Module 2: project management techniques.
This module will introduce you to some strategies and techniques to help you to plan and manage your project, including dealing with stakeholders and identifying risks.
Learning outcomes
- Explain the limits on your project in terms of timescales, resources and scope.
- Demonstrate understanding of the life cycle of a research project by producing an accurate plan that includes regular review and problem solving.
- Work with your supervisor to identify project deadlines and deliverables that provide a timeframe for the project plan.
- Explain and evaluate the project aims and objectives using SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound) criteria.
- Conduct a stakeholder analysis in order to identify the level of interest and input of the people who will be involved in the project.
- Identify ways to manage your relationships and interactions using effective communication and negotiation.
- Identify possible risks and ways to minimise their probability and level of impact. Getting started with managing your project
When you are working on your research project, you take on the role of project manager. This means you have a lot more responsibility for planning and managing the process than you probably have for other coursework.
Research project
A project usually extending over at least one term or semester in which a student is expected to conduct independent research on a particular topic and produce a substantial piece of work for assessment.
One of your first tasks will be to develop a project plan. To do this, you will need to know the limits or parameters of your project. These can be grouped into three categories:
• Time • Resources • Scope
When planning your project and considering its limits or parameters, think of it as a triangle, the three sides representing the three areas you need to consider.
Firstly, there is time. You need to know the start and deadline for the project; in other words, how long do you have? Are there any interim deadlines? Maybe you have to hand in a draft of a chapter or deliver a presentation at some point before the final deadline. Once you know the key dates you can create a timeframe onto which you can map the stages of your project and get started with the work. Starting as early as possible is the best way to approach your project.
Now, consider resources. This refers to equipment, literature and materials, as well as people – everyone from your supervisor and expert advisers to your project participants. It is important to think about the resources you will need to complete your project, their availability and the level or ease of access.
Now project scope. This can be divided into two areas: the scope of the end product and the scope of the process.
The product scope is about clarifying what it is you need to produce by the end of the project. If it is a report or dissertation, how long should it be? How should it be structured? Are you expected to produce any other end products? Is there an oral exam? Will you deliver a presentation? Having a good understanding of what products, you have to submit will help you plan and manage the research.
The process scope is the stages of the project from the initial planning to submitting your work for assessment. Breaking the process down into activities and tasks will mean you can timetable and monitor the stages of the project.
Begin by grouping all the different parts of your project according to time, resources and scope. If you know when your project start date and deadline are, work out if you have any other milestones or commitments during that time so you can plan to manage them all. You can also use your timeframe to map different stages of the project, especially if you have to submit work or give presentations ahead of the final deadline. Find out what resources (people and equipment) you will need so you can check availability, and make sure you know exactly what you need to produce at every key stage.
When you know what you are expected to produce and what resources you will need for your research, and you have clarified your timeframe, you can begin to break your project down into stages, and start putting your activities into a timetable. Or, in other words, you can begin to plan the life cycle of your project.
Planning the life cycle
When you have an understanding of the limits or parameters of your project, you can start to plan the life cycle. As you do this, think about the timeframe, your access to resources and the scope of your project.
Students and staff reflect on their experience of managing, supervising and supporting projects and share their insights.
Emma (student)
The thing that kept me on track with my project was breaking it down and identifying my aims and objectives. The aims are your goals – what you want to achieve – and the objectives are how you are going to get there. Breaking a project down into stages and thinking about the individual tasks you need to complete makes you feel far more in control as it is much easier to timetable the project and monitor your progress.
Leo (student)
My supervisor advised me to use a special software for collecting data which I hadn't used before. She suggested that I should attend a training workshop at the beginning of the project, so I could become familiar with the software before I needed to use it. It wasn't as easy to use as I'd thought,
so I was glad that I had time to figure it out, rather than have to deal with it when the project was underway.
Melanie (supervisor)
One of the things I always advise my students to do when they are writing a project plan is to work to a deadline that is at least two weeks earlier than their final deadline. When you are working on a project it is inevitable that you will lose time somewhere. You may underestimate how long
something will take or have to take a few days off because you are ill. Having that extra time at the end as a safeguard means you can be sure you will have time to complete your project.
Jane and Hari (students)
Jane: There were five of us working on the group project and although we'd all managed projects before, we hadn't realised how working in a team would have its own challenges.
