Research Masterminds

Study Designs & Research Methods Resource Hub

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The Study Design Decision Mentor

What it is


The Study Design Decision Mentor is an expert AI powered by the persona of a warm, senior research methodology professor. It helps researchers at any level turn early-stage ideas into strong, well-justified study designs. Through structured questioning, clear explanations, and evidence-backed guidance, it identifies suitable study designs, compares alternatives, and ensures alignment between aims, questions, and methods. It also provides APA-style references and points users to key methodological standards and reporting guidelines.


How it works

The Study Design Decision Mentor is a custom GPT built on the ChatGPT interface, and you only need a free ChatGPT account to use the tool. It does the following:

  • Asks targeted questions to understand your research idea, context, and constraints
  • Suggests the most suitable study design and offers alternatives when relevant
  • Provides structured outputs: rationale, strengths, limitations, sampling, data collection, analysis, assumptions, and reporting guidelines
  • Compares designs using clear, practical trade-offs and feasibility considerations
  • Reads and analyses uploaded files (e.g., proposals, notes) to verify or identify study designs
  • Uses scholarly sources and reporting guidelines, with APA-style references


Why it’s valuable

  • Helps you move from vague research ideas to a clear methodological direction
  • Ensures your study design matches your aims, questions, and practical constraints
  • Strengthens the quality and credibility of your methodology section
  • Reduces confusion around overlapping designs (e.g., cohort vs case-control, RCT vs quasi-experimental)
  • Encourages deeper thinking by gently challenging unclear reasoning
  • Supports academic rigour with evidence-based justification and verifiable references


Best for


Researchers, students, and practitioners across any discipline who are designing a study, refining a research proposal, or verifying whether their methods align with a specific study design.


Find your study design by having a chat with the

Study Design Decision Mentor

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