About The Research Companion

Do you need help in planning a social or health research project?

Are you struggling to find papers, critically evaluate evidence, or complete a study?

Is research new to you, or are you in need of advice around managing a research team?

Do you want help with finding funding and applying for grants?

Or perhaps you’re seeking ideas for writing successful academic dissertations or papers?

Perhaps someone’s asked you to be in a study and you’d like to know more about how research works?

You could be a methods geek like me, or a student in the social sciences, health or development at undergraduate, postgraduate or postdoctoral level. You could be a development, education, health or social care professional. You might be a third sector/charity worker.

Whoever you are, and wherever you are, welcome to The Research Companion project.

This is a peer-led and story based scheme that aims to help you complete research effectively, ethically and safely in ways you – and your participants – appreciate.

What does this project have to offer you?

Firstly, there’s my self-help book for researchers The Research Companion: a practical guide for those in the social sciences, health and development (2nd Ed), Routledge. It covers all the practical stuff you don’t get taught in traditional methods guides and courses. It’s based on stories from my own and other people’s research (including our triumphs and mistakes), and aims to bring a sense of excitement and interest to a topic that is often dismissed as being dull or difficult.

Then there’s this website, where I share resources, talk about how to get research done, respond to reader feedback; and most importantly make tools available to ensure social science, health and development research is enjoyable, accessible and ethical.

Or you might join the Facebook group that’s a space for researchers at all levels and from all over the world to ask for help or give advice and get regular updates on funding opportunities, research guides, and details of events or courses to help improve research skills and experiences.

I also offer consultancy, training and research advice so you can benefit from my pragmatic ideas on how to get work done while staying solvent, sane and safe.

You can also follow me on Twitter where I share job adverts, calls for papers and other research opportunities; or Instagram where I sometimes share pretty academic photos but you’re more likely to find cats.

What are you waiting for? Here’s a project aimed at helping you get the best from a research study whatever its size.

Let’s get started!