Hari: Yeah, the first time we gave a group presentation about our progress, we'd all prepared our sections but didn't get around to practising together beforehand. It was a complete disaster. Our timings were wrong and there was repetition and things missing.
Jane: After that we always scheduled time to prepare and practise together whenever we had to give a presentation.
à Consider these different points and challenges that relate to the categories of time, scope or resources. Reflect on each point and then decide with category you think it belongs to.
Time
- Preparing for presentations in advance
- Breaking the whole project down into tasks that can be scheduled - Allowing time during and at the end of the project in case of problems Scope
- For group projects, having regular meetings to ensure there is a shared understanding of the research process
- Identifying aims and objectives Resources
- Ensuring you know how you will store data - Familiarising yourself with software packages
Talking to those with experience of managing research projects can be very useful in helping you identify good project-management practice. In particular, your supervisor will be able to draw on their experience of not only conducting research but of supervising projects.
Supervisor
A designated member of academic staff who is your primary source of support, advice and feedback during all stages of your research project. They are sometimes also your examiner.
Note: You will probably receive supervision from a range of people during your project, for example, a technician who is supervising your work in the lab. This supervision by experts should not be confused with the formal role of your supervisor.
It is important to think about how you will map out your project. The screen 'Tools for project management' introduces a useful tool for gaining an overview of your project.
Tools for project management
A Gantt (or bar) chart is a useful tool for breaking down a project into different activities. It is easy to produce and ideal for sharing your project plan with your supervisor. To make a Gantt (or bar) chart, write a project to-do list, and then schedule the tasks on a timeline.
Gantt (or bar) chart
Named after an American engineer Henry Gantt, a Gantt chart is an easy to produce and understand way of representing the tasks and events or milestones in a project on a timeline.
Settings aims and objectives
Setting aims or goals is essential for good project management. Establishing objectives – deciding how to achieve your goals – is the next stage. It can be very useful to check if your objectives are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound.
Time-bound: objectives need a realistic timescale and deadline. Leave a task open-ended and it will likely take longer.
Achievable: a good objective is both challenging and doable. Completing objectives should require reasonable effort but setting overly ambitious objectives will mean probable failure.
Realistic: object should be convincing, given the resources and time available. For example, one objective may to be collect and analyse 200 surveys, but if you only have three days it is not going to be possible.
Specific: objectives that are focused and use positive, pro-active language. For example; ‘I hope to get trough the project’s is vague and demotivating, whereas ‘I will complete the project and submit the final report’ is far more positive.
Measurable: the progress of objectives should me monitored. For example, ‘I will see my supervisor more often’ would be harder to monitor than ‘by the end of November I will have had three
meetings with my supervisor.
The process of checking SMART objectives highlights any steps in your project that are vague. It is important that you rethink these and seek advice if necessary. Once they are reformulated as SMART objectives, they will be easier to manage.
They should begin by making their objectives more specific and time-bound: in particular, by referring to what they have to produce – the report and the presentation – and by including the deadlines for both. Also, the meetings should be measurable. As a group they need to schedule the meetings, otherwise they might not happen. Finally, their plans to visit archaeological sites are neither achievable nor realistic. They should find out about accessibility and the cost of travel and then reconsider, as a group, how many sites they have the time and resources to visit.
Identifying and managing stakeholders
Project stakeholders are any people or organisations that have an interest in the process and/or outcome of your project. Stakeholders are important, and should be managed carefully, because they can provide resources or support and have an impact on the level of success of your project.
Transcript from students and supervisors talking about the different types of stakeholders that can be involved in a research project.
How do you support the student in the planning and managing of the project? Professor Dr Nathalie Dens
Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Antwerp, Belgium
Planning and managing of the projects are in the end, again, the students' own responsibility, but I try to support them, for example, by providing a document with guidelines at the beginning of the year where I have deadlines and deliverables at certain dates. And when I notice that they're really missing out on their deadlines, I will remind them, but I usually tell my students, 'It's up to you to contact me. I won't contact you every month,' for example, unless there's a student that really wants or needs that.
Dr Shamus Smith
Senior Lecturer, Computing and Information Technology, University of Newcastle, Australia
When you plan at the beginning of a research project that might end in a dissertation, things may be fluid. Things change in projects as the topic may move during a dissertation. Initially, I might be meeting students every week. At later stages, I might meet them every two weeks, depending on what writing tasks they have. It's important to have deadlines, but also you have to break things into small chunks so that you can then measure your progress.
