As researchers, we are trained to evaluate a study and protocol for scientific value, feasibility of execution, and risk/benefit ratio.  However, when it comes to recruitment, we must view our study through the lens of a potential participant.  Why should they care about this study? What have you done to make it easy for them to participate, and why should they take time out of their day? These "sales" skills are also critically valuable in the development and design of future protocols.  It will always be easier to recruit for a study that has taken the motivations and abilities of its target population into consideration. 

Join the NC TraCS Research Recruitment and Retention Program to learn how to critically evaluate your study from the perspective of the individuals you'll be approaching.  Identify the facilitators, barriers, gains, and pains that might influence someone's willingness to join your study - then, learn how to highlight your strengths when pitching the study to a potential participant.

Recruitment Series Sessions

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The NC TraCS Recruitment and Retention Program is a 4-part recruitment series culminating in a hands-on material design workshop. In this series, you will learn how to effectively pitch your study, communicate your study to a broad audience, and create eye-catching recruitment materials.

This course will be offered via Zoom only. However, this course will not be recorded.

Structural equation modeling (SEM) is a general statistical method that can be employed to test theoretically derived models. In this introductory short course, we cover the fundamental concepts and skills to conduct SEM using R/lavaan and Mplus. Specifically, we will use real data with a step-by-step implementation in R/lavaan and mplus:

1. to conduct confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to evaluate measurement validity,
2. to conduct structural equation modeling with latent variables to test/confirm a theoretically derived model,
3. to understand statistical indices measuring the goodness-of-fit of a model.

Instructor Bio:
Professor Din Chen is the Wallace H. Kuralt Distinguished Professor at the School of Social Work and a professor in biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health. He has been teaching a graduate-level SEM class at the School of Social Work since 2015. Professor Chen is an elected fellow of the American Statistical Association, an elected member of the International Statistical Institute, and a fellow of the Society of Social Work and Research. He has written more than 200 refereed publications and has co-authored/co-edited 33 books on statistics and biostatistics.

Registration fees

• $20 deposit required to hold your spot (deposit is refundable upon your attendance for at least 66% of the course)

Register

This class will be offered via Zoom ONLY. Registration closes at 12:01am on 9/19/2021.