How to Do Your Research Project: A Guide for Students in Medicine and The Health Sciences

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

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

"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)