlined in this article are what recruiters expect to see on your resume, so make sure to expand on them to get the job of your dream, rise to the top of your game and deliver ground-breaking research.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer
• QuestionPro

• Solutions Industries Gaming Automotive Sports and events Education Government Travel & Hospitality Financial Services Healthcare Cannabis Technology Use Case NPS+ Communities Audience Contactless surveys Mobile LivePolls Member Experience GDPR Positive People Science 360 Feedback Surveys
• Resources Blog eBooks Survey Templates Case Studies Training Help center

Home Market Research Research Tools and Apps

Research Skills: What they are and Benefits

Research skills play a vital role in the success of any research project, enabling individuals to navigate the vast sea of information, analyze data critically, and draw meaningful conclusions. Whether conducting academic research, professional investigations, or personal inquiries, strong research skills are essential for obtaining accurate and reliable results.

LEARN ABOUT:   Research Process Steps

By understanding and developing these skills, individuals can embark on their research endeavors with confidence, integrity, and the capability to make meaningful contributions in their chosen fields. This article will explore the importance of research skills and discuss critical competencies necessary for conducting a research project effectively.

Content Index

What are Research Skills?

Important research skills for research project, benefits of research skills.

• Improving your Research Skills

Talk to Experts to Improve Skills

Research skills are the capability a person carries to create new concepts and understand the use of data collection. These skills include techniques, documentation, and interpretation of the collected data. Research is conducted to evaluate hypotheses and share the findings most appropriately. Research skills improve as we gain experience.

To conduct efficient research, specific research skills are essential. These skills are necessary for companies to develop new products and services or enhance existing products. To develop good research skills is important for both the individual as well as the company.

When undertaking a research project, one must possess specific important skills to ensure the project’s success and accuracy. Here are some essential research skills that are crucial for conducting a project effectively:

Time Management Skills:

Time management is an essential research skill; it helps you break down your project into parts and enables you to manage it easier. One can create a dead-line oriented plan for the research project and assign time for each task. Time management skills include setting goals for the project, planning and organizing functions as per their priority, and efficiently delegating these tasks.

Communication Skills:

These skills help you understand and receive important information and also allow you to share your findings with others in an effective manner. Active listening and speaking are critical skills for solid communication. A researcher must have good communication skills.

Problem-Solving:  

The ability to handle complex situations and business challenges and come up with solutions for them is termed problem-solving. To problem-solve, you should be able to fully understand the extent of the problem and then break it down into smaller parts. Once segregated into smaller chunks, you can start thinking about each element and analyze it to find a solution.

Information gathering and attention to detail:

Relevant information is the key to good research design . Searching for credible resources and collecting information from there will help you strengthen your research proposal and drive you to solutions faster. Once you have access to information, paying close attention to all the details and drawing conclusions based on the findings is essential.

Research Design and Methodology :

Understanding research design and methodology is essential for planning and conducting a project. Depending on the research question and objectives, researchers must select appropriate research methods, such as surveys, experiments, interviews, or case studies. Proficiency in designing research protocols, data collection instruments, and sampling strategies is crucial for obtaining reliable and valid results.

Data Collection and Analysis :

Researchers should be skilled in collecting and analyzing data accurately. It involves designing data collection instruments, collecting data through various methods, such as surveys or observations, and organizing and analyzing the collected data using appropriate statistical or qualitative analysis techniques. Proficiency in using software tools like SPSS, Excel, or qualitative analysis software can be beneficial.

By developing and strengthening these research skills, researchers can enhance the quality and impact of their research process, contributing to good research skills in their respective fields.

Research skills are invaluable assets that can benefit individuals in various aspects of their lives. Here are some key benefits of developing and honing research skills:

Boosts Curiosity :

Curiosity is a strong desire to know things and a powerful learning driver. Curious researchers will naturally ask questions that demand answers and will stop in the search for answers. Interested people are better listeners and are open to listening to other people’s ideas and perspectives, not just their own.

Cultivates Self-awareness :

As well as being aware of other people’s subjective opinions, one must develop the importance of research skills and be mindful of the benefits of awareness research; we are exposed to many things while researching. Once we start doing research, the benefit from it reflects on the beliefs and attitudes and encourages them to open their minds to other perspectives and ways of looking at things.

Effective Communication:

Research skills contribute to practical communication skills by enhancing one’s ability to articulate ideas, opinions, and findings clearly and coherently. Through research, individuals learn to organize their thoughts, present evidence-based arguments, and effectively convey complex information to different audiences. These skills are crucial in academic research settings, professional environments, and personal interactions.

Personal and Professional Growth :

Developing research skills fosters personal and professional growth by instilling a sense of curiosity, intellectual independence, and a lifelong learning mindset. Research encourages individuals to seek knowledge, challenge assumptions, and embrace intellectual growth. These skills also enhance adaptability as individuals become adept at navigating and assimilating new information, staying updated with the latest developments, and adjusting their perspectives and strategies accordingly.

Academic Success:

Research skills are essential for academic research success. They enable students to conduct thorough literature reviews, gather evidence to support their arguments, and critically evaluate existing research. By honing their research skills, students can produce well-structured, evidence-based essays, projects, and dissertations demonstrating high academic research rigor and analytical thinking.

Professional Advancement:

Research skills are highly valued in the professional world. They are crucial for conducting market research, analyzing trends, identifying opportunities, and making data-driven decisions. Employers appreciate individuals who can effectively gather and analyze information, solve complex problems, and provide evidence-based recommendations. Research skills also enable professionals to stay updated with advancements in their field, positioning themselves as knowledgeable and competent experts.

Developing and nurturing research skills can significantly benefit individuals in numerous aspects of their lives, enabling them to thrive in an increasingly information-driven world.

Improving Your Research Skills

There are many things you can do to improve your research skills and utilize them in your research or day job. Here are some examples:

• Develop Information Literacy: Strengthening your information literacy skills is crucial for conducting thorough research. It involves identifying reliable sources, evaluating the credibility of information, and navigating different research databases.
• Enhance Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is an essential skill for effective research. It involves analyzing information, questioning assumptions, and evaluating arguments. Practice critical analysis by analyzing thoughtfully, identifying biases, and considering alternative perspectives.
• Master Research Methodologies: Familiarize yourself with different research methodologies relevant to your field. Whether it’s qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research, realizing the strengths and limitations of each approach is crucial.
• Practice Effective Time Management: Research requires dedicated time and effort. Develop good time management skills to ensure that you allocate sufficient time for each stage of the research process, including planning, data collection, analysis, and writing.
• Embrace Collaboration: Collaborating with peers and colleagues can provide a fresh perspective and enrich your research experience. Engage in discussions, share ideas, and seek feedback from others. Collaborative projects allow for exchanging knowledge and skills.
• Continuously Update Your Knowledge: Stay informed about your field’s latest developments and advancements. Regularly read scholarly articles, attend conferences, and follow reputable sources of information to stay up to date with current research trends.

There is plenty of information available on the internet about every topic; hence, learning skills to know which information is relevant and credible is very important. Today most search engines have the feature of advanced search, and you can customize the search as per your preference. Once you learn this skill, it will help you find information. 

Experts possess a wealth of knowledge, experience, and insights that can significantly enhance your understanding and abilities in conducting research. Experts have often encountered numerous challenges and hurdles throughout their research journey and have developed effective problem-solving techniques. Engaging with experts is a highly effective approach to improving research skills.

Moreover, experts can provide valuable feedback and constructive criticism on your research work. They can offer fresh perspectives, identify areas for improvement, and help you refine your research questions, methodology, and analysis.

At QuestionPro, we can help you with the necessary tools to carry out your projects, and we have created the following free resources to help you in your professional growth:

• Survey Templates

Research skills are invaluable assets that empower individuals to navigate the ever-expanding realm of information, make informed decisions, and contribute to advancing knowledge. With advanced research tools and technologies like QuestionPro Survey Software, researchers have potent resources to conduct comprehensive surveys, gather data, and analyze results efficiently.

Where data-driven decision-making is crucial, research skills supported by advanced tools like QuestionPro are essential for researchers to stay ahead and make impactful contributions to their fields. By embracing these research skills and leveraging the capabilities of powerful survey software, researchers can unlock new possibilities, gain deeper insights, and pave the way for meaningful discoveries.

Authors : Gargi Ghamandi & Sandeep Kokane

FREE TRIAL         LEARN MORE

MORE LIKE THIS

The Best Email Survey Tool to Boost Your Feedback Game

May 7, 2024

Top 10 Employee Engagement Survey Tools

Top 20 Employee Engagement Software Solutions

May 3, 2024

15 Best Customer Experience Software of 2024

May 2, 2024

Other categories

• Academic Research
• Artificial Intelligence
• Assessments
• Brand Awareness
• Case Studies
• Communities
• Consumer Insights
• Customer effort score
• Customer Engagement
• Customer Experience
• Customer Loyalty
• Customer Research
• Customer Satisfaction
• Employee Benefits
• Employee Engagement
• Employee Retention
• Friday Five
• General Data Protection Regulation
• Insights Hub
• Life@QuestionPro
• Market Research
• Mobile diaries
• Mobile Surveys
• New Features
• Online Communities
• Question Types
• Questionnaire
• QuestionPro Products
• Release Notes
• Research Tools and Apps
• Revenue at Risk
• Training Tips
• Uncategorized
• Video Learning Series
• What’s Coming Up
• Workforce Intelligence

Introduction to research skills: Home

• Learning from lectures
• Managing your time
• Effective reading
• Evaluating Information
• Critical thinking
• Presentation skills
• Studying online
• Writing home
• Maths and Statistics Support
• Problem solving
• Maths skills by discipline
• Introduction to research skills
• Primary research
• Research methods
• Managing data
• Research ethics
• Citing and referencing
• Searching the literature
• What is academic integrity?
• Referencing software
• Integrity Officer/Panel
• Intellectual property and copyright
• Digital skills home

Research skills allow you to find information and use it effectively. It includes creating a strategy to gather facts and reach conclusions so that you can answer a question.

