project, as there are
plenty of those available. What it does provide
is a practical and reflective tool to use as a
‘how to’, alongside other texts which focus on
the academic and practical aspects of social
research. During your independent study you
are likely to find a small number of what you
will come to know as your go-to books on
research methods; you might even find one
to use as your first point of reference. This is
good and likely to be very helpful to you in
the research process. The Research Journal is
a book to use together with these, not instead
of them, because it is designed to help you to
establish your direction and work through the
process. In the early stages of a project, many
students say they struggle to find their feet and
using this book at this time can be particularly
effective. You will also want to use it to keep
a record of your work and thoughts on the
whole research process, and this could prove
particularly valuable if you are asked to write a
3
reflective evaluation of your work either as part
of your dissertation or as a separate piece.
Ultimately how you use this book is up to you
because it is all about you and your learning;
this is an individual thing. However, here are
some pointers to bear in mind:
• It is very practical, and you will gain the
most from it by engaging with the activities
rather than simply reading them. The
process of completing the activities
encourages you to think at a deeper level
at every step. This means that as time
progresses you should find your
understanding of the research process
grows and your knowledge of your chosen
topic develops.
• It is designed as a book you write in, so
please do so. Remember, you can always
supplement the space for writing with
a blank notebook or a document on your
favourite device.
• Overall the content is structured to follow
the research process. However, there
isn’t one single way of completing a
research project. This means it may well
be helpful to skim the book first and then
dip in and out of it as you see fit. You
will probably gain more from using it like
this rather than mechanically working
through it from start to finish. Indeed, there
is something contradictory about engaging
with free-flow writing in a very structured
way, as you will see in Theme 1.1.
• There are some reminders of aspects of
study skills; if you know you are strong in
these areas, feel free to skip them. But, if
you’ve had feedback comments such
as, ‘You need to continue working on your
academic language’ and ‘Your referencing
is still not especially accurate’, these could
be useful in helping you to get the mark
you hope for.
Overall, this is a book that you will want to
keep close at hand as your project progresses.
The benefits of using it vary from person to
person, but include:
• It contains accessible, bite-sized content on
areas that can be difficult to understand initially.
• It guides you through the research process.
• It contains space for your own reflections.
4
• It helps you to develop your knowledge in
the area of research generally and in
relation to your chosen topic area.
• It helps you to take control of your
research project.
Of course, none of these aspects of the book
can guarantee you a higher mark, but they
can help you to succeed.
The role of writing in research
and learning
Many tutors and supervisors encourage their
students to keep a reflective journal as part of
the research process, but few give advice on
how to do this effectively to get the most from it.
In higher education,