Dr Tamara Bucher
Senior Lecturer and Researcher, University of Newcastle, Australia
I support the student to plan and manage the project by giving him a clear idea on how long certain parts of a project would take. For example, previous experience would help me to evaluate whether something is realistic, how long an ethics application will take, how long the data collection will take, whether everything is realistic and can be done within the timeframe that is set out.
Managing a range of different stakeholders is an important part of your role as a project manager. Recognising their different needs and communicating appropriately will be key to successful stakeholder management.
In some cases, stakeholders may have an impact beyond the immediate scope of your project. You need to recognise that this may be the start of an ongoing relationship: a project sponsor may be useful for further research and study, or may become your employer. Therefore, it is important to develop a successful way of working with them.
Techniques for stakeholder management
You might find that there are more stakeholders in your project than you initially thought. You must decide which are the most important and how to manage them.
List of stakeholders: Supervisor
Examiner
Ethics approval panel Technician/IT support Librarian/curator/archivist Participants
Family/friends External expert
External company or organisation.
High power and low interest: This group may not be interested in your project but if the group members become unhappy about what you do they can take actions that have an impact on your progress. It is important to take seriously any rules, regulations or policies the group has and to make sure you meet the required standards. This group might include a technician who can stop you using a piece of equipment if you do not complete the relevant training.
High power and high interest: This is the group (including your supervisor) that you need to manage most closely by establishing and maintaining good working relationships. This will involve regular communication, discussing plans and progress and making full use of the group's input and feedback.
Low power and low interest: Although managing this group closely is unnecessary, you should continue to monitor all the members and ensure that any interactions you have with them are positive. Just as with risks, the status of stakeholders can change and you might find their interest or power increases. For example, an academic in your department may fit into this category until you find you need their expert advice.
Low power and high interest: Although this group does not have much power regarding your project, it is important to recognise the group's interest and keep the members informed on progress. Discussing your project with this group can be very valuable as the members may have useful insights and suggestions. This group might include an academic in your department not directly connected with your project or a professional in the relevant field.
The stakeholders in the high level of interest/high level of power box are your priorities and it is important to think about how you will manage that group before you consider any others. Do not forget that you are the stakeholder with the highest level of power and interest in your project. Thinking about how you manage yourself is an important part of stakeholder management.
A key stakeholder, with both a high level of interest and a high level of power, is now unavailable to participate in your project. What do you do?
The most important thing is to address this issue immediately. If the stakeholder is your supervisor, talk to your personal tutor or the person in the department who is responsible for the module or course. This way you can ensure continuity in the support you receive. If the stakeholder is someone else, talk to your supervisor. They will be able to advise you on other sources of support or how you might modify your project to ensure the impact is minimal.
Completing stakeholder analysis at the beginning of your project helps you to: - Identify different types of stakeholders
- Think about the ways you can manage your relationships and interactions
- Recognise how important stakeholders can be to the successful completion of your project. You should review your stakeholders regularly. Not only can their levels of power and interest fluctuate, you may also find that as the project progresses, new stakeholders, such as technicians or trainers, become involved. A successful project manager communicates appropriately with
stakeholders and recognises their different needs.
Identifying and managing project risks
All projects involve risks, and taking well-considered risks can lead to positive opportunities and outcomes. In order to ensure you can minimise any potential problems, you must have a plan.
The screen 'Getting started with managing your research project' looked at the three areas to consider when you start to manage a project:
- Time - Resources - Scope.
RISK: running out of time
• DO NOT procrastinate, or you may be rushing at the end.
• DO NOT underestimate how long tasks will take, because it will make your timetable unrealistic.
• Make a note of all of your deadlines, so you can plan effectively and complete tasks in the correct order.
"The deadline for my literature review was three months into the project. I had coursework to do as well as my project and I kept putting off working on the literature review. Two weeks before the deadline I realised I still had lots of work to do. I had a meeting with the subject librarian who helped me refine my literature search, but even so I still had a week of panicky writing and late nights to get it finished. It wasn't as good as I would have wanted and it really helped me understand the
importance of sticking to my project timetable." RISK: resources not available
• Plan your resources in advance and check that they will be available when you need them. • Review your resources as the project progresses in case you need different or additional
resources.