Starting your research

think about your topic – don’t be too vague or too specific (try mind mapping or keyword searching).

read broadly around your subject (don’t just use Google and Wikipedia). Think about a research question that is clearly structured and builds on literature already produced.

find information using the subject databases. View the Database Orientation Program to learn about databases and using search strategies to refine your search and limit results. View our library tutorial on planning your literature search and look at our library subject guides for resources on your specific topic.

Another good starting point for finding information is our library catalogue Library Search  which allows you to search across the library's electronic resources as well as major subject databases and indexes.

carry out a literature review . You may want to include journals, books, websites, grey literature or data and statistics for example. See the list of sources below for more information. Keep a record and organise your references and sources. If you are intending to carry out a systematic review then take a look at the systematic review page on our Research Support library guide.

evaluate your resources – use the CRAAP test (Currency, Relevancy, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose - watch the video, top right). 

reach considered conclusions and make recommendations where necessary.

Your research journey.

Why do I need research skills?

they enable you to locate appropriate information and evaluate it for quality and relevance

they allow you to make good use of information to resolve a problem

they give you the ability to synthesize and communicate your ideas in written and spoken formats

they foster critical thinking

they are highly transferable and can be adapted to many settings including the workplace

You can access more in depth information on areas such as primary research, literature reviews, research methods, and managing data, from the drop down headings under Research Skills on the Academic Skills home page. The related resources in the right-hand column of this page also contain useful supporting information.

• Conference proceedings
• Data & statistics
• Grey literature
• Official publications

Books are good for exploring new subject areas. They help define a topic and provide an in-depth account of a subject.

Scholarly books contain authoritative information including comprehensive accounts of research or scholarship and experts' views on themes and topics. Their bibliographies can lead readers to related books, articles and other sources. 

Details on the electronic books held by the University of Southampton can be found using the library catalogue .

Journals are quicker to publish than books and are often a good source of current information. They are useful when you require information to support an argument or original research written by subject experts.  The bibliographies at the end of journal articles should point you to other relevant research.

Academic journals go through a "peer-review" process. A peer-reviewed journal is one whose articles are checked by experts, so you can be more confident that the information they contain is reliable.

The Library's discovery service Library Search  is a good place to start when searching for journal articles and enables access to anything that is available electronically.

Newspapers enable you to follow current and historical events from multiple perspectives. They are an excellent record of political, social, cultural, and economic events and history.

Newspapers are popular rather than scholarly publications and their content needs to be treated with caution. For example, an account of a particular topic can be biased in favour of that newspaper’s political affiliation or point of view. Always double-check the data/statistics or any other piece of information that a newspaper has used to support an argument before you quote it in your own work.

The library subscribes to various resources which provide full-text access to both current and historical newspapers. Find out more about these on the Library's Newspaper Resources page.

Websites provide information about every topic imaginable, and many will be relevant to your studies.

Use websites with caution as anyone can publish on the Internet and therefore the quality of the information provided is variable. When you’re researching and come across a website you think might be useful, consider whether or not it provides information that is reliable and authoritative enough to use in your work.

Proceedings are collections of papers presented by researchers at academic conferences or symposia. They may be printed volumes or in electronic format.

You can use the information in conference proceedings with a high degree of confidence as the quality is ensured by having external experts read & review the papers before they are accepted in the proceedings.

Find the data and statistics you need, from economics to health, environment to oceanography - and everywhere between - http://library.soton.ac.uk/data .

Grey literature is the term given to non-traditional publications (material not published by mainstream publishers). For example - leaflets, reports, conference proceedings, government documents, preprints, theses, clinical trials, blogs, tweets, etc.. 

The majority of Grey literature is generally not peer-reviewed so it is very important to critically appraise any grey literature before using it.

Most aspects of life are touched by national governments, or by inter-governmental bodies such as the European Union or the United Nations.  Official publications are the documentary evidence of that interest. 

Our main printed collections and online services are for British and EU official publications, but we can give advice on accessing official publications from other places and organisations. Find out more from our web pages  http://library.soton.ac.uk/officialpublications .

Patents protect inventions - the owner can stop other people making, using or selling the item without their permission. This applies for a limited period and a separate application is needed for each country.

Patents can be useful since they contain full technical details on how an invention works. If you use an active patent outside of research - permission or a license is probably needed.

Related resources:

Checking for CRAAP - UMW New Media Archive

How to Develop a STRONG Research Question - Scribbr

Guide to dissertation and project writing - by University of Southampton (Enabling Services)

Guide to writing your dissertation - by the Royal Literary Fund  

Guidance on the Conduct of Narrative Synthesis in Systematic Reviews  - by ESRC Methods Programme

Guidelines for preparing a Research Proposal - by University of Southampton

Choosing good keywords - by the Open University

Developing a Research or Guided Question  - a self-guided tutorial produced by Arizona State University

Evaluating information - a 7 minute tutorial from the University of Southampton which covers thinking critically, and understanding how to find quality and reliable information.

Hints on conducting a literature review  - by the University of Toronto

Planning your literature search  - a short tutorial by the University of Southampton

Using Overleaf for scientific writing and publishing  -  a popular  LaTeX/Rich Text based online collaborative tool for students and researchers alike. It is designed to make the process of writing, editing, and producing scientific papers quicker and easier for authors. 

Systematic reviews  - by the University of Southampton. 

Create your own research proposal - by the University of Southampton

• Last Updated: Mar 13, 2024 3:14 PM
• URL: https://library.soton.ac.uk/sash/introduction-to-research-skills

Research Scientist Skills

Learn about the skills that will be most essential for Research Scientists in 2024.

Getting Started as a Research Scientist

• What is a Research Scientist
• How To Become
• Certifications
• Tools & Software
• LinkedIn Guide
• Interview Questions
• Work-Life Balance
• Professional Goals
• Resume Examples
• Cover Letter Examples

What Skills Does a Research Scientist Need?

Find the important skills for any job.

Types of Skills for Research Scientists

Critical thinking and problem-solving, technical proficiency and specialization, data analysis and computational skills, communication and dissemination, project management and organization, top hard skills for research scientists.

Empowering discovery through robust data analysis, cutting-edge experimentation, and interdisciplinary expertise in today's dynamic scientific landscape.

• Statistical Analysis and Modeling
• Experimental Design and Execution
• Data Mining and Machine Learning
• Scientific Writing and Publishing
• Advanced Mathematics
• Laboratory Techniques and Instrumentation
• Computer Programming and Simulation
• Big Data Analytics
• Research Project Management
• Domain-Specific Knowledge (e.g., Genomics, Neuroscience, Materials Science)

Top Soft Skills for Research Scientists

Fostering innovation through critical thinking, collaboration, and resilience, while leading with emotional intelligence and meticulous organization.

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Creativity and Innovation
• Time Management and Organization
• Attention to Detail
• Resilience and Perseverance
• Emotional Intelligence
• Leadership and Mentoring

Most Important Research Scientist Skills in 2024

Interdisciplinary collaboration, advanced data analysis and interpretation, scientific communication and public engagement, grant writing and fundraising acumen, problem-solving and critical thinking, technical proficiency in emerging technologies, project management and organizational skills, adaptability to scientific paradigm shifts.

Show the Right Skills in Every Application

Research scientist skills by experience level, important skills for entry-level research scientists, important skills for mid-level research scientists, important skills for senior research scientists, most underrated skills for research scientists, 1. interdisciplinary knowledge, 2. intellectual curiosity, 3. resilience, how to demonstrate your skills as a research scientist in 2024, how you can upskill as a research scientist.

• Deepen Your Expertise with Specialized Courses: Enroll in advanced courses that focus on cutting-edge topics within your field to deepen your expertise and stay abreast of the latest scientific breakthroughs.
• Master Data Analysis and Statistical Software: Become proficient in the latest data analysis tools and software, such as R, Python, or specialized bioinformatics software, to enhance your research capabilities.
• Collaborate on Interdisciplinary Research Projects: Seek out opportunities to work with professionals from different scientific disciplines to broaden your perspective and foster innovation through cross-pollination of ideas.
• Participate in Scientific Conferences and Seminars: Attend and, if possible, present your research at national and international conferences to stay informed about recent developments and network with leading scientists.
• Contribute to Peer-Reviewed Journals: Writing and reviewing articles for reputable scientific journals will not only contribute to your field but also refine your critical thinking and writing skills.
• Engage with Research Funding and Grant Writing: Develop your skills in writing grant proposals to secure funding for your research, which is a critical component of a successful scientific career.
• Adopt Open Science Practices: Embrace open science by sharing your data and findings openly when possible, and using open-source resources to promote transparency and reproducibility in research.
• Develop Teaching and Mentoring Skills: Take on roles that involve teaching or mentoring to improve your communication skills and give back to the scientific community by helping to train the next generation of researchers.
• Stay Informed on Ethical Research Practices: Ensure that you are up-to-date with the ethical considerations and regulations in your field to conduct responsible and credible research.
• Invest in Soft Skills Development: Enhance your soft skills, such as teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving, which are invaluable in collaborative research environments and when leading projects or labs.

