Schedule
Eight weeks, online, one session every Saturday from 19:30 to 22:30 (Vietnam time), from 31 October to 19 December 2026: eight sessions of 3 hours (with a 15-minute break), Session n in Week n. There are no groups: the whole class works through every exercise together, and each participant builds their own proposal and manuscript as homework. Weeks 1–4 build understanding and design skills; Weeks 5–8 read the results of the simulated FLUID-ICU dataset through live instructor demos, and each participant writes them up as a manuscript. The whole course is Level 1 (course levels).
| Week | Session | Day | Theme | You build (homework) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Session 1 | Saturday 31/10/2026 | Ask | Proposal: topic, PICO, question, aims |
| 2 | Session 2 | Saturday 07/11/2026 | Find & read | Proposal: search, 5 references, problem statement, title |
| 3 | Session 3 | Saturday 14/11/2026 | Design | Proposal: design, setting, population |
| 4 | Session 4 | Saturday 21/11/2026 | Bias & effect | Proposal: exposure, outcomes, bias plan |
| 5 | Session 5 | Saturday 28/11/2026 | Data | Proposal: variables, CRF, data plan · Manuscript: Table 1 understood |
| 6 | Session 6 | Saturday 05/12/2026 | Analyse | Proposal: sample size, analysis plan · Manuscript: results interpreted |
| 7 | Session 7 | Saturday 12/12/2026 | Protect & write | Proposal: ethics, feasibility, publication plan · Manuscript: Methods + Results |
| 8 | Session 8 | Saturday 19/12/2026 | Publish | Manuscript: complete draft · Proposal submitted (about 5 volunteers present) |
Detailed timetables
| Start | Clock* | Min | Segment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | 19:30 | 20 | Welcome, course map, the two individual products, how each session runs, introductions in the chat, how we work online (chat, polls, raise hand), ground rules |
| 0:20 | 19:50 | 15 | Pre-course quiz (online form) |
| 0:35 | 20:05 | 35 | 1.1 Why research? Anecdote vs evidence, why small numbers mislead, the two course papers (Paper 1 Boulet 2024, Paper 2 Hyun 2023), evidence pyramid, research cycle, types of research, the journey from idea to publication (research vs audit vs QI is in the extra slides) |
| 1:10 | 20:40 | 15 | BREAK |
| 1:25 | 20:55 | 40 | 1.2 From problem to question: where questions come from, PICO(T) with several worked examples, descriptive vs analytical questions, vague vs answerable, FINER, whole-class task: rescue the running example |
| 2:05 | 21:35 | 20 | 1.3 Aims, objectives, hypotheses (null vs alternative) + quick individual exercise |
| 2:25 | 21:55 | 30 | Proposal builder 1: the instructor models Part 1 live on the running example (topic, PICO, research question, FINER check, aim and objectives); each participant drafts their own Part 1 (finished as homework); two volunteers share |
| 2:55 | 22:25 | 5 | Wrap-up, homework |
*Times are relative to the start of the session; the clock column shows Vietnam time for the online 19:30–22:30 session. All exercises are done by the whole class together (no groups). [DS] = course-dataset content (FLUID-ICU analysis and manuscript writing).
| Start | Clock* | Min | Segment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | 19:30 | 10 | Recap quiz |
| 0:10 | 19:40 | 40 | 2.1 Finding the evidence: search funnel, from PICO to search blocks, Boolean, MeSH, search tools, PubMed vs Google Scholar, live PubMed demo, each participant builds a Boolean search for their own question |
| 0:50 | 20:20 | 20 | 2.2 Managing and citing: reference managers (Zotero demo), citation styles, paraphrasing safely, grey literature & trial registries |
| 1:10 | 20:40 | 15 | BREAK |
| 1:25 | 20:55 | 40 | 2.3 Reading a paper in 15 minutes: IMRaD, reading order, what an abstract must contain, spin; individual reading task on Paper 1’s abstract (Boulet 2024, RCT; in Course/Papers/) |
| 2:05 | 21:35 | 15 | 2.4 From literature to introduction: literature matrix, problem-statement funnel, working title & keywords |
| 2:20 | 21:50 | 35 | Proposal builder 2: modelled live (search string, 5 references in the matrix, problem statement, working title); each participant searches and drafts their own (finished as homework); two volunteers share |
| 2:55 | 22:25 | 5 | Wrap-up |
*Times are relative to the start of the session; the clock column shows Vietnam time for the online 19:30–22:30 session. All exercises are done by the whole class together (no groups). [DS] = course-dataset content (FLUID-ICU analysis and manuscript writing).
