Buy the Research Companion!

It was the evenings and weekends I found the most difficult. During my undergraduate and PhD years – and as a researcher and teacher since – I wished I had somebody around to give me some friendly advice about how to solve my study dilemmas.

Sometimes it was because I was struggling with analysis, or reporting and presenting my work. Other times I wasn’t sure about exactly what I wanted to do, or had a research question but no idea how to get to an answer. Or I was worrying about how I might empower my students – or get potential participants involved in my studies.

I’m not unique. I bet you’ve been there too. You might be there right now.

Of course there were plenty of books I could read, courses I could attend, websites and blogs I could browse. But I grew frustrated when they told me what I SHOULD be doing, but not the practicalities of HOW I could go about it.

Who could I turn to if I was feeling frustrated, anxious or stuck within the research process? How to cope when participants or students were finding things tough? When I was struggling with study and chronic illness, job insecurity, or juggling research and parenthood? When those I was working with were obstructive or bullying? And when students, colleagues and participants I worked with were systematically excluded or disempowered by teaching and research practices?

My answer was to write a book that filled in all the gaps I’d wanted help with. That explained the ‘how to’s’ of research, and offered comfort and support across all stages of the research process. Something that could be used whether you were very new to research or had a lot of experience, whether you were working alone or managing others, or if you were working outside a university or within one.

The Research Companion uses real life stories from researchers who have had all kinds of experiences – good and bad – for you to learn from. Research and community projects are illustrated throughout the book by Sean Longcroft (you can see some of them in this post), alongside resources and tools signposting you to places of further help, plus a peer-led support group for you to use at any time during your research journey.

The Research Companion deliberately sets out to make learning about research engaging, ethical and entertaining. It serves as a textbook for those learning to do research and a guide for those teaching or who’re engaged in critical practice, community work, or activism.

If you’re working in the social sciences, health, or development then this is a must-have item for your researcher toolkit.

WANT A COPY? OF COURSE YOU DO!
You can find out more about the book and order it here or via Amazon. Or better still ask your independent book store to get it for you.

The Research Companion: A practical guide for those in the social sciences, health and development (2nd Edition) is published by Routledge (2016).