Turning Ideas into Research. Barbara Fawcett

      Introduction

      This book is about how to turn good ideas into viable research proposals and projects. Our purpose in writing it is to enable all those interested in undertaking research from a range of discipline backgrounds and practice areas to construct pieces of research that provide answers to the questions they pose. As part of this process, we focus on the research–practice interface and throughout we place emphasis on the real-world relevance of research and how to ensure that the research undertaken makes a difference.

      Throughout the book, we develop three key themes. Each of these informs the content of each part of the book and the accompanying researcher reflections. The first theme refers to world-views, understandings of knowledge and theoretical frameworks, and here we acknowledge that these are vital aspects of carrying out any research project. Examining what informs research projects and what the overarching purpose is emphasizes the centrality of critical reflection and the examination of values. This ensures that the critical development of research questions that leads to the interrogation of knowledge remains a central focus.

      Inclusivity and participation constitute the second key theme and bring to the fore the very important point that the era of researching ‘on’ research subjects is being replaced by a dynamic focus on researching ‘with’ research participants. This incorporates the need to pay attention to the power imbalances that operate both across the board and in specific contexts. Clearly the extent of participation and involvement will vary according to the project, but the placing of emphasis on these areas has now become a major area for consideration in all aspects of research, with these including the research purpose and the research design, as well as areas associated with interpretation, analysis and dissemination.

      Our third key theme is maximizing the impact of research in relation to ‘policy to practice’ and ‘practice to policy’ domains. This recognizes that utilizing research within practice is not as straightforward as is often assumed. For research to make a difference in these complex contexts, we maintain that it is essential to take account of policy and practice frameworks by ensuring that research has policy and practice relevance. By highlighting the policy–practice interplay throughout the book we draw attention to detail, process and research impact.

      In Part I of the book, we concentrate on thinking about research. Chapter 1 explores the many underlying reasons for carrying out research. We review different ways of researching and start to map out the connections between ideas, conceptual frameworks, the formulation of research questions and the devising of methodological frames. We also develop and take forward our key themes relating to the importance of world-views and embedded ontological and epistemological considerations, the need to prioritize inclusivity and participation, and the ways in which research can inform policy and practice.

      Chapter 2 builds on the developing discussion and explores what is meant by partnerships in research and the importance of these in supporting and facilitating the impact factor of research. We discuss various styles and types of research partnerships and examine the reasons behind the forging of such partnerships. As part of this process, we take account of context and continue to look at the generation of ideas and how good ideas can be turned into viable research projects.

      Chapter 3 explores understandings of ethics and how these inform the research process. This includes a discussion of the ways in which certain aspects are prioritized and others rendered less important. We recognize that the process of thinking about a project from an ethical perspective is a requirement but we maintain that there can be a disparity between where emphasis is placed and how participants are positioned in this process. In this chapter we also look at ethical decision-making based on ethical theories and perspectives, and examine the emergence of codified ethics processes such as professional codes of ethics and the place of research ethics committees.

      Part II directs attention towards thinking differently about knowledge and research.

      In Chapter 4 we look at how to translate a good idea into a viable research project. At this point, we concentrate on the formulation of the research question and the mapping of the associated research design. We emphasize the importance of ontological position and how our view of the world shapes how we view knowledge. We then discuss the centrality of having a clear sense of purpose and consider matters associated with inclusivity in research. As part of this discussion, we also appraise the place of action-orientated