Skill FAQs for Research Scientists

What are the emerging skills for research scientists today, how can research scientists effectivley develop their soft skills, how important is technical expertise for research scientists.

Research Scientist Education

More Skills for Related Roles

Unearthing insights from data, driving strategic decisions with predictive analytics

Unlocking business insights through data, driving strategic decisions with numbers

Unearthing insights and data to drive decision-making, shaping the future of research

Driving innovation through data, transforming industries with machine learning insights

Transforming raw data into valuable insights, fueling business decisions and strategy

Transforming data into actionable insights, driving business decisions and growth

Start Your Research Scientist Career with Teal

• Graduate Jobs
• Careers Advice
• Research skills

Updated on 04 June 2020

Research skills are in demand. This guide explains what research skills are and how you can prove you've got them!

What are research skills?

In a nutshell, research skills help us find answers to questions.

Research skills are the ability to search for, find, collect, analyse, interpret and evaluate information that is relevant to the subject being studied.

Research shapes the future, it teaches us new things and helps us adapt and evolve. Without research, we wouldn't have cars, smartphones or the internet (or this website for that matter!)

Everyone is a researcher

We all research, even if we don't know it.

The internet is a huge part of our lives. Using search engines (like Google) is a way of researching. Whether you're finding cheap flights or a top restaurant, it's all research!

Why are research skills important?

Employers love research skills. Research is an important part of business because it helps companies:

• Report writing
• Keep an eye on their competitors
• Develop new products
• Identify what customers want
• Get better at what they do
• Keep up with changing technologies

Research skills show companies you're able to suggest new ideas and help the business adapt to the ever changing world we live in.

Research saves money

Launching a new product is expensive. Research helps companies find out if anyone will buy it.

Launching a product without research is risky. There might not be a demand for it. The money spent on launch, marketing and production could've been saved if the company did some research.

How can you gain research skills?

You can research using tools and methods like:

• The internet
• Experiments

How can you demonstrate your research skills?

As a graduate, It's likely you've done a lot of researching! For example during:

• Your dissertation
• Assignments
• Group projects

In interviews

Talk about what you researched, how you did it and what you found. Explaining research you've done as part of a group will also demonstrate your teamwork skills #2birds1stone.

Using the S.M.A.R.T framework is helpful way to structure your answer. You can read more about S.M.A.R.T in our planning and organising guide.

Show what you know

Demonstrate your research skills by sharing what you know about the industry or company you want to work for. The more you know, the more likely you are to impress.

Add your research skills to your CV

Especially if you're applying for a job that requires research skills.

In many cases, your CV is your chance to make a first impression. Your CV will help employers check you've got the right skills. If they can see you've got them, it's likely you'll get to the next stage.

Examples of research skills

Here's a list of some research skills for your CV:

• Data collection
• Analysis of information from different sources
• Finding information off the internet
• Critical thinking
• Planning and scheduling
• Interviewing
• Critical analysis

Which careers require research skills?

Research plays a key role in several industries. For example:

• Consumer goods

We love cookies! We use them to improve your experience and help you find jobs. By clicking "Got it" you agree to our Privacy Policy. View terms .

June 10, 2015

Build Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Research Skills

By Patrick McMahon

Discipline-specific research skills can be cultivated both through routine components of the advanced degree, such as required coursework, and other avenues, such as graduate internships. As you work to define and develop a research project, consider seeking relevant opportunities to build a diverse portfolio of research skills and methods.. As you progress toward completion of the degree, consider how you might translate research and data analysis skills into diverse career paths. For more guidance on translating your skills into diverse career paths, visit the Career Exploration and Preparation competency in this guide.

Steps You Can Take

Take on-campus courses.

Many departments offer formal training in the research methods associated with their discipline, allowing students to experiment with different approaches to answering research questions. Because these courses are often offered at an introductory level, it may be useful to revisit or sit in on a course you have already taken again in a later semester after having formulated an independent research project.

Particularly for students who work across disciplines, it may be relevant and useful to enroll in or audit methods courses offered in other fields. This is also a good way to broaden your skill-set in preparation for a variety of academic and non-academic careers. For instance, students in fields that rely primarily on quantitative data may benefit from taking a writing course in preparation for careers that require translating specialized findings for popular audiences or that broadly value strong communication skills. Similarly, many students in humanist and social science fields increasingly discover that their qualitative research and non-academic career preparation may be enhanced through the use of new digital and computational technologies.

Browsing the Berkeley  course catalog  will offer a sense of the wide variety of courses on offer at the University. Note that you may need the permission of the instructor to take a course in another department, and that it is best to request this permission well in advance of the beginning of the course.

Thanks to the Intercampus Exchange and Stanford-Berkeley Exchange  programs , graduate students with an excellent superior academic record may take a limited number of courses that are offered at Stanford or one of the other UC schools, and have the opportunity to make use of special facilities and collections and associate with scholars or fields of study not available on their home campus.

Take Time to Explore Scholarly Publications to Get an Overview of Diverse Research Approaches

While your department may specialize in a particular set of research approaches or methods, you may also wish to review other methods practiced by colleagues in the field, by academics in other disciplines, or (depending on your field) by practitioners associated with your field of study. Reviewing scholarly publications may inspire new research approaches or expand skills not necessarily honed in your home department, pinpointing new ways to distinguish and diversify your professional portfolio. The Library also offers  subject librarians who are available for consultation on particular research projects.

Participate in Working Groups and Attend On-Campus Lectures and Training Sessions

Advanced students may also wish to form research groups based on shared methods or questions that allow them to discuss the opportunities and issues associated with their approach. Creating and participating in research-based discussion groups can help not only to advance your research, but to cultivate leadership and collaboration skills valued in many professions. Some programs on campus, such as the  Doreen B. Townsend Center for the Humanities , have existing groups that you can join and provide support for new working groups .

The Berkeley  D-Lab  offers many resources for acquiring computational and technical skills, which are now broadly used across academic disciplines and various career paths. D-Lab training workshops focus on a wide range of topics, which in the past have included workshops on Text Analysis Fundamentals, Preparing Your Data for Qualitative Data Analysis, Introduction to Georeferencing, and Introduction to Artificial Neural Networks. They also regularly hold training workshops to build skills in a variety of platforms and programming languages, such as Excel, R, Python, and more. Find upcoming trainings and workshops on the D-lab’s Upcoming Workshops page .

The D-Lab also hosts a team of  consultants  who offer free appointments and drop-in hours for advising and troubleshooting on qualitative and quantitative research design, modeling, data collection, data management, analysis, presentation, and related techniques and technologies. Should you have advanced skills in these areas, consider applying to become a graduate consultant at D-Lab.

Participate in Lab Rotations

Many lab-based disciplines have formal programs of lab rotations that allow students to explore a potential research area and develop practical skills. The research rotation offers the opportunity to learn new experimental techniques, gain familiarity with different areas of research, experience the operating procedures of diverse types of labs, and identify mentors within the discipline. While the academic objective is to identify a lab in which to conduct dissertation research, skills gained on rotation can also provide relevant training for research projects and career prospects beyond the dissertation.

In recent years, some non-lab-based disciplines have found it useful to model their operations on the lab-based disciplines. If you are unsure, consider asking your advisors and faculty working in your research area if they have a lab group. For more on lab groups in the humanities, see “ Designing a Lab in the Humanities ,”  Chronicle of Higher Education  (2017).

Serve as a Graduate Student Researcher (GSR)

As in the lab rotation, participation in research projects as a GSR allows students to gain experience, identify strengths, and develop specialized interests. Work with your GSR supervisor to ensure that you are able to make the most of the opportunity: if you want to gain experience approaching the research question through the use of specific tools or methods, it is worth discussing the possibility with your research supervisor.

Be sure to keep track of the different skills you cultivate as part of the assistantship—when requesting recommendation letters to apply for jobs in subsequent years, it will be useful to remind your supervisor of the specific work you did for them. You may be surprised by how many of the disciplinary research skills honed in an assistantship correlate to desired qualifications for various professional positions and translate readily between academic and non-academic contexts. For examples, see Margaret Newhouse, “ Transferring Your Skills to a Non-Academic Setting ,”  Chronicle of Higher Education  (1998) and Stacy Hartman, “ Transferable Skills and How To Talk About Them ,”  MLA Connected Academics  (2016).

Complete Training in Responsible Conduct of Research

Your research may require you to protect the privacy of human subjects, to observe standards for research using animals, and/or to respect the rights of others to be recognized as contributors through proper citation, co-authorship, and obtaining copyright permissions. Online courses, workshops, and staff in the  Sponsored Projects Office  (SPO) can help you learn about these topics, and the Human Research Protection Program can answer questions about the process of getting approval for research with human subjects. 

