How to Do Your Research Project

Getting involved in medical and biomedical research through necessity or personal choice can be a testing experience. Each step of the process brings its own challenges, from liaising with supervisors, to the lack of opportunities to promote completed research.

This brand new How to provides a complete guide to the process: from the planning stages, to execution, write-up, preparation for the viva examination, and how to maximise the impact of your research. It ensures you get the most out of the experience, both in terms of personal development and academic achievement, and even provides guidance on what to do when things don’t quite go to plan.

An ideal companion, written by an experienced postgraduate tutor, this concise and user-friendly manual is full of practical exercises, key points, and hints and tips, which will give you the edge when dealing with the more elusive realities of medical and healthcare research.

Preface vi

Chapter 1 Before you start 1

Chapter 2 Getting going 12

Chapter 3 The supervisor and other colleagues 33

Chapter 4 Making progress 45

Chapter 5 Writing up 64

Chapter 6 Maximising impact 88

Chapter 7 Preparing for your assessment 110

Chapter 8 When things go wrong 122

Index 139

"Patience, tenacity and enduring commitment are required to bring satisfactory completion of a research project and reading of this book will ease the route to success." (British Global & Travel Health Journal, 1 January 2013)

Caroline Beardsmore is Senior Lecturer and Postgraduate Tutor in the Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (Child Health) at the University of Leicester and Leicester Royal Infirmary Getting involved in medical and biomedical research through necessity or personal choice can be a testing experience. Each step of the process brings its own challenges, from liaising with supervisors, to the lack of opportunities to promote completed research.

This brand new How to provides a complete guide to the process: from the planning stages, to execution, write-up, preparation for the viva examination, and how to maximise the impact of your research. It ensures you get the most out of the experience, both in terms of personal development and academic achievement, and even provides guidance on what to do when things don’t quite go to plan.

An ideal companion, written by an experienced postgraduate tutor, this concise and user-friendly manual is full of practical exercises, key points, and hints and tips, which will give you the edge when dealing with the more elusive realities of medical and healthcare research.