This User’s Guide is a resource for investigators and stakeholders who develop and review observational comparative effectiveness research protocols. It explains how to (1) identify key considerations and best practices for research design; (2) build a protocol based on these standards and best practices; and (3) judge the adequacy and completeness of a protocol. Eleven chapters cover all aspects of research design, including: developing study objectives, defining and refining study questions, addressing the heterogeneity of treatment effect, characterizing exposure, selecting a comparator, defining and measuring outcomes, and identifying optimal data sources. Checklists of guidance and key considerations for protocols are provided at the end of each chapter. The User’s Guide was created by researchers affiliated with AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program, particularly those who participated in AHRQ’s DEcIDE (Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions About Effectiveness) program. Chapters were subject to multiple internal and external independent reviews. More more information, please consult the Agency website: www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov)

Health researchers, the intended audience of this book, are not limited to scientists pursuing a research career. They include health professionals, administrators, policymakers and non-governmental organizations, among others, who can and should use the scientific method to guide their work for improving the health of individuals and communities. Even if they do not pursue much research themselves, they need to grasp the principles of the scientific method, to understand the value and also the limitations of science, and to be able to assess and evaluate results of research before applying them. This book includes the following chapters: Introduction and overview; ethics in health research; what research to do; planning the research; writing the research protocol; submitting a research proposal; implementing the research project; describing and analysing the research results; communicating research; guidelines on writing a scientific paper; publishing a scientific paper; guidelines on making a scientific presentation; assessing and evaluating research.

This guide has been prepared by the IUCN Environmental Law Programme and the Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD), in cooperation with the World Resources Institute (WRI). The main goal of the guide is to facilitate the understanding of the obligations of Parties to the Protocol, by providing an information base on the content and origin of the Protocol provisions, accessible to the non-specialist and useful for those who will be involved in the development and implementation of national safety frameworks.

In 1992, at the Earth Summit in Rio, the United Nations adopted the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to agree international measures aimed at preserving the vital ecosystems and biological resources on which we all depend. This is the official handbook to the Convention and presents all the most important information about the CBD, including a guide to the decisions adopted and to ongoing activities. It is an essential resource for all the governments, intergovernmental agencies, NGOs and conservation bodies and researchers working in this area. Included with the book is a fully indexed and cross-referenced CD-ROM containing all the relevant background material to the Convention, linked to relevant decisions and other sources of information.