Planning a Research Study: Risk, Ethics and Project Planning LEM4001 Planning a Research Study: Risk, Ethics and Project Planning

The research cycle

OUTCOMES Discuss any ethical issues in relation to UoN guidelines Outline a basic risk assessment using the UoN template. Produce a basic GANTT chart using a standardised template indicating planned steps to completion for your project (humour me!). Q. Progress?! Funding

Ethics Ethics = morals, ‘norms for conduct in research’. Values. Accountability. Academic scandal! Scientific misconduct (fraud, fabrication of data and plagiarism)….. http://www.nature.com/news/publishers- withdraw-more-than-120-gibberish-papers- 1.14763; http://www.sciencemag.org/content/342/6154/6 0.full and (extinct) Beall’s list: http://scholarlyoa.com/publishers/ Watch: http://www.ted.com/talks/ben_goldacre_battlin g_bad_science Comments? Q. Considerations for human and animal studies? Q. So what are the ethical considerations of your study? Draw up a list and be prepared to share with your peers. New guidelines.

If an action is legal, is it ethical?

Working with people: informed consent

Managing Risk Adherence to University of Northampton policy. Context. Task: Complete an outline risk assessment on the template – share with your neighbour for comment.

Project and time management Planning your work (long-term): GANTT chart (=network diagram) A GANTT chart visually depicts a project schedule and work breakdown structure using an bar chart depiction. % completion can be tracked MS Excel: see GANTT Project template on the VLE Apps?

TYPICAL GANTT CHART

Activity Prompts for a Typical Thesis 1. Find/Form a peer group 2. Interview potential advisor 3. Pick your advisor and your topic; 4. Refine your topic with your advisor 5. Select other group members 6. Write a overview with a key question 7. Get permission for the study 8. Compose a timetable for completion 9. Create a work schedule 10. Make an outline of your dissertation 11. Outline your literature review 12. Set up a dissertation filing system 13. Review the literature 14. Select your method 15. Select your analytical method 16. Draft your proposal 17. Submit and polish the proposal 18. Present the polished proposal to the committee 19. Defend the proposal, risk and ethics 20. Make corrections to proposal, submit to the dean 21. Revise and expand the literature review 22. Pilot test your methodology 23. Adjust and refine your methodology 24. Schedule data collection, begin collecting 25. Collate the data 26. Enter the data into the computer 27. Analyze the data 28. Interpret the results 29. Write up the results 30. Update your literature review 31. Revise the proposal into dissertation format 32. Write your conclusions and implications 33. Submit the dissertation draft to your advisor 34. Present the draft to your committee for comments 35. Schedule, prepare for and take your oral exam 36. Incorporate changes from oral into the dissertation 37. Submit manuscript to supervisor, make necessary changes (38. Resubmit the dissertation for publication!)

TASK Using the ‘Project Planner’, start to draw up a realistic GANTT chart for your likely thesis topic from now until May 2018. Step one: Identify your activities and allocate a realistic time budget to each one. Step two: Format your GANTT chart and begin to chart your progress. When you are finished, show your effort to your neighbour for comment.

OTHER PLANNING TOOLS Mind mapping to assist with project outline: free online tools https://bubbl.us - can be exported Managing ideas: free tool http://www.evernote.com/ Planning your work (short-term): by day http://todokyo.com or by week (has an App): http://teuxdeux.com/ or http://www.mylifeorganiz ed.net/

What we Did….. Formatted a basic risk assessment and discussed the ethical implications of your study. Produced a basic GANTT chart indicating the initial stages of your project plan. MORE INFORMATION Review: http://www.readytoresearch.ac.uk/ Watch: BBC Horizon ‘Playing God’, BoB or more TED talks: http://www.ted.com/talks/craig_venter_unveils_ synthetic_life

Planning a research study: conclusive remarks Q. Can you now use these techniques for your actual thesis?