Learning to use appropriate research methods and apply standards for responsible conduct provides practical experience for any future research-based career, but also engages broader critical-thinking skills about the ethics of research practices, protocols, and data analysis. The ability to conduct research responsibly in an academic setting testifies to the rigor and dedication that can make Ph.D.s appealing candidates for a variety of academic and professional careers.

Use Academic Breaks to Attend Intensive Skill-Building Programs

Some campus programs and centers offer high-intensity short-courses that take place during the spring or summer breaks. For instance, graduate students considering a career in industry or tech sometimes participate in summer bootcamps for coding or other technical skills, or participate in D-Lab summer trainings. These types of programs typically offer certificates of attendance or completion that should be listed (when relevant) on a CV or resume. In addition to the competencies they explicitly provide, they also attest to your ability to acquire a host of new skills in a short period of time.

Explore Bay Area Computational and Data Analysis Skill-Building Resources

As the home to Silicon Valley and multiple world-class universities, the Bay Area is an ideal location for those interested in learning, using, and building careers around computational and technical skills. Students looking to build computational or technical skills may also wish to participate in workshops or attend events at area hubs like the  Stanford Literary Lab  or the  UC Davis Postharvest Technology Center . Groups also exist for connecting locals with technical skills to burgeoning employment opportunities. For instance,  Tech SF  (a branch of the  Bay Area Video Coalition ) seeks to help unemployed tech professionals get the skills they need for a continually changing job market.

Take Advantage of Online Skill-Building Resources

Many discipline-specific, interdisciplinary, and generalist resources exist online for those seeking to expand their technical repertoire—particularly in the realm of computational skills. The  Institute for Digital Research and Education  offers resources, events, and consulting for UC-affiliates, including a wealth of materials accessible online.  BerkeleyX  provides free online courses in a variety of subjects for currently enrolled students, while sites like  Coursera ,  Code Academy  offer a mix of free and low-cost training sessions. Students employed by the University can also access many training videos and courses on LinkedIn Learning .

Students of color can explore the resources offered by the Institute in Critical Quantitative, Computational & Mixed Methods , which focuses on advancing scholars of color in data science and diverse methodologies.

Acquire Foreign Language Skills Relevant to Research

Certain fields may require students to acquire foreign language skills as part of their progress to degree. However, even when not required, students may wish to acquire new language skills independently, either as a supplement to their academic research or as a bridge to a variety of future careers. UC Berkeley offers instruction in over 80 languages, and fellowships such as the  FLAS  and  Fulbright  are available for graduate students undertaking language study. With its emphasis on the study of critical and less commonly taught foreign languages, the FLAS program is designed to lead into careers in university teaching, government service, or other employment where knowledge of foreign languages and cultures is essential. Participation in the Fulbright program, which offers an English Teaching Assistant program and fellowships for study and research abroad, opens up a wide variety of career paths for graduate students, including  foreign service , academia, and many more.

1.4 Careers in Psychology

Learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Understand educational requirements for careers in academic settings
• Understand the demands of a career in an academic setting
• Understand career options outside of academic settings

Psychologists can work in many different places doing many different things. In general, anyone wishing to continue a career in psychology at a 4-year institution of higher education will have to earn a doctoral degree in psychology for some specialties and at least a master’s degree for others. In most areas of psychology, this means earning a PhD in a relevant area of psychology. Literally, PhD refers to a doctor of philosophy degree, but here, philosophy does not refer to the field of philosophy per se. Rather, philosophy in this context refers to many different disciplinary perspectives that would be housed in a traditional college of liberal arts and sciences.

The requirements to earn a PhD vary from country to country and even from school to school, but usually, individuals earning this degree must complete a dissertation. A dissertation is essentially a long research paper or bundled published articles describing research that was conducted as a part of the candidate’s doctoral training. In the United States, a dissertation generally has to be defended before a committee of expert reviewers before the degree is conferred ( Figure 1.17 ).

Once someone earns a PhD, they may seek a faculty appointment at a college or university. Being on the faculty of a college or university often involves dividing time between teaching, research, and service to the institution and profession. The amount of time spent on each of these primary responsibilities varies dramatically from school to school, and it is not uncommon for faculty to move from place to place in search of the best personal fit among various academic environments. The previous section detailed some of the major areas that are commonly represented in psychology departments around the country; thus, depending on the training received, an individual could be anything from a biological psychologist to a clinical psychologist in an academic setting ( Figure 1.18 ).

Link to Learning

Use this interactive tool and explore different careers in psychology based on degree levels to learn more.

Other Careers in Academic Settings

Often times, schools offer more courses in psychology than their full-time faculty can teach. In these cases, it is not uncommon to bring in an adjunct faculty member or instructor. Adjunct faculty members and instructors usually have an advanced degree in psychology, but they often have primary careers outside of academia and serve in this role as a secondary job. Alternatively, they may not hold the doctoral degree required by most 4-year institutions and use these opportunities to gain experience in teaching. Furthermore, many 2-year colleges and schools need faculty to teach their courses in psychology. In general, many of the people who pursue careers at these institutions have master’s degrees in psychology, although some PhDs make careers at these institutions as well.

Some people earning PhDs may enjoy research in an academic setting. However, they may not be interested in teaching. These individuals might take on faculty positions that are exclusively devoted to conducting research. This type of position would be more likely an option at large, research-focused universities.

In some areas in psychology, it is common for individuals who have recently earned their PhD to seek out positions in postdoctoral training programs that are available before going on to serve as faculty. In most cases, young scientists will complete one or two postdoctoral programs before applying for a full-time faculty position. Postdoctoral training programs allow young scientists to further develop their research programs and broaden their research skills under the supervision of other professionals in the field.

Career Options Outside of Academic Settings

Individuals who wish to become practicing clinical psychologists have another option for earning a doctoral degree, which is known as a PsyD. A PsyD is a doctor of psychology degree that is increasingly popular among individuals interested in pursuing careers in clinical psychology. PsyD programs generally place less emphasis on research-oriented skills and focus more on application of psychological principles in the clinical context (Norcross & Castle, 2002).

Regardless of whether earning a PhD or PsyD, in most states, an individual wishing to practice as a licensed clinical or counseling psychologist may complete postdoctoral work under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. Within the last few years, however, several states have begun to remove this requirement, which would allow people to get an earlier start in their careers (Munsey, 2009). After an individual has met the state requirements, their credentials are evaluated to determine whether they can sit for the licensure exam. Only individuals that pass this exam can call themselves licensed clinical or counseling psychologists (Norcross, n.d.). Licensed clinical or counseling psychologists can then work in a number of settings, ranging from private clinical practice to hospital settings. It should be noted that clinical psychologists and psychiatrists do different things and receive different types of education. While both can conduct therapy and counseling, clinical psychologists have a PhD or a PsyD, whereas psychiatrists have a doctor of medicine degree (MD). As such, licensed clinical psychologists can administer and interpret psychological tests, while psychiatrists can prescribe medications.

Individuals earning a PhD can work in a variety of settings, depending on their areas of specialization. For example, someone trained as a biopsychologist might work in a pharmaceutical company to help test the efficacy of a new drug. Someone with a clinical background might become a forensic psychologist and work within the legal system to make recommendations during criminal trials and parole hearings, or serve as an expert in a court case.

While earning a doctoral degree in psychology is a lengthy process, usually taking between 5–6 years of graduate study (DeAngelis, 2010), there are a number of careers that can be attained with a master’s degree in psychology. People who wish to provide psychotherapy can become licensed to serve as various types of professional counselors (Hoffman, 2012). Relevant master’s degrees are also sufficient for individuals seeking careers as school psychologists (National Association of School Psychologists, n.d.), in some capacities related to sport psychology (American Psychological Association, 2014), or as consultants in various industrial settings (Landers, 2011, June 14). Undergraduate coursework in psychology may be applicable to other careers such as psychiatric social work or psychiatric nursing, where assessments and therapy may be a part of the job.

As mentioned in the opening section of this chapter, an undergraduate education in psychology is associated with a knowledge base and skill set that many employers find quite attractive. It should come as no surprise, then, that individuals earning bachelor’s degrees in psychology find themselves in a number of different careers, as shown in Table 1.1 . Examples of a few such careers can involve serving as case managers, working in sales, working in human resource departments, and teaching in high schools. The rapidly growing realm of healthcare professions is another field in which an education in psychology is helpful and sometimes required. For example, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) exam that people must take to be admitted to medical school now includes a section on the psychological foundations of behavior.

The APA provides career information about various areas of psychology.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

• Authors: Rose M. Spielman, William J. Jenkins, Marilyn D. Lovett
• Publisher/website: OpenStax
• Book title: Psychology 2e
• Publication date: Apr 22, 2020
• Location: Houston, Texas
• Book URL: https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction
• Section URL: https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-4-careers-in-psychology

© Jan 6, 2024 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.