| Start | Clock* | Min | Segment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | 19:30 | 10 | Recap quiz |
| 0:10 | 19:40 | 45 | 3.1 Study designs in pictures: descriptive vs analytical, case report/series, cross-sectional, case-control, cohort, RCT, systematic review/meta-analysis, evidence pyramid, decision tree, strengths & weaknesses, what each design can claim |
| 0:55 | 20:25 | 15 | Whole-class exercise: Name that design (6 abstracts on the fluid question; poll + chat) |
| 1:10 | 20:40 | 15 | BREAK |
| 1:25 | 20:55 | 30 | 3.2 More designs: trial variants (parallel, crossover, cluster, factorial; superiority vs non-inferiority), pilot/feasibility, before-after & interrupted time series (QI), qualitative designs; matching design to question |
| 1:55 | 21:25 | 15 | Whole-class exercise: choose the design for 5 questions (poll); each participant then names the design for their own question in the chat |
| 2:10 | 21:40 | 45 | Proposal builder 3: inclusion and exclusion criteria, then modelled live (design + justification, setting, population, inclusion/exclusion); each participant drafts their own (finished as homework); three volunteers share in the chat |
| 2:55 | 22:25 | 5 | Wrap-up |
*Times are relative to the start of the session; the clock column shows Vietnam time for the online 19:30–22:30 session. All exercises are done by the whole class together (no groups). [DS] = course-dataset content (FLUID-ICU analysis and manuscript writing).
| Start | Clock* | Min | Segment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | 19:30 | 10 | Recap quiz |
| 0:10 | 19:40 | 40 | 4.1 Bias, confounding and causation: random error vs bias, selection, information, confounding (by indication), effect modification, how designs fight bias, validity, reverse causation, Bradford Hill; spot-the-bias quiz |
| 0:50 | 20:20 | 25 | 4.2 Measuring disease and association: prevalence vs incidence, risk, 2×2, RR / OR / RD / NNT, OR vs RR; live 2×2 calculator demo |
| 1:15 | 20:45 | 15 | BREAK |
| 1:30 | 21:00 | 15 | Whole-class exercise: two 2×2 calculations, answers by poll |
| 1:45 | 21:15 | 30 | 4.3 Beyond single studies: diagnostic accuracy (sens/spec, PPV & prevalence, ROC), systematic reviews & forest plots, heterogeneity, risk-of-bias tools, “are the conclusions supported?” (whole-class task) |
| 2:15 | 21:45 | 40 | Proposal builder 4: outcomes, then modelled live (exposure & comparator, outcomes, main biases & mitigation); each participant drafts their own (finished as homework); three volunteers share in the chat |
| 2:55 | 22:25 | 5 | Wrap-up |
*Times are relative to the start of the session; the clock column shows Vietnam time for the online 19:30–22:30 session. All exercises are done by the whole class together (no groups). [DS] = course-dataset content (FLUID-ICU analysis and manuscript writing).
| Start | Clock* | Min | Segment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | 19:30 | 10 | Recap quiz |
| 0:10 | 19:40 | 35 | 5.1 Good data by design: variable types, CRF principles, data dictionary, validation, data management (EDC, double entry, audit trail, backups), preventing missing data; whole-class task: fix the CRF items |
| 0:45 | 20:15 | 25 | 5.2 [DS] Meet the course dataset: the FLUID-ICU study, raw vs clean data, the data-quality problems found, live R demo of cleaning and the cleaning log; the five questions Q1 to Q5 introduced (each participant chooses one for their manuscript by the end of Session 6) |
| 1:10 | 20:40 | 15 | BREAK |
| 1:25 | 20:55 | 35 | 5.3 Describing and showing data: mean/median, SD/IQR, shapes, which graph for which data, good vs bad figures, publication-quality tables, Table 1 |
| 2:00 | 21:30 | 25 | 5.4 [DS] Describe the course dataset: live demo of Table 1 and figures; the class reads the FLUID-ICU Table 1 and figures together |
| 2:25 | 21:55 | 30 | Proposal builder 5: modelled live (variables table, mini-CRF, data dictionary rows, data-management plan); each participant drafts their own variables table (finished as homework) |
| 2:55 | 22:25 | 5 | Wrap-up |
*Times are relative to the start of the session; the clock column shows Vietnam time for the online 19:30–22:30 session. All exercises are done by the whole class together (no groups). [DS] = course-dataset content (FLUID-ICU analysis and manuscript writing).
