Section A Introducing research and epidemiology 1 Why do epidemiologic research? A South African perspective; Rodney Ehrlich, Judy Katzenellenbogen, Stephen Tollman, John Gear 2. Key concepts in epidemiology 2a Causation Rodney Ehrlich 2b Levels of prevention; Judy Katzenellenbogen, Margaret Hoffman 2c Measures of frequency of health events; Gina Joubert 2d Demography; Gina Joubert 3 Research ethics, human rights and community participation 3a Ethics, advocacy and human rights; Guide to research ethics committee submission; Jerome Singh 3b Community participation; Ashraf Kagee, Leslie Swartz Section B Epidemiological research methods and protocol development 4 Planning a research project; Gina Joubert, Judy Katzenellebogen 5 Setting objectives for research; Gina Joubert, Judy Katzenellebogen 6 Literature review Taryn Young; Jimmy Volmink 7 Study design Chelsea Morroni, Landon Myer 8 Population and sampling; Gina Joubert, Judy Katzenellebogen 9 Data collection and measurement; Gina Joubert, Judy Katzenellebogen Section C Analysis and presentation 10 Exploring, summarising and presenting data; Gina Joubert 11 Analysing and interpreting epidemiological data; Gina Joubert 12 Precision and validity in epidemiological studies: error, bias and confounding; Landon Myer, Salim Abdool-Karim 13 Writing a research report; Rodney Ehrlich Section D Applications of epidemiology 14 Routine health information systems and disease surveillance; David Coetzee, Hassan Mahomed 15 Burden of disease and mortality studies; Debbie Bradshaw 16 Social epidemiology; Landon Myer, Rodney Ehrlich 17 Infectious disease epidemiology; David Coetzee 18 Outbreak investigation; David Coetzee, Nicol Coetzee, Carol Metcalf 19 Noncommunicable disease epidemiology; Kirsty Bobrow, Rodney Ehrlich 20 Environmental epidemiology; Angela Mathee 21 Occupational epidemiology; Rajen Naidoo 22 Measuring disability; Marguerite Schneider 23 Mental health epidemiology; Crick Lund 24 Nutritional epidemiology; Corinna Walsh, Gina Joubert 25 Clinical Epidemiology; Landon Myer Section E Adjuncts to epidemiologic research 26 Health systems research; Helen Schneider 27 Qualitative research methodology: an introduction; Donald Skinner Appendices I Standardisation; Gina Joubert II Random number table; Gina Joubert III Sample size determination, Rauf Sayed.