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Introductory research workshops at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

Towards the end of February, at a time before the hashtag for COVID-19 was even invented, the Bakeng se Afrika team at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) assembled their best task team to share their knowledge and skills with the larger scientific and student communities at SMU.

From 26th February to 11th March 2020, 27 attendees participated in a two-week workshop at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, which had attracted staff and students alike. Hot topics discussed during this workshop started off with a refresher module on the bread and butter of contemporary research: the technicalities of Microsoft Word and Excel. We all know that knowing how to use these two programs effectively (and the secret functionalities built into them) make life much easier! And let us all be honest, no one really understands all the mysterious powers of Excel.


In the two days that followed, attendees had the opportunity to learn how to design projects to answer all of those burning scientific questions of the future, whilst learning about the essentials of compiling a structured research protocol for successful study design.


Geometric morphometrics was the buzzword of the Monday morning discussion session for the individuals who treat science like it is an extreme sport. After that, attendees revisited the main concepts of basic statistics and data analysis, with focus on the relevant applications of SPSS, followed by a separate discussion later that day, for those with the stamina for the basics of R and R-studio software.


The instrument of preference at Bakeng se Africa usually involves some sort of state-of-the-art scanning technology. The task team, therefore, saw fit to relay everything they have learnt about open-source 3D imaging software and provide an introductory course on MeVislab image processing software.


In the final stretch of this workshop, the Bakeng task team helped attendees learn to do proper referencing using the Zotero- (free) and Mendeley referencing softwares, followed by a light discussion on manuscript writing. The last day of the two-week workshop was reserved for the artistically inclined, with a module on figure editing. The day was rounded off with a revisited discussion on manuscript writing.


Originally, this two-week workshop would have been hosted for a second time with our colleagues from the Bakeng se Africa Stellenbosch University division and accompanied students, as well as any interested individuals who missed the opportunity to attend the first workshop. Unfortunately, the sudden arrival of COVID-19 in South Africa led to the workshop being cancelled until further notice.


We would like to thank everyone involved with the SMU task team, the Department of Histology and Anatomy as well as the Skills Centre at SMU, for hosting and/or contributing to the workshop: Prof Anna Oettlé, Busisiwe Maseko, Franci Swanepoel, Daniël van Tonder, Dr Lané Prigge, Sirasha Naidoo, Suvasha Jagesur, Sabashnee Govender, Ruth Kobedi, among others.

Edwin de Jager

Bakeng se Afrika Research Assistant

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

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