| Start | Clock* | Min | Segment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | 19:30 | 10 | Recap quiz |
| 0:10 | 19:40 | 40 | 6.1 From sample to population: CI, p-values & misinterpretations, one-sided vs two-sided tests, type I/II errors, power, sample size (5-minute live demo), choosing a test (decision table), paired vs unpaired, multiple comparisons |
| 0:50 | 20:20 | 20 | 6.2 [DS] Compare groups in the course dataset: live demo (t-test / Mann-Whitney / chi-square); the class interprets the outputs together (Q1 in full, Q2 to Q5 briefly) |
| 1:10 | 20:40 | 15 | BREAK |
| 1:25 | 20:55 | 35 | 6.3 Relationships and models: correlation, linear and logistic regression, adjustment, reading a regression table, overfitting, censoring and Kaplan-Meier curves (prediction/ML and interaction in the extra slides) |
| 2:00 | 21:30 | 25 | 6.4 [DS] Model the course dataset: the SAP that was written before the analysis, crude vs adjusted OR (confounding by indication made visible), Kaplan-Meier + Cox HR, complete-case vs multiple imputation |
| 2:25 | 21:55 | 30 | Proposal builder 6: modelled live (sample size, analysis plan, confounders, missing-data plan); each participant drafts their own sample-size inputs (finished as homework) |
| 2:55 | 22:25 | 5 | Wrap-up |
*Times are relative to the start of the session; the clock column shows Vietnam time for the online 19:30–22:30 session. All exercises are done by the whole class together (no groups). [DS] = course-dataset content (FLUID-ICU analysis and manuscript writing).
| Start | Clock* | Min | Segment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | 19:30 | 10 | Recap quiz |
| 0:10 | 19:40 | 30 | 7.1 Protocol, ethics and consent: protocol (SPIRIT), Helsinki & GCP, ethics committee journey, registration, consent incl. ICU consent, confidentiality, feasibility |
| 0:40 | 20:10 | 20 | 7.2 Research integrity: FFP, duplicate/salami, authorship, conflicts of interest, data sharing, AI use; scenario poll |
| 1:00 | 20:30 | 15 | Proposal builder 7: modelled live (ethics, registration, feasibility, publication plan); participants draft their own Part 4 as homework |
| 1:15 | 20:45 | 15 | BREAK |
| 1:30 | 21:00 | 35 | 7.3 Writing the paper (I): writing order, Methods (incl. statistical paragraph), Results (participants first, numbers with CIs, no interpretation), stand-alone tables & figures, STROBE for the course-dataset paper |
| 2:05 | 21:35 | 45 | [DS] Manuscript workshop 1: the instructor drafts Methods + Results for Q1 live with the class (30 min); each participant then starts the Methods + Results (~600 words) for their chosen question, with Table 1 and one figure/table from its results pack (15 min, finished as homework) |
| 2:50 | 22:20 | 10 | Key words, wrap-up, exit question, homework |
*Times are relative to the start of the session; the clock column shows Vietnam time for the online 19:30–22:30 session. All exercises are done by the whole class together (no groups). [DS] = course-dataset content (FLUID-ICU analysis and manuscript writing).
| Start | Clock* | Min | Segment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | 19:30 | 5 | Recap |
| 0:05 | 19:35 | 25 | 8.1 Writing the paper (II): Introduction funnel, Discussion six moves, calibrated language, abstract, title & keywords, before you submit |
| 0:30 | 20:00 | 30 | [DS] Manuscript workshop 2: Introduction, Discussion, Abstract and Title modelled live on Q1 (22 min); each participant writes their own aim and title (8 min) and completes their draft as homework |
| 1:00 | 20:30 | 20 | 8.2 Getting published: reporting guidelines (EQUATOR demo), choosing a journal, predatory journals, submission package, peer review, responding to reviewers (preprints, rejection, proofs and conference abstracts in the extra slides) |
| 1:20 | 20:50 | 15 | BREAK |
| 1:35 | 21:05 | 25 | 8.3 Be the reviewer: simplified appraisal of Papers 1 and 2 (Boulet 2024 RCT and Hyun 2023 cohort, in Course/Papers/) with the whole class, using the 10-question checklist, as training for the individual peer review after the course |
| 2:00 | 21:30 | 45 | Volunteer presentations: about 5 volunteers present their own research proposal + publication plan (6 min + 2 min feedback each), then a 5-minute closing round; everyone submits slides and the written proposal |
| 2:45 | 22:15 | 15 | Post-course quiz, evaluation, next steps (individual peer review of one peer’s manuscript as homework) |
*Times are relative to the start of the session; the clock column shows Vietnam time for the online 19:30–22:30 session. All exercises are done by the whole class together (no groups). [DS] = course-dataset content (FLUID-ICU analysis and manuscript writing).