Educational resources to make the best out of the corona break
Around the world, many researchers have found themselves in self-isolation, and are unable to continue performing lab-based studies. However, this can be an opportunity to learn and expand professional and scientific horizons. We have created a list of resources to help you make the best of this strange and challenging time, and increase the quality of your research in the future.
I want to…
1. …manage my data better.
Name | Best Practices for Biomedical Research Data Management |
Type of resource | Online course from Harvard Medical School |
Details | Topics related to research data management (e.g. data types & formats, data storage & archiving, data sharing, policies, data management plans) |
Credit available? | Free certificate |
URL | |
More information | If you are members of BIH/Charité/MDC: For further resources on data management and data sharing, with a discipline-specific focus where available, please contact evgeny.bobrov@bihealth.de. He will also support you with your implementation of RDM practices (e.g. documenting and validating data, choosing a repository, finding data for reuse, writing a data management plan) |
2. …try out systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
2.1. …with a focus on systematic reviews and meta-analyses of clinical data
Name | Cochrane Interactive Learning |
Type of resource | Online courses from Cochrane Center, available free to members of the Charité |
Details | Introduction to conducting systematic reviews for intervention studies |
Credit available? | Certificate |
URL | Instructions on how to register: https://bit.ly/ChariteSR Cochrane Interactive Learning: https://bit.ly/3bqNfYy |
2.2. …with a focus on systematics reviews and meta-analyses of animal/preclinical studies
Name | Systematic Reviews of Animal Studies |
Type of resource | Online course from SYRCLE (SYstematic Review Center for Laboratory animal Experimentation, Radboud University) |
Details | Introduction to conducting systematic reviews in animal studies |
Credit available? | Unclear |
URL | https://bit.ly/2WThYtl (use registration code “syrcle”!) |
More information | If you are members of BIH/Charité/MDC: we have a new facility to help researchers plan and perform systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies: CAMARADES (Collaborative Approach to Meta-analysis & Review of Data from Experimental Studies) Contact: sarah.mccann@charite.de; bit.ly/CAMARADESberlin
Read about why we perform systematic reviews of animal studies: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4013765/ |
3. …brush up on statistics.
Name | Points of Significance |
Type of resource | Nature Collection of explanatory articles designed for biologists |
Details | Curated collection of short pieces on key concepts in statistics |
Credit available? | no |
URL | |
More information | A link to similar resources from other publishers: go.nature.com/3dDsLxE |
Name | Improving Your Statistical Inference |
Type of resource | Intermediate Coursera online course from Daniel Lakens |
Details | Learn to better understand statistics for empirical research and experimental design |
Credit available? | Basic participation free, can pay to fully enroll and have access to all course materials and certificate of completion |
URL |
4. …improve my programming skills.
4.1. …by learning R:
Name | RStudio’s Beginners’ Site |
Type of resource | Online resource collection |
Details | Step-by-step installation instructions and recommended reading from the makers of RStudio. In the Primer Section you can program yourself in your browser and practice on exercises |
Credit available? | No |
URL |
Name | R Programming |
Type of resource | Beginner online course from Coursera and Johns Hopkins University |
Details | Provides and introduction to R and practical issues in statistical computing |
Credit available? | Basic participation free, can pay to fully enroll and have access to all course materials and certificate of completion |
URL |
4.2. …by learning Python:
Name | Learn Python 3 |
Type of resource | Online Course from Codecademy |
Details | Introduction to general programming concepts with Python. Free version offers interactive lessons and daily practice, pro version has additional resources and “portfolio-building” function |
Credit available? | No |
URL |
4.3. …by learning version control with Git:
Name | GitHub Learning Lab |
Type of resource | Online resource collection |
Details | Courses and project from the makers of GitHub to help users improve their version control |
Credit available? | No |
URL | |
More information | GitLab also has online training available: bit.ly/2UiFn5r |
5. …improve my peer review skills.