Evaluating research-oriented teaching: a new instrument to assess university students’ research competences

• Published: 18 February 2017
• Volume 75 , pages 91–110, ( 2018 )

Cite this article

• Franziska Böttcher 1 &
• Felicitas Thiel 1  

3192 Accesses

34 Citations

1 Altmetric

Explore all metrics

Several concepts have been developed to implement research-oriented teaching in higher education in the last 15 years. The definition of research competences, however, has received minor attention so far. Some approaches to modeling research competences describe these competences along the research process but either focus on a specific academic discipline and/or specific facets or offer no empirical verification for cross-disciplinary approaches. We have developed a new approach to model research competences across various academic disciplines in form of a competence model—the RMRC-K-model. This model comprises five dimensions: skills in r eviewing the state of research, m ethodological skills, skills in r eflecting on research findings, c ommunication skills, and content k nowledge. In this study, we present an instrument ( R-Comp ) developed on the basis of this cross-disciplinary competence model. The factorial structure of the R-Comp was examined with data from 391 university students in three groups, either enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, or a PhD program. The sample represented various academic disciplines. Results from confirmatory factor analyses supported the hypothesized structure of the R-Comp for the five dimensions in accordance with the RMRC-K-model. Additionally, results provided evidence for a more detailed differentiation of all dimensions with sub-dimensions reflecting theorized facets of the model. Both Cronbach’s α and construct reliability H indicated overall good reliability. Despite limitations to this study, there is some first evidence of a valid and reliable assessment of student research competences.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price includes VAT (Russian Federation)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Rent this article via DeepDyve

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

A questionnaire to capture students’ perceptions of research integration in their courses.

The effect of research on the perceived quality of teaching: a cross-sectional study among university students in Lebanon

Teaching and Research Nexus in the Turkish Higher Education System: Comparative Perspectives with Eastern and Western Examples

This sub-sample includes participants from Veterinary Medicine . This study program is a state examination program, licensed and organized by national government agencies. It is separated in two sequences (first and second state examination). Participants in our sub-sample were in the first sequence, which is comparable to the level of a Bachelor’s degree program. Therefore, we classified these participants as Bachelor students to gain a better understanding of our sub-sample in international contexts.

The skill dimensions as well as the knowledge dimension were specified as factors at the same hierarchical level in the empirical model. In pre-studies (Böttcher and Thiel 2016 ), we examined whether the skills and knowledge dimensions should be modeled separately or in a combined model. Our results indicated that a combined model in line with Simonton’s (2013) conceptualization of competence was the more appropriate solution.

In the empirical model, some theorized facets had to be combined on the basis of theoretical considerations about the research process. Otherwise, some sub-dimensions would have consisted of single indicators.

We thank an anonymous reviewer for his/her suggestion of testing bi-factor models.

Thanks to one of our anonymous reviewers for rising this point.

We are very thankful that one of our anonymous reviewers has drawn attention to this important limitation of our study.

We appreciate our anonymous reviewer for providing this idea.

Albrecht, L., Arends, H., Burg, A., Jubin, B., Langer, C., Lehmann, J., et al. (2003). FL2 Forschendes Lernen – Lehrende Forschung. https://incom.org/action/open-file/131430 . Accessed 6 November 2013.

BAK. (2009). Forschendes Lernen - wissenschaftliches Prüfen: Ergebnisse der Arbeit des Ausschusses für Hochschuldidaktik (2nd ed., Schriften der Bundesassistentenkonferenz, Vol. 5). Bielefeld: UVW, Webler.

Barnette, J. J. (2000). Effects of stem and likert response option reversals on survey internal consistency: if you feel the need, there is a better alternative to using those negatively worded stems. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 60 (3), 361–370. doi: 10.1177/00131640021970592 .

Article   Google Scholar  

Bauer, W., Bleck-Neuhaus, J., Dombois, R., & Wehrtmann, I. (2013). Forschungsprojekte entwickeln - von der Idee bis zur Publikation (1st ed., UTB, Vol. 4019). Baden-Baden: Nomos.

Birkelbach, K. 2005 Über das Messen von Kompetenzen: Einige Überlegungen im Anschluss an ein BMBF-Projekt., Vortrag auf der Herbsttagung der Sektion Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik der DGFE am 20./21. September 2005 in Erfurt.

Blömeke, S., & Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, O. (2013). Kompetenzmodellierung und Kompetenzerfassung im Hochschulsektor: Ziele, theoretischer Rahmen, Design und Herausforderungen des BMBFForschungsprogramms KoKoHs (KoKoHs Working Papers, 1) . Berlin & Mainz: Humboldt-Universität & Johannes Gutenberg-Universität.

Google Scholar  

Bollen, K. A., & Davis, W. R. (2009). Two rules of identification for structural equation models. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 16 (3), 523–536. doi: 10.1080/10705510903008261 .

Böttcher, F., & Thiel, F. (2016). Introduction of a new instrument to assess university students’ research competences: R-Comp . Paper presented at the international Higher Education Conference (HEC), Amsterdam, Netherlands, July, 13.

Brew, A. (2006). Research and teaching: Beyond the divide (universities into the twenty-first century) . Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Book   Google Scholar  

Brown, T. A. (2006). Confirmatory factor analysis for applied research (methodology in the social sciences) . New York: Guilford Press.

Bühner, M. (2011). Einführung in die Test- und Fragebogenkonstruktion (3rd ed., Psychologie ed.). München, Boston: Pearson Studium.

Butts, R. E. (1991). Methodology, metaphysics and the pragmatic unity of science. In Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin (Ed.), Einheit der Wissenschaften: Internationales Kolloquium der Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin (Bonn, 25.-27. Juni 1990) (pp. 23–28, Forschungsbericht, Vol. 4). Berlin, New York: W. de Gruyter.

Chang, H.-P., Chen, C.-C., Guo, G.-J., Cheng, Y.-J., Lin, C.-Y., & Jen, T.-H. (2011). The development of a competence scale for learning science: inquiry and communication. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 9 (5), 1213–1233. doi: 10.1007/s10763-010-9256-x .

Dewey, J. (1938). Unity of science as a social problem . Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Diekmann, A. (1995). Empirische Sozialforschung: Grundlagen, Methoden, Anwendungen . Reinbek bei Hamburg: Rowohlt Taschenbuchverl.

Geiser, C. (2011). Datenanalyse mit Mplus: Eine anwendungsorientierte Einführung (2nd ed., Lehrbuch). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften.

Ginns, P., Marsh, H. W., Behnia, M., Cheng, J. H. S., & Scalas, L. F. (2009). Using postgraduate students’ evaluations of research experience to benchmark departments and faculties: issues and challenges. The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 79 (Pt 3), 577–598. doi: 10.1348/978185408X394347 .

Griffiths, R. (2004). Knowledge production and the research–teaching nexus: the case of the built environment disciplines. Studies in Higher Education, 29 (6), 709–726. doi: 10.1080/0307507042000287212 .

Groß Ophoff, J., Schladitz, S., Lohrmann, K., & Wirtz, M. (2014). Evidenzorientierung in bildungswissenschaftlichen Studiengängen. In K. Drossel, R. Strietholt, & W. Bos (Eds.), Empirische Bildungsforschung und evidenzbasierte Reformen im Bildungswesen (pp. 250–276). Münster, Westf: Waxmann.

Hancock, G. R., & Mueller, R. O. (2001). Rethinking construct reliability within latent variable systems. Structural equation modeling: Present and future , 195–216.

Healey, M. (2005). Linking research and teaching to benefit student learning. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 29 (2), 183–201. doi: 10.1080/03098260500130387 .

Hu, L., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 6 (1), 1–55. doi: 10.1080/10705519909540118 .

Huber, L. (2009). Warum forschendes Lernen nötig und möglich ist. In L. Huber (Ed.), Forschendes Lernen im Studium : Aktuelle Konzepte und Erfahrungen (pp. 9–35, Motivierendes Lehren und Lernen in Hochschulen, Vol. 10). Bielefeld: UVW, Webler.

Klieme, E., Hartig, J., & Rauch, D. (2008). The concept of competence in educational contexts. In E. Klieme, D. Leutner, & J. Hartig (Eds.), Assessment of competencies in educational contexts (pp. 3–22). Toronto: Hogrefe & Huber Publishers.

Kline, R. B. (2005). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (2nd ed., Methodology in the social sciences ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

Kossek, B. (2009). Survey: Die forschungsgeleitete Lehre in der internationalen Diskussion. https://ctl.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/elearning/Forschungsgeleitete_Lehre_International_090414.pdf . Accessed 17 Dec 2015.

Langer, W. (2000). Einführung in sozialwissenschaftliche Skalen -, Index- und Typenkonstruktion, 2000.

Marsh, H. W., Rowe, K. J., & Martin, A. (2002). PhD students’ evaluations of research supervision: issues, complexities, and challenges in a nationwide australian experiment in benchmarking universities. The Journal of Higher Education, 73 (3), 313–348.

Mayer, R. E. (2003). What causes individual differences in cognitive performance? In R. J. Sternberg & E. Grigorenko (Eds.), Perspectives on the psychology of abilities , competencies, and expertise (pp. 263–273). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Meijers, A. W. M., van Overveld, K. C. W. A. M., & Perrenet, J. C. (2005). Criteria for academic bachelor’s and master’s curricula . Delft: TU Delft.

Mittelstraß, J. (1991). Einheit und Transdisziplinarität. In Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin (Ed.), Einheit der Wissenschaften: Internationales Kolloquium der Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin (Bonn, 25.-27. Juni 1990) (pp. 12–22, Forschungsbericht, Vol. 4). Berlin, New York: W. de Gruyter.

