20 March 2025
By Vanessa Abrahamson – Research Fellow and Researcher in Residence at Kent Research Partnership
In your day-to-day practice, do you find yourself wondering why one intervention works for some people but not others? Or complaining about the lack of evidence to support your practice? Have you an idea for a research project but are unsure where to start?
You are not alone. Those of us who have done a little (or even a lot) of research realise how daunting it can be so we have gathered 10 top tips about getting started in research:
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Find your pod. Dolphins swim in pods where they help each other out and nudge each other along. Find other practitioners, researchers or a mentor who will encourage you, give you constructive feedback and share opportunities with you. There is good support for practitioner-researchers because of the understanding that the best research ideas are from practice. How do you do that?
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Let people know you are interested in research. Talk to your manager, talk to the research and development department where you work. They may be able to put you in touch with those who can support and/or signpost you to opportunities.
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Get involved at any level and build your skills and profile. Getting involved in journal clubs, audits, service evaluations, literature reviews and any activity that involves data collection, management and analysis.
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Connect with research networks specific to your role and look for small grants which are a great way to build experience. For example, if you are an occupational therapist, look at your regional Council for Allied Health Professionals in Research, Elizabeth Casson Trust and Royal College of Occupational Therapists. For social work, consider BASW and Social Work England.
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Look at your regional Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) and NIHR opportunities. They offer a range of opportunities from introductory courses to research internships and even fully-funded Masters and PhDs. Go to introductory webinars as they are good for networking. In Kent our local ARC is: Applied Research Collaboration for Kent, Surrey & Sussex
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Find out what people with lived experience think about your research idea. This could be a Public and Patient Involvement group attached to your organisation, a charity/advocacy group or via Health Watch. This can help refine your ideas and strengthen your rationale.
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Be prepared to feel exposed at times. You will need to share your ideas and your work to other people’s scrutiny and not everyone will agree with you. However, developing your ideas with others will make them stronger.
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If you have presented your research idea to colleagues/researchers and it has been criticised, use the feedback to research your idea further and then you can justify the gap in evidence and how your question will address it.
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When you apply for funding, read the brief carefully to decide if your proposal matches what the funder wants. Talk to someone who has previously applied for the same funding, or to the funder, to get a better understanding of what is expected. Everything takes longer than anticipated so build extra time into your plans.
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Build your team in partnership with researchers (e.g. HEIs) who can co-lead and support your application. The NIHR Research Support Service offers help within ‘hubs’ that are specific to an area (e.g. public health, social care).
Finally, and probably most importantly, be persistent. Starting out in research is like learning to ride a balance bike. Best to start with something small and manageable, initially relying on lots of support from more experienced people. Set-backs and rejections are the norm but remember, you will learn from every encounter, and with perseverance and the right team around you, will soon be ready to upgrade to pedals and continue your journey with confidence.