"I was planning to research an archive. At the beginning of the project I found out that it was possible to book a time to access the collection but I left booking a slot until the last minute. By the time I contacted the library, the time I wanted wasn't available as someone else was studying the material then. I spoke to my supervisor and we decided that I couldn't leave the archival work until later in the project so I'm now having to spend time organising access to another collection. It wouldn't be my first choice and I'm going to have to change the focus of my project."
RISK: not having a clear idea of what to produce at the end of your project
• Ensure you have read and understood the guidelines and assessment criteria. • Look at past examples of reports and dissertations to make sure you have a good
understanding of how to present your work.
"I thought the final project report had to be 10,000 words long not including the appendices but I've just found out that the word count includes appendices. If I'd checked the guidelines or asked my supervisor, rather than making an assumption, I wouldn't be in the situation of needing to work out how to cut down the overall word count. Fortunately, I left a free week at the end of the project timetable, in case something went wrong, so at least I have time to solve the problem."
RISK: your process scope is too broad or to narrow
• Review the stages of your project regularly to ensure you have enough time and resources, as well as sufficient information or data to produce your report or dissertation.
• Make sure you stick to the research question or topic you defined at the beginning. It can be easy for a project scope to increase as you discover more about the project.
"My project involves analysing and comparing plant samples from two sites, one on an island and one on the mainland. A friend told me about some work being done on another two islands in the region and suggested I might be able to extend my project to include these areas as well. I was very excited with the prospect but, as my supervisor pointed out, this additional work would take too much time and resources and would make it hard for me to complete on time. It's a shame, but it
Risk management methods and examples
Prevention: If you decide that a risk should not be taken, you will need to revise the scope of your project to remove the risk. If I do a comparative study of two companies, A and B, it is probable that company A will not provide the data I need. To avoid this risk, I will revise my project so the
comparison is between companies B and C.
Reduction: Some risks are worth taking but you may want to reduce the probability and possible level of impact. A famous writer who rarely gives interviews has agreed to be interviewed for my project. I'm going to check with his PA in a few weeks to make sure he hasn't changed his mind, and interview three other writers, in case he pulls out.
Acceptance: Some risks are unlikely to happen or, if they do, they will have a low level of impact. If changing your project to avoid a risk generates greater risks, then the best solution is
acceptance. I have access to an archive in June but my mild hay fever is usually at its worst then. I could postpone the visit but I may not be able to gain access later in the year, so I will stick with my original plan.
Plan B: If a problem arises, is there an alternative course of action you can take? It is important to identify your Plan B in advance. There is a chance that the lab will be closed for a week later this month for maintenance work. I've already identified which other project activity I can bring forward if this happens, so I'm not wasting time.
Transference: Something that is a risk for you may be an opportunity for someone else. Can you pass it on? While I'm on archaeology fieldwork I've been offered the chance to go on a three-day trip to look at remote hill forts in the region. My time will be limited and I'm not sure how relevant it will be to me so I'm passing the option on to a friend whose project is on military architecture. Risk management involves identifying potential risks, evaluating them and deciding on a course of action. When discussing your project plan with your supervisor it can be a good idea to discuss any potential risks. Your supervisor might be able to give you advice based on their experience and also identify risks you have not thought of. A good way to do this is to complete the 'Taking stock' template, which you can download from the pod on the right-hand side of the screen.
Techniques for managing project risks
Look at the potential risks that you might face. In each case, decide whether it is high probability and/or impact or low probability and/or impact.
• I don't start my work until the last minute.
• I'm not getting on with my work because I'm stuck.
• My laptop has broken and I didn't save my work elsewhere.
• The university doesn't subscribe to a particular academic journal I need. • I'm not sure when I need to submit my literature review by.
• One of the members of the project team keeps completing their sections of the project late. • I'm beginning to realise that the topic I've chosen is a lot larger and broader than I initially
thought.
• I don't think there is enough evidence to justify or support a critical evaluation of the topic. • I need to submit a draft of a chapter the same week an essay is due for another module. • I don't know when I'm supposed to meet my supervisor.
When managing risks you need to prioritise those that are high-level risks. In other words, those that have both a high level of probability and a high level of impact.
What are the high-level risks for your project and how will you manage them?