Reise, S. P., Moore, T. M., & Haviland, M. G. (2010). Bifactor models and rotations: exploring the extent to which multidimensional data yield univocal scale scores. Journal of Personality Assessment, 92 (6), 544–559. doi: 10.1080/00223891.2010.496477 .

Satorra, A., & Bentler, P. M. (2001). A scaled difference chi-square test statistic for moment structure analysis. Psychometrika, 66 (4), 507–514.

Schermelleh-Engel, K., Moosbrugger, H., & Müller, H. (2003). Evaluating the fit of structural equation models: tests of significance and descriptive goodness-of-fit measures. Methods of psychological research online, 8 (2), 23–74.

Simonton, D. K. (2003). Expertise, competence, and creative ability. In R. J. Sternberg & E. Grigorenko (Eds.), Perspectives on the psychology of abilities, competencies, and expertise (pp. 213–240). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Smyth, L., Davila, F., Sloan, T., Rykers, E., Backwell, S., & Jones, S. B. (2015). How science really works: The student experience of research-led education. Higher Education . doi: 10.1007/s10734-015-9945-z

Stein, J. A., Lee, J. W., & Jones, P. S. (2006). Assessing cross-cultural differences through use of multiple-group invariance analyses. Journal of Personality Assessment, 87 (3), 249–258. doi: 10.1207/s15327752jpa8703_05 .

Thiel, F., & Böttcher, F. (2014). Modellierung fächerübergreifender Forschungskompetenzen. Das RMKR-W-Modell als Grundlage der Planung und Evaluation von Formaten forschungsorientierter Lehre. In B. Berendt, H.-P. Voss, & J. Wildt (Eds.), Neues Handbuch Hochschullehre. Lehren und Lernen effizient gestalten. [Teil] I. Evaluation. Fachbereichs- /Studiengangsevaluation (pp. 1–124). Berlin: Raabe.

Tremp, P. (2005). Verknüpfung von Lehre und Forschung: Eine universitäre Tradition als didaktische Herausforderung. Beiträge zur Lehrerbildung, 23 (3), 339–348.

Valter, K., & Akerlind, G. (2010). Introducing students to ways of thinking and acting like a researcher: a case study of research-led education in the sciences. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 22 (1), 89–97.

Visser-Wijnveen, G. J., van der Rijst, Roeland M., & van Driel, J. H. (2015). A questionnaire to capture students’ perceptions of research integration in their courses. Higher Education . doi: 10.1007/s10734–015–9918-2

Weinert, F. E. (2001). Concept of competence: A conceptual clarification. In D. S. Rychen & L. H. Sagalnik (Eds.), Definition and selection of competencies-theoretical and conceptual foundations (pp. 45–65). Kirkland, WA: Hogrefe & Huber.

Weinert, F. E. (2002). Schulleistungen - Leistungen der Schule oder der Schüler? In F. E. Weinert (Ed.), Leistungsmessungen in Schulen (2nd ed., pp. 73–86, Beltz Pädagogik). Weinheim [u.a.]: Beltz-Verl.

Willison, J., & O’Regan, K. (2007). Commonly known, commonly not known, totally unknown: a framework for students becoming researchers. Higher Education Research & Development, 26 (4), 393–409.

Yuan, K.-H., & Bentler, P. M. (2000). Three likelihood-based methods for mean and covariance structure analysis with nonnormal missing data. Sociological Methodology, 30 , 165–200.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Education and Psychology, School Pedagogy and School Improvement Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195, Berlin, Germany

Franziska Böttcher & Felicitas Thiel

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Franziska Böttcher .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Böttcher, F., Thiel, F. Evaluating research-oriented teaching: a new instrument to assess university students’ research competences. High Educ 75 , 91–110 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0128-y

Download citation

Published : 18 February 2017

Issue Date : January 2018

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0128-y

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Research competences
• Research-oriented teaching
• Competence model
• Confirmatory factor analysis
• Find a journal
• Publish with us
• Track your research

• Open access
• Published: 09 May 2024

Designing an evaluation tool for evaluating training programs of medical students in clinical skill training center from consumers’ perspective

• Rezvan Azad 1 ,
• Mahsa Shakour 2 &
• Narjes Moharami 2  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  502 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

125 Accesses

Metrics details

Introduction

The Clinical Skill Training Center (CSTC) is the first environment where third year medical students learn clinical skills after passing basic science. Consumer- based evaluation is one of the ways to improve this center with the consumer. This study was conducted with the aim of preparing a consumer-oriented evaluation tool for CSTC among medical students.

The study was mixed method. The first phase was qualitative and for providing an evaluation tool. The second phase was for evaluating the tool. At the first phase, after literature review in the Divergent phase, a complete list of problems in the field of CSTC in medicine schools was prepared. In the convergent step, the prepared list was compared with the standards of clinical education and values of scriven. In the second phase it was evaluated by the scientific and authority committee. Validity has been measured by determining CVR and CVI: Index. The face and content validity of the tool was obtained through the approval of a group of specialists.

The findings of the research were in the form of 4 questionnaires: clinical instructors, pre-clinical medical students, and interns. All items were designed as a 5-point Likert. The main areas of evaluation included the objectives and content of training courses, implementation of operations, facilities and equipment, and the environment and indoor space. In order to examine the long-term effects, a special evaluation form was designed for intern.

The tool for consumer evaluation was designed with good reliability and trustworthiness and suitable for use in the CSTC, and its use can improve the effectiveness of clinical education activities.

Peer Review reports

Mastering clinical skills is one of the essential requirements for becoming a physician and pre-clinical courses play an important role in forming these clinical skills in medical students. The importance of these courses is such that a Clinical Skill Training Center (CSTC) has been formed especially for this purpose, which is nowadays used for training pre-clinical skills and some of the more advanced procedures such as operating room simulation [ 1 ]. The CSTC is an educational environment where students can use the available resources and the supervision of experienced faculty members to be introduced to clinical skills, train and gain experience in these skills and receive immediate feedback to resolve their mistakes and shortcomings [ 2 ]. The aim of the student’s participation in this center is the training of students who have sufficient theoretical knowledge but lack the necessary skills for working in the clinical setting. Therefore, this center supports students in the acquisition, maintenance and improvement of their clinical medical skills [ 3 ]. In this center, students can learn and repeat treatment procedures in a safe environment without severe consequences which reduces their stress and allows them to train and learn [ 4 ]. In this study, medical students attend this center for the first time after the end of theoretical course and before entering the hospital for the first time and Preliminary learn practical medical skills such as performing a variety of examinations and history taking. Then, in externship and internship, they can practice more advanced courses such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, dressing and stitches etc. in small groups.

The importance of these centers like CSTCs is the fact that learning a large number of practical and communicational skills related to theoretical knowledge is one of the essential characteristics of medical education and can play an important role in the future careers of the students and training of specialized human resources in the field of medicine and healthcare [ 4 ]. However, one of the important matters in clinical training is the quality of education which can directly affect the quality of healthcare services provided to society. The quality of education is, in turn, affected by the details of the educational programs. Therefore, the evaluation of educational programs can play an important role in providing quality equations. In other words, using suitable evaluation mechanisms creates the requirements for performance transparency and accountability in the clinical education system in medical education [ 5 ]. Observing the principles of evaluation can also help determine the shortcomings and programs in educational programs [ 2 ]. However, the evaluation of educational programs is often faced with difficulties. Evaluations conducted to ensure the suitable quality of education for medical students must determine whether the students have achieved acceptable clinical standards which is only possible through careful evaluation of their training programs [ 2 ].

There are various problems concerning evaluation tools. The faculty members in medicine are still faced with challenges concerning the improvement of evaluation tools and the creation of tools for evaluating factors which are hard to quantify or qualify, such as professionalism, group work and expertise [ 6 ].

Despite various theories regarding evaluation, the lack of credible and valid evaluation tools for educational programs is still being felt [ 7 ]. Using suitable evaluation tools can create an overview of the current situation of the training programs based on the quality factors of the curriculum and can be used as a guideline for decision-making, planning, faculty development and improving the quality of education [ 8 ]. Perhaps the most important value of a suitable evaluation tool for training programs is providing a clear picture and operational and measurable measures regarding the implementation of educational programs. Furthermore, after completion, such a tool can be used as a constant interventional screening tool by academic groups, faculty members and authorities in practical training programs.

The consumer-oriented model advocated by evaluation expert and philosopher Michael Scriven. This model of evaluation like other models, is to make a value judgment about the quality of a program, product, or policy in order to determine its value, merit, or importance, but in this model, the value judgment is based on the level of satisfaction and usefulness of the curriculum for the consumers of the program. It is achieved and the evaluator considers himself to be responsive to their needs and demands. The models that are included in this approach have paid more attention to their responsibility towards the consumers of curriculum and educational programs.it is an exercise in value-free measurement of whether program goals were achieved [ 9 , 10 ].

The current study aims to design an evaluation tool for training programs in the CSTC based on consumers’ perspectives and assess its validity and reliability to facilitate the evaluation of educational programs and help improve the practical skills of medical students. Therefore, the prepared evaluation tool not only can be used for continuous improvement of educational equality but can also be used for validation of educational programs.

