RUO-L2 · Version 1.0, effective August 2026
RUO Certification Level II curriculum
Advanced independent research principles. 7 modules, 22 lessons, about 5 hours of reading.
Module 1
Research Questions, Hypotheses, and Protocols
How to move from curiosity to a written, defensible research plan before any material is touched.
- From curiosity to a research question, 12 min
- Developing a hypothesis, 12 min
- Writing a research protocol, 14 min
Module 2
Experimental Design, Variables, and Controls
The structural elements that separate a controlled comparison from an anecdote: variables, controls, and measurement choices.
- Independent, dependent, and confounding variables, 13 min
- Controls and meaningful comparison, 13 min
- Choosing measurement methods, 12 min
Module 3
Bias, Confounding, and Reproducibility
How research goes wrong even when everyone involved is honest, and what makes a finding trustworthy to someone else.
- Common sources of bias, 12 min
- Reproducibility as the standard, 12 min
- Practical bias reduction without institutional resources, 11 min
Module 4
Advanced Recordkeeping and Data Integrity
Recordkeeping practices that would survive being read by someone skeptical of you, including yourself six months later.
- Separating raw data from interpretation, 12 min
- Version control and change logs, 11 min
- Common integrity failures, 11 min
Module 5
Evidence Hierarchy and Reading the Literature
How to weigh different kinds of scientific evidence and read a published study for what it actually claims.
- The evidence hierarchy, 12 min
- The anatomy of a published study, 13 min
- Claims versus the sources cited for them, 12 min
Module 6
Analytical Testing in Depth
A working literacy in HPLC and mass spectrometry sufficient to interpret analytical reports critically, and a clear sense of what these methods cannot tell you.
- HPLC literacy, 14 min
- Mass spectrometry literacy, 14 min
- The limits of analytical testing, 12 min
Module 7
Research Ethics and the Human Subjects Framework
Adverse event documentation concepts, and the federal framework that governs research involving people, so you can recognize when a project has crossed into territory requiring formal authorization or professional guidance.
- Adverse event documentation concepts, 13 min
- IRB review, informed consent, and the Common Rule, 15 min
- The IND framework, sponsors, and investigators, 15 min
- State versus federal regulation, and when to seek additional guidance, 14 min