How do I install the Research Methodology skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add revfactory/research-methodology-2 in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Research Methodology safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: PASS. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Research Methodology?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Research Methodology free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Research Methodology?

revfactory (@revfactory) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Research Methodology by revfactory — Agent Skill

Name: Research Methodology
Author: revfactory

Research Methodology

Research methodology guide. Referenced by the research-designer and statistical-analyst agents when selecting research designs and analysis methods. Use for 'research methodology', 'experiment design', or 'statistical analysis' requests. Actual data collection and IRB review processing are out of scope.

revfactory Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Research Methodology — Research Methodology Guide

Enhances the methodology design capabilities of the research-designer and statistical-analyst agents.

Research Design Types

Quantitative Research

Design	Purpose	Variable Control	Causal Inference
Experiment (RCT)	Verify causation	High	Strong
Quasi-experiment	Causation (limited control)	Medium	Medium
Correlational Study	Identify relationships	Low	Weak
Survey	Assess current status	None	None
Longitudinal Study	Change over time	Varies	Medium

Qualitative Research

Design	Purpose	Data Collection
Case Study	Deep contextual understanding	Interviews, observation, documents
Grounded Theory	Theory generation	Interviews, field notes
Phenomenology	Essence of experience	In-depth interviews
Ethnography	Cultural/group understanding	Participant observation

Mixed Methods

Sequential: Quantitative -> Qualitative (explain results)
            Qualitative -> Quantitative (generate hypotheses)
Concurrent: Quantitative + Qualitative (triangulation)

Sampling Design

Sample Size Calculation

Quantitative (mean comparison):
  n = (Z_alpha/2 + Z_beta)^2 x 2*sigma^2 / d^2

  Z_alpha/2 = 1.96 (significance level 0.05)
  Z_beta = 0.84 (power 80%)
  sigma = standard deviation (from prior research)
  d = effect size (minimum meaningful difference)

Survey:
  n = Z^2 x p(1-p) / e^2
  Z = 1.96, p = 0.5 (maximum variance), e = margin of error

  e.g.: 95% confidence, 5% margin -> n = 384 participants

Sampling Methods

Method	Description	Suitable For
Simple Random	Random from population	Small, homogeneous populations
Stratified	Proportional by subgroup	Heterogeneous populations
Cluster	By natural group unit	Region-based surveys
Convenience	Accessible participants	Exploratory research (limited)

Statistical Analysis Method Selection

Analysis Method Decision Tree

Q1: Variable type?
+-- Continuous -> Q2
+-- Categorical -> Q3

Q2: Number of comparison groups?
+-- 1-2 -> t-test (independent/paired)
+-- 3+ -> ANOVA
+-- Relationship analysis -> Regression/Correlation

Q3: Number of variables?
+-- 2 -> Chi-square
+-- 3+ -> Logistic regression

Key Statistical Methods Summary

Method	Purpose	Requirements	Reported Items
t-test	Compare 2 group means	Normality, equal variance	t, df, p, Cohen's d
ANOVA	Compare 3+ group means	Normality, equal variance	F, df, p, partial eta-squared
Chi-square	Categorical variable relationship	Expected frequency >= 5	chi-square, df, p, Cramer's V
Correlation	Relationship between 2 variables	Linearity	r, p
Regression	Prediction/explanation	Linearity, independence	beta, R-squared, p, VIF

Effect Size Guide

Metric	Small	Medium	Large
Cohen's d	0.2	0.5	0.8
r (correlation)	0.1	0.3	0.5
partial eta-squared (ANOVA)	0.01	0.06	0.14
R-squared (regression)	0.02	0.13	0.26

Research Ethics

IRB Considerations

Item	Verification
Informed Consent	Research purpose, procedure, risks, voluntariness
Personal Data	De-identification, retention period, destruction
Vulnerable Populations	Special protections for minors, patients
Conflicts of Interest	Funding source, interest disclosure

Quality Checklist

Item	Criteria
Research Question	PICO or SPIDER structure
Design Fit	Design matches the research question
Sampling	Calculation basis + sampling method
Analysis Method	Suited to data characteristics
Effect Size	Statistical significance + practical meaning
Ethics	IRB approval or exemption justification