If you are having trouble identifying risks, think about the three areas of your project – timescale, resources and scope. This can help you focus on specific areas of risk. Look back at the suggestions on 'Identifying and managing project risks' if you find it difficult to identify ways of managing the risks. When you have some ideas, you can discuss the issues with your supervisor.
Managing the high-level risks should be a priority. But it is still important to monitor the low-level risks as their probability and/or level of impact could increase during the course of your project.
The challenge of managing a research project
From initial planning through to completing the final report or dissertation there are challenges at all stages of your project. As the project manager, you will need to take responsibility for dealing with them and ensuring your project stays on track.
Dissertation
An extended piece of work resulting from the research project. It is usually longer and more detailed than normal coursework.
à Consider the following situations Situation 1 of 3:
I know my project aims, but I'm not sure how I'm going to achieve them. What should I do? Set some objectives.
Start working and it will become clear. If you answered A, go to Situation 2. If you answered B, go to Situation 3. Situation 2 of 3:
I've set myself objectives but I'm not sure how useful they are. What should I do? Evaluate them myself.
Talk to my supervisor.
If you answered A, go to Feedback 1. If you answered B, go to Feedback 2. Situation 3 of 3:
I'm finding it hard to get down to work as I'm not sure where to begin. What should I do? Talk to my supervisor.
Work out a project plan.
If you answered A, go to Feedback 3. If you answered B, go to Feedback 4. Feedback 1:
Setting and evaluating objectives is a good way to change your aims or goals into actions that you can timetable and manage. Use SMART to help you evaluate your objectives and discuss them with your supervisor.
Feedback 2:
Setting objectives is a good way to change your aims or goals into actions that you can timetable and manage. It is a good idea to discuss them with your supervisor but you might find it useful to
Feedback 3:
Talking to your supervisor is an excellent thing to do if you reach this point, but you can also take action yourself to get out of this situation. Set yourself some objectives as this changes your aims or goals into actions that you can timetable and manage. Use SMART to help you evaluate your objectives and discuss them with your supervisor.
Feedback 4:
A good place to start with your project plan is to set yourself some objectives as this changes your aims or goals into actions that you can timetable and manage. Use SMART to help you evaluate your objectives. Talking to your supervisor would also be a good idea as they will be able to provide feedback and advice about the objectives and project plan.
Whatever the problem, the key thing is to address it early rather than ignore it and hope things will get better. Even if you feel embarrassed about something that has gone wrong or the work you have been putting off doing, it is better to face up to the problem and discuss the issue honestly with your supervisors and others who can support you.
Consider the following three statements relating to challenges that may occur in the different stages of a project. Consider the best way to manage each situation.
Question 1 of 3:
I need to design and conduct an experiment but I'm not sure how long the whole process will take. How can I add it to my project timetable?
Our thoughts:
Breaking activities down makes them easier to timetable, monitor and review. It is easier to estimate the time needed to complete the stages than it is to estimate the time needed to complete the whole activity.
Question 2 of 3:
In the past I've created project plans but I often find that I still run out of time. Our thoughts:
It is easy to underestimate how long a task will take. Leave periods of time to serve as buffers, in case you underestimate or something goes wrong along the way.
Question 3 of 3:
Feedback on my work often says that the content is good but it isn't presented well. How can I avoid this with my project?
Our thoughts:
It is important to allow time at the end of your project for: • Writing up
• Proofreading
• Checking consistency of formatting • Checking references.
As the examples above show, challenges can arise at any point in a project. You may need to spend time discussing different courses of action before you decide what to do – this is another reason why it is important to start managing the problem as soon as you identify it.
Module summary and learning portfolio
• As the project manager, you will have a lot more responsibility for planning and managing the process than you probably have for other coursework.
• At the beginning of the project it is important to clarify your timeframe, have an
understanding of what you are expected to produce and know what resources you will need to complete your work.
• Plan the life cycle of your project by breaking it down into stages or activities that can be timetabled and monitored.
• Use a Gantt chart to plan and monitor your project and to share your ideas with your supervisor.
• Check that your project objectives are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound.
• Stakeholders can provide resources or support and have an impact on the level of success of your project, so monitor and manage them well.
• It is important to identify, evaluate, discuss and manage risks. Remember, a well-considered risk can lead to positive opportunities.