Name | Science of Science Reading List |
Type of resource | Curated list of helpful papers |
Details | Helps potential peer reviewers learn to identify & fix common problems with scientific papers |
Credit available? | No |
URL |
Name | Publons Academy Course |
Type of resource | Online course from Publons aimed at early career researchers |
Details | Interactive course with exercises and feedback from mentors |
Credit available? | No |
URL | |
More information | Many publishing companies also offer free “in-house” for peer reviewers. Here are a few examples: · Nature: go.nature.com/3bnjOGH · Elsevier: bit.ly/2WGX5kJ · Wiley: https://bit.ly/2Uzd8yy · Wolters-Kluwers: https://bit.ly/33J78ao The EQUATOR Network also provides excellent field-specific guidance and guidelines for reviewers: bit.ly/3aikrkR |
6. …plan new and better experiments for when I get back to the lab.
6.1. …with support in pre-registering my new study:
Name | Aspredicted |
Type of resource | Tool to generate quick preregistration template for you and your coauthors |
Details | Asks a series of simple questions about your study and generates a (citeable) PDF and URL for your project |
Credit available? | No |
URL | |
More information | The Open Science Framework also provides templates and online infrastructure for project preregistrations: https://bit.ly/3btPdYc If you’re conducting preclinical experiments, you can also consider the Preclinicaltrials.eu database: bit.ly/39n8VTI |
6.2. …with support in designing my new animal experiments:
Name | Experimental Design Assistant |
Type of resource | Online tool from NC3Rs |
Details | Helps streamline and reduce bias in planning of animal studies |
Credit available? | No |
URL | |
More information | The NC3rRs also has lots of e-learning opportunities for improving scientific practice and animal welfare: bit.ly/2QKcjBO |
6.3. …with support in improving existing protocols:
Name | protocols.io |
Type of resource | Webinar from protocols.io |
Details | Learn how to share and cite your protocols to make your research more transparent and reproducible |
Credit available? | No |
URL |
Name | Webinar Report: Everything you need to know about Research Resource Identifiers |
Type of resource | Webinar from eLife |
Details | Ever had problems implementing a protocol because you couldn’t determine what animal, antibody, plasmid, software tool, etc. the authors used? Find out how you can use research resource identifiers to quickly solve this problem. |
Credit available? | No |
URL |
6.4. …learning how to document experiments in an electronic laboratory notebook:
Name | Electronic Laboratory Notebook Training |
Type of resource | Online training from the QUEST Center |
Details | A short course in English or German on how to use electronic lab notebooks |
Credit available? | No |
URL | |
More information | If you are members of BIH/Charité/MDC: For more information, contact ingo.przesdzing@charite.de |
7. …make better figures.
Name | Webinar Report: Transforming data visualisation to improve transparency and reproducibility |
Type of resource | Webinar from eLife |
Details | Find out why you shouldn’t use a bar graph for continuous data, and what to use instead |
Credit available? | No |
URL | |
More information | Twitter thread outlining some of the key concepts: https://bit.ly/39ngV7e |
Name | Sample Size Matters |
Type of resource | Online course from the Mayo Clinic, 9-12 hours, $50 USD |
Details | Learn to identify and fix common problems with data visualization and analysis in small sample size studies |
Credit available? | Certificate |
URL |
Name | Data visualization, bar naked: A free tool for creating interactive graphics |
Type of resource | Paper and accompanying resources for visualizing and interacting with data |
Details | Using small sample-size studies, the authors provide examples of best (and worst!) practices, as well as tools to explore them yourself |
Credit available? | No |
URL | |
More information | Want to learn more about transforming data visualization? Check out this paper: bit.ly/2UmbykH |
8. …work on my scientific writing and reporting.
Name | Writing in the Sciences |
Type of resource | Online course from Coursera and Stanford |
Details | This course teaches scientists to become more effective writers, using practical examples and exercises |
Credit available? | Basic participation free, can pay to fully enroll and have access to all course materials and certificate of completion |
URL |
Name | Massive Science |
Type of resource | Online training for authors from Massive Science |
Details | One-time membership fee ($10 USD) provides training on scientific communication, with emphasis on narrative and sharing findings with non-scientific audience |
Credit available? | No, but you can write for their online publication after you’ve finished the training |
URL |