Subjects and methods

The study was mixed method with triangulation approach. This was a developmental study for developing an evaluation tool for educational programs of the CSTC in medicine schools from consumers’ perspective using data gathered through qualitative study, descriptive – survey study and from many resources. The study was done in 2020 until 2022 and in Arak University of Medical Sciences. Samples were students in different level, and clinical teachers who are consumers and main stakeholders. This study included two main phases.

The first phase was qualitative. Samples were literature and 10 experts. Sampling was purposeful. This phase was for decision-making regarding factors used for evaluating the educational programs of the CSTC. In this phase and to create a deep understanding of the topic, the literature related to the subject matter was reviewed. The reviewed literature related to evaluation was based on the consumers’ perspective evaluation and questionnaire preparation method. Then, using the Scriven consumer opinion questionnaire, standards for CSTC, and the available literature, interviews were conducted with experts and stakeholders in the CSTC. These interviews aimed to prepare a comprehensive list of problems, and concerns related to the educational programs at the clinical skill training center which the evaluation tool aimed to answer. This stage was known as the divergent stage where the topics discussed in the interviews included educational goals, content, equipment, educational processes, the environment and physical location. Some of the questions asked in this stage included “What is the level of achieving educational goals among students in the current program?”, “How effective is the practical program of the center in improving the clinical skills of the students?”, “Does the center has access to sufficient tools and equipment for completing its educational program?” and “what are the long-term effects of CSTC’s educational program?”

In the next step, known as the convergent step, the list prepared in the previous stage was combined with the educational standards for CSTCs provided by the deputy of education, ministry of health as well as Scriven criteria. The results were then carefully assessed by a scientific and authority committee consisting of the Educational Deputy of Clinical Education of the Faculty of Medicine, Director of Educational Affairs of the Faculty of Medicine, Director of Clinical Skills Training Center and Curriculum, Expert of Clinical Skills Center and Bachelor of Technical Affairs of Clinical Skills Training Center in the Faculty of Medicine of Arak University of Medical Sciences. The questionnaire items were selected based on the importance and evaluation criteria. The data gathering tool was prepared after determining the evaluation questions, data gathering sources and designing the evaluation method. Customers in this study were clinical training faculty members and medical students (externship, pre-clinical and internship students). Therefore, we designed four questionnaires with special questions. Every questionnaire is designed in 5 domains (Learning objectives and course content, Equipment and tools, Educational processes, Environment and physical location).

The second phase was quantitative and it was survey. Samples were professors and who were experts in subject and medical students (externship, pre-clinical and internship students). Sampling was conventional and purposeful. 10 faculty members and 71 students were selected. This phase was for measuring the questionnaire’s face and content validity. The validity was measured using Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI) using Lawshe’s method. In this method, the opinion of experts in the field concerning the questionnaire content is used to calculate these factors [ 11 ]. A total of 10 faculty members participated in the validity survey and including faculty members from specialty fields of medical education, gynecology, infectious diseases, emergency medicine, pediatric medicine, nursing and midwifery. After explaining the research goals to the participants and providing them with the operational definitions related to the contents of the items, they were asked to mark each item in a table using a three-part Likert scale using “essential”, “useful not nonessential” and “nonessential” scores. Then, Content Validity Ratio was calculated using the following equations. CVR= \(\frac{\varvec{n}\varvec{e}-\varvec{n}/2}{\varvec{n}/2}\) . In this equation, n is the total number of experts, and n e is the number of experts who have selected the “essential” score. Using the CVR table, the minimum CVT value for accepting an item based on the participants’ opinions was set at 0.62.

After calculating CVR, the method proposed by Waltz & Bausell was used for determining the CVI. To this end, a CVI evaluation table was prepared for the items using a four-part scale including “unrelated”, “requiring major revision”, “requiring minor revision” and “relevant” scores and delivered to the 10 participating experts who were asked to provide their opinions regarding each item. Then, the CVI value was calculated for each item by dividing the total number of “requiring minor revision” and “relevant” answers by the total number of experts. The items with CVI values higher than 0.79 were accepted [ 11 , 12 ]. The reliability of the questionnaire was determined with emphasis on internal correlation with the help of SPSS software and was higher than 0.8, which confirmed the suitable reliability of the questionnaire. A panel of experts then conducted a qualitative review of the items, edited their grammar, and modified unclear statements based on the research goals. In general, the entire phrase should have been accepted by the majority of the panel based on simplicity, clarity and lack of ambiguity. The face validity was also calculated by scoring the effect of each item on the questionnaire. This score was then used to eliminate phrases with scores lower than 1.5. After evaluating the face validity, Content Validity Ratio (CVR) was calculated by the experts and items with CVR values less than the threshold value were selected and eliminated. After that, we used this tool by 71 students and 11 teachers to assess reliability according to Cronbach’s alpha.

The results of the current study indicate that according to the faculty members and experts participating in this study, the evaluation of educational programs of clinical skill training centers includes evaluation of programs in regards to goal and content, educational processes, equipment and tools, and environment and physical location. After interviews with clinical training experts and a review of relevant literature, 4 separate questionnaires were developed for clinical training faculty members, pre-clinical students, internship students, and externship students. All experts as samples answered all questions for validity and 71 students of 90 students completely answered the questionnaires.

The questionnaire for faculty members included 35 items (Table  1 ), the one for interns included 6 items (Table  2 ), the externship students’ questionnaire included 29 (Table  3 ) items and the questionnaire for pre-clinical students included 41 items (Table  4 ). All items were designed for scoring using a 5-point Likert system (very low, low, average, high, very high).

The face validity of questionnaires was evaluated using qualitative and quantitative approaches. Among 117 items in 4 questionnaires, 6 items didn’t have suitable content validity (CVR < 0.62) which were eliminated according to the following table (Table  5 ). 111 items had CVR ≥ 0.62 and the results of the CVI assessment indicated that all items were acceptable.

The reliability of the questionnaires was investigated using Cronbach’s Alpha with emphasis on internal correlation with the help of SPSS software as presented in the following table, which confirms the reliability of the questionnaires (Table  6 ). The reliability in all questionnaire was more than %83. Therefore, all items received acceptable reliability and validity scores.

In the current study, a comprehensive researcher-made questionnaire was prepared based on the opinions of experts and curriculum designers while considering all relevant resources and literature which is a unique tool in Iran regarding the expansiveness of the scope. The prepared tool was then used to evaluate the activities of the clinical skills training center in 5 domains (1) program goals and content, (2) tools and equipment, (3) educational processes, (4) environment and physical location and (5) long-term effects of the curriculum.

The first part of the evaluation tool prepared in the current study aims to assess the objective goals of program according to the consumer’s views. CSTC is suitable for training basic and practical skills which are often neglected due to time constraints during the students’ presence in clinical environments [ 6 ]. The factors investigated in this area using the current tool included basic skills such as patient interview, basic resuscitation, clinical examination, practical clinical activities, interpretation of essential clinical findings, prescription skills and patient management. Other studies have also investigated similar factors. For example, Imran et al. (2018) in their study evaluated the attitude of students towards this center and stated that participation in Skill Lab sessions in the pre-clinical years will assist students in their clinical year to achieve better overall performance, as well as better communication skills and self-esteem [ 1 ]. According to previous studies, the majority of students preferred participation in pre-clinical straining in these centers due to the advantages of skill labs for learning clinical skills [ 3 ]. Another study showed that the majority of students prefer participation in skill lab for learning essential clinical skills such as venous blood sampling, catheterization, endotracheal intubation, listening to respiratory sounds, genital examination, etc. compared to directly performing these procedures on patients [ 2 ]. The designed tools in current study evaluated some of these learning objectives. But because of evaluating 5 domains and many questions in every domain, we summarized them to be user friendly. Every questionnaire had some question for objectives that questionnaire respondents as customers (faculty members and medical students) could reply them.

The second part of this evaluation tool is for assessing educational tools such as educational mannequins and models, medical examination devices (Stethoscope, sphygmomanometer, otoscope and ophthalmoscope), medical consumables, audio-visual equipment and information technology facilities. According to the studies, a common factor in CSTCs is access to a wide range of tools in each university as well as using updated technologies for education. These innovations have even resulted in the improved academic ranking of some colleges and medical universities in the world [ 12 ]. The quality of these educational tools is the other important item in many studies [ 13 ]. The quality for mannequin is depended to fidelity. Brydges et al. in his study showed that higher fidelity causes more learning and less time for learning. They suggested that clinical curricula incorporate exposure to multiple simulations to maximize educational [ 14 ].

The third part of this tool is educational processes consisted of evaluating factors such as the length and number of workshops, the effect of CSTC on teaching in a clinical environment, the effect of the center on increasing the motivation and interest in clinical topics, use of volunteer patients and actors and use of modern teaching and assessment methods. This area evaluates the educational process as an important part of clinical training. The importance of this area is also confirmed in other studies. CSTC enables students, including interns and new students, to practice procedures without fearing the consequences. Furthermore, there is also no time of ethical constraints in these practices, enabling the students to be trained in treatment procedures and physical examinations which can be dangerous or painful for the patient [ 2 ]. In this regard, the standardized patient is one of the popular methods used in universities around the world. For example, the University of Massachusetts had been using standardized patients as an education and assessment tool and even as clinical trainers for more than 20 years [ 8 ]. Another example is the simulation center of Grand Valley State University, which provides significant tools for the management of standardized patients, including registration and deployment of standardized patients as needed. This center has designed a website for the registration of standardized patients, which allows individuals to register based on certain criteria, before being trained and deployed according to the protocols [ 8 ].

