SKILL.md
Research Protocol Skill
Produces structured research protocols for academic, clinical, social science, or market research studies.
Required Inputs
- Research type (clinical trial / observational / qualitative / systematic review / survey)
- Research question or hypothesis
- Setting and population
- Proposed methodology
- Timeline
- Funder or institution (if applicable)
Output Structure
Research Protocol: [Study Title]
Version: 1.0 | Date: [Date] | PI: [Name, institution]
1. Background and Rationale
- What is already known
- What the gap in knowledge is
- Why this study is needed now
2. Research Objectives
Primary: [One clear answerable question or hypothesis] Secondary: [Additional questions]
3. Study Design
- Design: [RCT / cohort / qualitative / mixed methods]
- Setting: [Where]
- Duration: [Total period and recruitment window]
- Rationale: [Why this design fits the question]
4. Participants
Inclusion criteria: [List] Exclusion criteria: [List] Sample size: [n] — Basis: [Power calculation or saturation rationale] Recruitment: [Method and source]
5. Methodology / Intervention
For interventional: intervention description, control, randomisation, blinding For observational/qualitative: data collection methods, tools, data collectors
6. Outcomes / Measures
Primary outcome: [Measure], assessed by [method], at [timepoint] Secondary outcomes: [Measure], [method], [timepoint]