The Researchers' Newsletter – July 2024

Research Career Planning

In this second newsletter we complete the issues around research career planning.

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Strategy vs Routine

As well as a written plan successful researchers have a process, a routine or action strategy to bring that plan to reality.

For most people habituated routines that are purposeful are the backbone for their activities and for their success. If you want to run a half marathon, you need to run consistently and to a schedule that will build your endurance. If you want to write a journal paper, you write to a schedule consistently and regardless.

For an early career researcher, setting aside weekly time to work on your own research is essential. 

 

Wood from the chaff

What most researchers, and especially newer researchers, struggle with is the many competing priorities, the work and non-work demands and your own motivations, barriers, opportunities and ways of working.

Most people coming to practice based disciplines, or in cross disciplinary fields end up with a range of work and therefore publications spread over several research areas. You will usually need to talk to trusted colleagues to sort out what your research “patch” is. You might have a methodological or method strength that is the thread underlying disparate publications, and this needs to be teased out. You will usually need to focus down your research areas into broad questions.

 

I’m an “Emergent” Strategic Planner

If you like to keep your strategy close to your chest, prefer not to tell anyone and thereby allow yourself to “take opportunities as they arise” you will certainly be busy. Other researchers will thank you for your contribution to their research. You may find that this leads to a full CV. It may well not lead to you becoming a research leader in your chosen field.

Knowing who you are as a researcher makes it easier not to be swamped by every opportunity that comes along. It is alright to say no to opportunities that don’t strengthen your research. 

 

My research is all practice based consultancies

Reports for clients, consultancies for government and policy work are important but they are generally not peer reviewed publications that will increase your standing as a researcher. 

Getting advice about how you can frame consultancy contracts so that you can publish in academic journals is important. 

Try to ensure that if you are part of a research team, the team builds opportunities for leadership of sub-fields and recognises this in their dissemination strategies. 

In practice based fields, you may need advice about how you argue for the merit and impact of the work that is undertaken in your field, including alternative metrics that may evidence your arguments.

 

What next?

First be clear on your identity. Then your broad career goals and strategies. Next a clear research question(s) and research goals. This builds to a written research plan. Then routines and habits. Ask others for feedback and look at examples from others in your field(s). Finally consult your formal supervisor about these things as you go