The effectiveness of clinical skill training centers on motivation was presented in a study by Hashim et al. (2016) on the effects of clinical skill training centers on medical education. According to the results of this study, 84 to 89 per cent of students believed that these centers increase the motivation for medical education as well as interest in learning clinical skills [ 3 ]. In regards to the use of modern methods, one of the most recent examples is the use of clinical simulations using multimedia tools and software which can be used for improving psychological and psychomotor skills. Studies have shown that these centers also lead to improved motivation and independent learning tendencies among students [ 13 ].

The forth part, is related to the evaluation of the environment and physical location in the current tool, accessibility, flexibility in application, similarity to a real environment, specialized training spaces, receiving feedback and use of multimedia technologies. These factors are extracted according to the opinions of experts and stakeholders and have been used in similar studies. According to the standard for clinical skill training centers presented by the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education, the preferred physical location for a clinical skill training center includes a large area with a flexible application as well as a wardroom, nursing station, ICU or smaller rooms with specialized applications such as operation room and resuscitation room. Furthermore, a clinical skill training center must have access to a suitable location for providing students with multimedia education [ 8 ].

James et al. in their study, have shown effectiveness of an experimental pharmacology skill lab to facilitate training of specific modules for development of core competencies of parenteral drug administration and intravenous drip settings using mannequins for development of skills in administering injections for undergraduate medical students [ 15 ]. These factors were included in the evaluation questionnaire prepared in the current study. In the study by Hashim et.al.(2016), 62 participants believed that the time constraints and pressure of the clinical environment were not present in CSTC during learning clinical skills. Therefore, these centers can help students improve their skills by making them feel secure and resolve their concerns about the consequences of their actions. According to the students participating in this study, approximately 70 to 75 per cent of students felt more secure regarding mistakes and less worried about harming patients during clinical procedures after training clinical skills on mannequins available at clinical skill training centers [ 3 ].

The fifth part includes evaluating the long-term effects of education and evaluating the conformity between the center’s curriculum and educational needs, the effect of the center on improving essential skills, the effect of curriculum on interest, stress and facilitating clinical procedures. Ji He Yu et al. observed that after training in a clinical skill training center and simulations, students show a significantly lower level of anxiety and a significantly higher level of self-esteem compared to before the training. Furthermore, after experiencing the simulation, students without previous simulation experiences showed lower anxiety and higher self-esteem [ 16 ]. In a systematic review by Alanazi et al., evidence showed that participation in CSTC and using simulation can significantly improve the knowledge, skill and self-esteem of medical students [ 17 ]. Furthermore, a study by Younes et al. showed that adding a simulation program to a normal psychology curriculum improves the quality of education and the self-esteem of medical students [ 18 ]. In another study, Hashim et.al.(2016) showed a positive attitude among the students regarding the effectiveness of clinical skill training centers for improving skills, self-esteem as well as learning new clinical skills [ 3 ]. Therefore, based on the role of clinical skill training centers in improving the motivation and self-esteem of students presented in previous studies, these factors can be important in the evaluation of clinical skill training centers and therefore included in the evaluation questionnaire.

Limitations:

We had some limitations in our study. 1)There wasn’t any evaluation tool for evaluating Training Programs of medical students in Clinical Skill Training Center according to Consumers’ Perspective. Therefore, comparison was difficult and we compared every domain with results of other studies. The study was triangulation and we used many resources to designing this tool and it reduced biases. 2) In convergent step we extracted many items, but because of the possibility of non-response all questions, we couldn’t use all of them and questionnaires are summarized. To assuring no important item is neglected, experts in medical education checked the items.

There are many items in an evaluation tool for evaluating the Clinical Skill Training Center from Consumers’ Perspective. Some of these items could be answered by some consumers not all of them. In this tool is defined in 4 tools for four type of consumers. In every tool respondent answer questions in 5 domains (Learning objectives and course content, Equipment and tools, Educational processes, Environment and physical location). The evaluation tool designed in the current study offers suitable reliability and validity and can be used for evaluating CSTC from consumers’ perspectives. The application of this tool can help improve the effectiveness of educational activities and the curriculum in clinical skill training centers.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Abbreviations

Clinical Skill Training Center

Content Validity Ratio

Content Validity Index

- Imran M, Khan SA, Aftab T. Effect of preclinical skill lab training on clinical skills of students during clinical years. Pak J Phsyiol. 2018;12(3):30 – 2. https://pjp.pps.org.pk/index.php/PJP/article/view/580

- Upadhayay N. Clinical training in medical students during preclinical years in the skill lab. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2017;8:189–94.

Article   Google Scholar  

Hashim R, Qamar K, Khan MA, Rehman S. Role of Skill Laboratory Training in Medical Education - Students’ Perspective. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2016;26(3):195-8. PMID: 26975950.

- Singh H, Kalani M, Acosta-Torres S, El Ahmadieh TY, Loya J, Ganju A. History of simulation in medicine: from Resusci Annie to the Ann Myers Medical Center. Neurosurgery. 2013;73(Suppl 1):9–14.

- Bazargan A. Educational evaluation. Tehran: Samt; 2020.

Google Scholar  

- Morgan J, Green V, Blair J. Using simulation to prepare for clinical practice. Clin Teach. 2018;15(1):57–61.

- Pazargadi M, Ashktorab T, Alavimajd H, Khosravi S. Developing an Assessment Tool for nursing Students` General Clinical performance. Iran J Med Educ. 2013;12(11):877–87.

- Denizon Arranz S, Blanco Canseco JM, Pouplana Malagarriga MM, Holgado Catalán MS, Gámez Cabero MI, Ruiz Sánchez A, et al. Multi-source evaluation of an educational program aimed at medical students for interviewing/taking the clinical history using standardized patients. GMS J Med Educ. 2021;38(2):Doc40.

- Lam CY. Consumer-oriented evaluation Approach. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Measurement, and evaluation. Thousand Oaks: SAGE; 2018. pp. 390–2.

- Fitzpatrick J, Sanders J, Worthen B. Program evaluation: alternative approaches and practical guidelines. 4th, editor: ed. Boston: Allyn Bacon; 2004.

- Waltz CF, Bausell RB. Nursing research: design, statistics, and computer analysis. Philadelphia: V. A. Davis; 1981.

- Zamanzadeh V, Rassouli M, Abbaszadeh A, Majd HA, Nikanfar A, Ghahramanian A, editors. Details of content validity and objectifying it in instrument development2014.

- O’Connor M, Rainford L. The impact of 3D virtual reality radiography practice on student performance in clinical practice. Radiography. 2023;29(1):159–64.

Brydges R, Carnahan H, Rose D, Rose L, Dubrowski A. Coordinating Progressive Levels of Simulation Fidelity to maximize Educational Benefit. Acad Med. 2010;85(5):806–12.

James J, Rani RJ. Novel strategy of skill lab training for parenteral injection techniques: a promising opportunity for medical students. Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol. 2022;11(4):315.

Yu JH, Chang HJ, Kim SS, Park JE, Chung WY, Lee SK, et al. Effects of high-fidelity simulation education on medical students’ anxiety and confidence. PLoS ONE. 2021;16(5):e0251078.

Alanazi A, Nicholson N, Thomas S. Use of simulation training to improve knowledge, skills, and confidence among healthcare students: a systematic review. Internet J Allied Health Sci Pract. 2017.

Younes N, Delaunay A, Roger M, et al. Evaluating the effectiveness of a single-day simulation-based program in psychiatry for medical students: a controlled study. BMC Med Educ. 2021;21(1):348.

Download references

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks to the practice tutors who undertook these clinical assessments and also we are very thankful to professors of Arak University of Medical Sciences for helping us in successful designing the questionnaire.

Not applicable.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Medical Education development center, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran

Rezvan Azad

Medicine School, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran

Mahsa Shakour & Narjes Moharami

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

The concept and framework were designed by MSH and RA. The questionnaires and data were collected by RA. Data analyzed by MSH and RA. The manuscript was prepared by NM and edited by MSH and NM. The technical editing was done by MSH.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mahsa Shakour .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

This study received ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of University of Medical Sciences, Iran to which the researchers are affiliated. All study protocols were performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. This study considered ethical considerations such as the confidentiality of the participants’ names and the written consent of participants. survey was conducted in 2021. Informed consent from each participant was obtained after clearly explaining the objectives as well as the significance of the study for each study participant. We advised the study participants about the right to participate as well as refuse or discontinue participation at any time they want and the chance to ask anything about the study. The participants were also advised that all data collected would remain confidential.

Consent for publication

Not Applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Azad, R., Shakour, M. & Moharami, N. Designing an evaluation tool for evaluating training programs of medical students in clinical skill training center from consumers’ perspective. BMC Med Educ 24 , 502 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05454-7

Download citation

Received : 22 November 2023

Accepted : 22 April 2024

Published : 09 May 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05454-7

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Program evaluation
• Consumer-oriented
• Clinical skills lab

BMC Medical Education

ISSN: 1472-6920

• Submission enquiries: [email protected]
• General enquiries: [email protected]