Table Of ContentHow to do
your Research
Project
Thisbookisdedicatedtomyparents,JohnandPatBeardsmore.They
taughtmealltheimportantlessonsoflife.
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How to do
your Research
Project
A guide for students
in medicine and the
health sciences
Caroline Beardsmore
SeniorLecturerandPostgraduateTutor
DepartmentofInfection,ImmunityandInflammation(ChildHealth)
UniversityofLeicester
LeicesterRoyalInfirmary
Leicester,UK
A John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Publication
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Beardsmore,Caroline.
Howtodoyourresearchproject:aguideforstudentsinmedicineandthehealth
sciences/CarolineBeardsmore.
p.;cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-470-65820-8(softback:alk.paper)–ISBN978-1-118-64198-9(eMobi)–
ISBN978-1-118-64225-2(ePub)–ISBN978-1-118-64251-1(ePDF)
I.Title.
[DNLM:1.BiomedicalResearch. 2.ResearchDesign. 3.Students,Health
Occupations. W20.5]
R853.C55
610.72(cid:2)4–dc23
2013003016
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CoverdesignbyAndyMeaden
Setin9.5/12ptMinionbyAptara(cid:3)R Inc.,NewDelhi,India
1 2013
Contents
Preface,vi
Chapter1 Beforeyoustart,1
Chapter2 Gettinggoing,12
Chapter3 Thesupervisorandothercolleagues,33
Chapter4 Makingprogress,45
Chapter5 Writingup,64
Chapter6 Maximisingimpact,88
Chapter7 Preparingforyourassessment,110
Chapter8 Whenthingsgowrong,122
Index,139
v
Preface
Manystudentsinmedicineandhealthscienceshaveanopportunitytocarry
outaresearchproject.Thisisanewexperienceforthemajorityofstudents,
atoncebothchallenginganddaunting.Notwoprojectswillbethesame,so
eachstudentwillhavetoforgetheirownpath.Thisbookiswrittentohelp
guideyouthroughthewholeprocessfromstarttofinish,inassmoothaway
aspossible.Itcanbereadinitsentiretybeforeembarkingonaproject,and
variouschaptersre-readatappropriatepointsduringyourresearch.
Thebookbeginswithachapteronhowtodecidewhetherornottotake
aresearchoption,andwhatsortofprojectismostsuitedtoyouraimsand
personality.Thebookacknowledgesthataresearchprojectisarequirement
oftheircourseforsomestudents,andsomehavenochoiceintheirproject.
Projectsmaybecarriedoutoverdifferentlengthsoftime,andmaybeanalyt-
ical(orlibrary)projects,orhaveamajorlaboratoryorclinicalcomponent.
Whatever the style of project, the subsequent chapters will show you how
togetstarted,maintainthemomentum,achievetheall-importantwrite-up,
andpreparefortheassessment.Aseparatechapterisdevotedtothesupervi-
sorandothercolleagues,asresearchisalmostneveranindividualenterprise
andgoodworkingrelationshipsarevital.Anotherchapterdiscusseshowto
maximiseimpact,showinghowyoucanmakeyourownopportunitiestopro-
motetheresultsofyourresearch.Thefinalchapterdealswithproblemsyou
mightencounter,sothatyoucananticipateandavoidthemwherepossible
andmakemodificationstoyourprojectifneedsbe.
Eachchapterinthebookcontainstextboxesandexamplestoillustratethe
variouspointsandencouragethereadertothinkthroughtherelevancefor
their own project. Several of these examples of students and their projects
appear in different chapters to provide some continuity of approach. The
majority of examples are based on real situations that have been faced by
students and their supervisors. The boxed examples can be used as stand-
alone cases for the reader to reflect on, and illustrate the need to think
creativelywhenapproachingresearch.
vi
Preface vii
Thisbookhasgrownoutofmyinvolvementwithseveralcohortsofmed-
ical students undertaking an intercalated BSc, in which a research project
has been a major (and sometimes the only) component. Although it has
beendevelopedprimarilyforintercalatingBScstudents,theinformationand
adviceitcontainsisequallyapplicabletostudentsworkinginotherhealth-
relateddisciplines.Theopportunitytodoaresearchprojectbringswithit
manybenefits,personalaswellaseducational,andIhopethatthismanual
willhelpyou,thereader,togainasmuchaspossiblefromtheexperience.
Mythanksgotoallthestudentsandtheirsupervisorswhohavesharedtheir
experienceswithme,withoutwhichthebookwouldnothavebeenwritten.
CarolineBeardsmore