---name: research-methodology-2description: Research methodology guide. Referenced by the research-designer and statistical-analyst agents when selecting research designs and analysis methods. Use for 'research methodology', 'experiment design', or 'statistical analysis' requests. Actual data collection and IRB review processing are out of scope.---# Research Methodology — Research Methodology GuideEnhances the methodology design capabilities of the research-designer and statistical-analyst agents.## Research Design Types### Quantitative Research| Design | Purpose | Variable Control | Causal Inference ||--------|---------|-----------------|-----------------|| Experiment (RCT) | Verify causation | High | Strong || Quasi-experiment | Causation (limited control) | Medium | Medium || Correlational Study | Identify relationships | Low | Weak || Survey | Assess current status | None | None || Longitudinal Study | Change over time | Varies | Medium |### Qualitative Research| Design | Purpose | Data Collection ||--------|---------|----------------|| Case Study | Deep contextual understanding | Interviews, observation, documents || Grounded Theory | Theory generation | Interviews, field notes || Phenomenology | Essence of experience | In-depth interviews || Ethnography | Cultural/group understanding | Participant observation |### Mixed Methods```Sequential: Quantitative -> Qualitative (explain results) Qualitative -> Quantitative (generate hypotheses)Concurrent: Quantitative + Qualitative (triangulation)```## Sampling Design### Sample Size Calculation```Quantitative (mean comparison): n = (Z_alpha/2 + Z_beta)^2 x 2*sigma^2 / d^2 Z_alpha/2 = 1.96 (significance level 0.05) Z_beta = 0.84 (power 80%) sigma = standard deviation (from prior research) d = effect size (minimum meaningful difference)Survey: n = Z^2 x p(1-p) / e^2 Z = 1.96, p = 0.5 (maximum variance), e = margin of error e.g.: 95% confidence, 5% margin -> n = 384 participants```### Sampling Methods| Method | Description | Suitable For ||--------|------------|-------------|| Simple Random | Random from population | Small, homogeneous populations || Stratified | Proportional by subgroup | Heterogeneous populations || Cluster | By natural group unit | Region-based surveys || Convenience | Accessible participants | Exploratory research (limited) |## Statistical Analysis Method Selection### Analysis Method Decision Tree```Q1: Variable type?+-- Continuous -> Q2+-- Categorical -> Q3Q2: Number of comparison groups?+-- 1-2 -> t-test (independent/paired)+-- 3+ -> ANOVA+-- Relationship analysis -> Regression/CorrelationQ3: Number of variables?+-- 2 -> Chi-square+-- 3+ -> Logistic regression```### Key Statistical Methods Summary| Method | Purpose | Requirements | Reported Items ||--------|---------|-------------|---------------|| t-test | Compare 2 group means | Normality, equal variance | t, df, p, Cohen's d || ANOVA | Compare 3+ group means | Normality, equal variance | F, df, p, partial eta-squared || Chi-square | Categorical variable relationship | Expected frequency >= 5 | chi-square, df, p, Cramer's V || Correlation | Relationship between 2 variables | Linearity | r, p || Regression | Prediction/explanation | Linearity, independence | beta, R-squared, p, VIF |### Effect Size Guide| Metric | Small | Medium | Large ||--------|-------|--------|-------|| Cohen's d | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.8 || r (correlation) | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.5 || partial eta-squared (ANOVA) | 0.01 | 0.06 | 0.14 || R-squared (regression) | 0.02 | 0.13 | 0.26 |## Research Ethics### IRB Considerations| Item | Verification ||------|-------------|| Informed Consent | Research purpose, procedure, risks, voluntariness || Personal Data | De-identification, retention period, destruction || Vulnerable Populations | Special protections for minors, patients || Conflicts of Interest | Funding source, interest disclosure |## Quality Checklist| Item | Criteria ||------|----------|| Research Question | PICO or SPIDER structure || Design Fit | Design matches the research question || Sampling | Calculation basis + sampling method || Analysis Method | Suited to data characteristics || Effect Size | Statistical significance + practical meaning || Ethics | IRB approval or exemption justification |

Frequently asked questions