• Challenges can arise at any point in a project and as the project manager it is your responsibility to identify them, discuss ways forward with your supervisor and other stakeholders and plan and carry out a course of action.
Module 3: managing your time
Welcome to 'Managing your time'. This module will introduce you to some ways to organise and manage your time and your work.
Learning outcomes
- Identify how common time-management problems such as perfectionism and procrastination can have a negative impact on your performance.
- Generate project tasks and timetable these as part of a daily time-management process. - Identify academic and non-academic time commitments and use this information to develop
a realistic schedule for the project.
- Use time-management techniques and strategies to increase your productivity and identify counterproductive ways of working.
- Recognise the importance of regular project reviews to assess your progress.
- Understand the importance of clear and concise notes relating to the project process (e.g. planning, records of progress and group or supervisory meetings).
Where does the time go?
Managing your time effectively is a crucial part of project management, and it is important for you to be aware of any issues that you face with time management.
Continue on for information from students about some common time-management problems. David
This is going to be a very busy year. On top of the dissertation, I'm taking three modules and I have exams in the summer. My supervisor asked me to write a project plan for my dissertation. The one I came up with looked fine to me, but he told me to map it against my other work to see if it was realistic. I realised that I had scheduled the writing of my literature review into the same week as a presentation and an essay deadline for other modules. When I spotted that there was a 'crunch point', I moved some parts of the project around and set an earlier date for the literature review, to give me time to do my coursework as well.
Shima
I bought a wall planner last week so I could get an overview of everything I'm doing this year. I added the various deadlines for my project and coursework, and the dates of all my exams. Then I put in the dates for orchestra practice and concerts, my team's football matches, our Jazz Society meetings, and my part-time job hours. My calendar is jam-packed! I phoned my cousin who is doing a PhD to ask her advice. She said it's important to keep up my hobbies but that I should think about cutting back on some of them, and also get into the habit of organising time to meet friends, rather than just going out whenever I feel like it.
Brandon
I always leave big pieces of work until the last minute and spend ages on things that aren't important so I don't have to face the difficult tasks. I met my supervisor yesterday – she taught me last year and knows I tend to put things off. She told me to write a project plan, and to not just list what I'm going to do, but to set start and end times for each task. She also said I should break down the bigger, more off-putting tasks into smaller parts so I'll be less likely to procrastinate. So, instead of saying I'm going to 'write up chapter three', I've broken this down into writing a plan, writing an introduction, evaluating Jenkins' theory, etc. My work seems more manageable now and I feel more positive about getting started.
Jia
I'm so easily distracted! Whether it's my phone or a friend stopping to chat, I find it hard to focus when there is so much else going on. I've now set up my laptop so I can't access social media while I'm working. My friend was also telling me about an app that gives funds to a charity when you don't use your phone for ten minutes. I think that's a great incentive not to check it so often. And when I really need to concentrate, I've found a corner in the library where no one would think to look for me.
Gabriel
My biggest problem is that I'm a perfectionist. I hate handing in work when I know it isn't 100% as good as it could be. I'm involved in a group project and I'm finding it hard to get my parts finished on time. Last week we had to give a group presentation. Everyone else had finished their sections and practised them together beforehand. I didn't finish mine until that morning and we barely had time to check that it all flowed properly. My group weren't very happy with me. I spoke to my supervisor about it and he said that he sometimes has the same problem when he's writing an article. He says that he finds it helpful to stop and ask himself, 'is it good enough?' If the answer is yes, he submits it and moves on to the next piece of work. I need to learn to be more like that.
When project managing it is important to identify whether you have any of these habits. If so, you need to pick out which strategies can help you combat any time-wasting tendencies.
Reflect on these common time-management problems and decide whether you think they apply to you always, often, sometimes, rarely or never.
Reflect on these common time-management problems and decide whether you think they apply to you always, often, sometimes, rarely or never.
- I find it difficult to hand in work if I don't think it is perfect.
- I find it hard to strike a balance between my studies and non-academic commitments. - I'm easily distracted when I'm working.
- I do the easier/enjoyable tasks that are not that important or urgent, rather than getting on with the harder urgent and important tasks.
- I find it hard to manage my project alongside other study commitments.
Make a note of any time-management problems you categorised as 'always', 'often' and 'sometimes' happening to you. How do they impact on your work? How could you address them?
