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Biostatistics Study Design and Analysis for Grant Writing

This course is targeted to early career and novice researchers writing their first major competitive biomedical / health research grant proposals. After the course, you will be able to:

1) Identify and summarize key decisions in study design that align scope and complexity with budget and timeline;

2) Describe key variables and their relationships to each other; and

3) Interpret essential parts of a power analysis and summarize appropriate questions for an expert biostatistician.

This course is targeted to early career and novice researchers writing their first major competitive biomedical / health research grant proposals. After the course, you will be able to:

1) Identify and summarize key decisions in study design that align scope and complexity with budget and timeline;

2) Describe key variables and their relationships to each other; and

3) Interpret essential parts of a power analysis and summarize appropriate questions for an expert biostatistician.

We are faculty at a major research institution with proven experience training others to health sciences research career success. Study design and analysis planning are key skills for grant writing. This course is part of a larger Specialization called Grant Writing for Health Researchers. Please consider taking the other two courses on (1) Grant proposal plans, sections, and resubmission, and (2) Scientific writing. Together, these have been a recipe for success for researchers at the University of Colorado and beyond. Upon completion, you will earn an e-badge to display your new skills. Please join us!

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What's inside

Syllabus

Study Design & Scope

Learn how your choices on study design affect project scope, especially data collection, intervention type, and timeline.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Describes factors key to developing and planning a project

Emphasizes the need for a solid foundation in study design and analysis for grant writing success

Coursework is part of a specialization, offering a comprehensive approach to grant writing

Designed for novice researchers writing their first major grant proposals

Led by faculty with expertise in health sciences research

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Reviews summary

Biostatistics essentials for grant writing

According to learners, this course offers a practical and highly relevant guide to biostatistics for health research grant writing. Students consistently praise its ability to demystify complex topics like power analysis and study design, making them accessible even for novice researchers. The lectures are clear, and the focus on engaging statistical support is particularly valuable. While some express a desire for more hands-on calculation examples, the course excels at preparing you to effectively frame research questions and understand statistical needs for successful grant proposals, especially as part of its specialization.

Course is a valuable part of a larger grant writing specialization.

"Highly recommend it as part of the specialization."

"I'm taking the other courses in the specialization next."

"This course fills a critical gap within the broader context of grant writing education."

Provides invaluable advice on working with biostatisticians.

"The section on engaging statistical support was invaluable, providing practical advice I hadn't found elsewhere."

"The information on power analysis and knowing when to consult experts is crucial."

"It prepares me well for talking to biostatisticians."

"I learned strategies to find biostatistical mentoring."

Simplifies biostatistical concepts for non-statisticians.

"The instructor broke down complex topics like power analysis and sample size calculation into digestible modules."

"Excellent course! It demystifies the statistical component of grant writing."

"It clearly explains how to conceptualize study design and variables in a grant context."

"I found it prepared me well for talking to biostatisticians without getting bogged down in jargon."

Highly relevant for grant writing and researcher communication.

"This course was incredibly helpful for navigating the biostatistical aspects of my grant proposal."

"A solid introduction to biostatistics in the context of grant writing."

"It truly helps to align my research scope with statistical feasibility."

"I learned to use practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work in grant proposal writing."

Some learners wished for more hands-on calculation practice.

"I expected more hands-on examples for actual power calculations. It feels more conceptual than practical in some areas."

"I found it a bit too high-level... More examples or practical exercises would have been beneficial."

"While it's great for understanding the *why* of biostatistics in grants, I struggled with the *how*."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Biostatistics Study Design and Analysis for Grant Writing with these activities:

Read 'Statistical Methods for Psychology' by Dale Lehman.

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This course builds upon several of the concepts from the primary text in this course. Completing this book before the class will provide a solid foundation for the course.

View Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise... on Amazon

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Read Chapter 1: Introduction to Statistics.
Read Chapter 2: Linear Regression.

Review linear regression.

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This course relies on learners already knowing how to compute a linear regression model and interpret the results. Review those concepts before beginning the course to enhance success.

Browse courses on Linear Regression

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Review the linear regression formula and key assumptions.
Identify use cases where linear regression is the appropriate modeling strategy.
Practice fitting and evaluating a linear regression model using a programming language you are comfortable with.

Complete the Coursera tutorial on ANOVA.

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ANOVA is a key topic covered in this course. Following along with this tutorial will provide an introductory overview of the topic.

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Follow the Coursera tutorial on ANOVA.
Complete the practice exercises provided in the tutorial.

Six other activities

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Solve 20 practice problems on hypothesis testing.

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Hypothesis testing plays a key role in statistical research. Solving a series of practice problems will help to solidify the key concepts.

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Find a set of 20 practice problems on hypothesis testing.
Solve the problems, showing all of your work.
Check your answers against the provided solutions.

Write a blog post explaining logistic regression.

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Logistic regression will be covered in this course. Creating a blog post will help master the material by organizing and summarizing it to then be able to clearly explain it.

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Explain the concept of logistic regression.
Provide examples of how logistic regression is used in practice.
Walk through a simple logistic regression example using a programming language or statistical software.

Attend a workshop on statistical power analysis.

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Statistical power analysis is an important topic covered in this course. Attending a workshop will provide an in-depth understanding of the topic.

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Identify a workshop on statistical power analysis that fits your schedule and interests.
Register for the workshop.
Attend the workshop and actively participate in the activities.

Join a study group and meet weekly to discuss the course material.

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Collaborative learning can greatly improve learning outcomes. This activity provides learners with an opportunity to work with peers to solidify their knowledge and understanding.

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Identify 2-3 other learners who are interested in forming a study group.
Meet weekly to discuss the course material.
Review the lecture notes and assigned readings before each meeting.
Take turns leading the discussion and presenting your understanding of the material.

Create a collection of resources on statistical methods.

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This course covers a wide range of statistical methods. Creating a collection of resources will help to organize and summarize the materials for easier reference.

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Identify and gather resources on statistical methods, such as articles, tutorials, and videos.
Organize the resources into a coherent structure.
Share the collection with other learners.

Conduct a small-scale statistical analysis project.

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This course aims to prepare students to conduct statistical analysis. Completing a small-scale project is a great way to apply the knowledge and skills gained from the course.

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Identify a research question that you are interested in exploring.
Collect data relevant to your research question.
Analyze the data using statistical methods.
Write a report summarizing your findings.

Career center

Learners who complete Biostatistics Study Design and Analysis for Grant Writing will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We've selected 50 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Biostatistics Study Design and Analysis for Grant Writing.

Python for Data Analysis

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The third edition of the essential guide to data wrangling with pandas, NumPy, and Jupyter in Python. Updated for newer versions of the libraries, this book remains a core resource for anyone performing data analysis in Python. It widely used textbook and reference for its clear explanations and practical examples.

Biostatistics Study Design and Analysis for Grant Writing

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What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

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Reviews summary

Biostatistics essentials for grant writing

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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