Tackling issues with time management can involve using a range of different approaches and tools – some might work for you, while others might not. As you work through the rest of this module, try out as many techniques as possible.
Your context
Reflecting on your strengths and weaknesses is important. Think about how they impact on your studies and other commitments. How would you respond if you were asked to describe your strengths and weaknesses at a job interview?
Tools for managing your time
A to-do list is a good way to identify necessary tasks, but the list can become long quite quickly. Using an urgency/importance grid as a tool for prioritising tasks can ensure you work with focus. Continue on to find out more about the four levels of an urgency/importance grid. Reflect on how your current 'to-do' list items fit into the relevant sections of the grid.
Urgent and important tasks
These tasks need to be timetabled and completed first. If they are large activities, break them down into manageable chunks. For example, writing a 3,000-word chapter is a big undertaking but writing 500-word sections is less daunting and can be timetabled.
Important but not urgent tasks
Because these tasks are not urgent it is tempting to put them off. But – plan them carefully and start working on them before they become urgent!
Urgent but not important tasks
These tasks should only be done after all the important items on your list have been completed. Neither urgent nor important tasks
Will these items ever be important or urgent? If the answer is no, cross them off your to-do list. Using an urgency/importance grid adds a sense of order to an unruly to-do list. You can then use this information to manage your time efficiently.
In addition to having a project plan, it is important to timetable tasks on a daily basis. You should also review/revise your to-do list regularly, as old tasks are completed and new ones added. On your project Gantt chart (see the module on 'Project-management techniques') you may have a week blocked out to complete a particular task – but exactly when in the week will you do it? How will you fit it in around other activities?
Gantt chart
Named after an American engineer Henry Gantt, a Gantt chart is an easy to produce and understand way of representing the tasks and events or milestones in a project on a timeline.
The following gives you, information on how you can make full use of a diary, task-management app or other online planning tool.
Block out time for your work
Timetabling appointments for substantial tasks will help you to avoid procrastination. Data for review
Keeping track of how long tasks actually take will help you plan more effectively in future. Daily 'to-do' list
A daily to-do list – taken from your main list of commitments and tasks – should consist of a maximum of six items.
Leave some gaps
Leave time for reactive tasks such as replying to emails. Plan 75% worth of proactive activities and leave 25% of your time free.
Use an urgency/importance grid to prioritise, manage and timetable your tasks and help keep you focused. If you keep notes and records about your project work this will further keep you on track and help you fine-tune your time- and project-management skills.
Keeping project records and notes
When project managing it is essential to keep clear and concise notes about the process. These project notes are distinct from those you make when you are researching; research notes need
different methods of referencing, recording, storage and retrieval. Here we are focusing on your project notes.
Click 'Play' to watch a student and three supervisors talk about the importance of keeping notes throughout the course of a project.
Why is it important to keep project notes? Dr Koen Vandenbempt
Professor of Management, University of Antwerp, Belgium
I think it's important to keep detailed project notes because a bachelor's thesis – you try to make a claim as a student. You want to prove something you want to verify something. Now, that process often entails empirical research, and having detailed notes on what you did, who you interviewed, even things you did that according to the student did not lead to results he could use are important. It's so important to have detailed notes, but even more to put it also in a very structured way in their paper because it supports their claim at the end, their findings.
Mingze Xi
PhD student, University of Newcastle, Australia
I think for most projects it is very important to keep notes, especially for those projects that might span months to years, with collaborations between different departments.
Dr Shamus Smith
Senior Lecturer, Computing and Information Technology, University of Newcastle, Australia
Keeping detailed project notes allows you to monitor your progress through the dissertation project. It allows you to capture ideas that may not necessarily be relevant now, the thing you're currently working on, but might be useful in the future. You use your journals to track that. It's a good
evidence base if there are unforeseen circumstances that require you to provide a justification. So, if you've tracked your time, and something happens, and you need to explain it to you external
funders, or whether you need some kind of adverse circumstances, keeping a log of your work or any issues, again, gives you an evidence base that you can refer back to in the future.
What forms can project notes take? Mingze Xi
PhD student, University of Newcastle, Australia
For me in my research, I used a combination of tools, including Gantt Charts to plan out my research tasks monthly or yearly, and I used Trail to make plans on a daily or weekly basis.
Professor Dr Nathalie Dens
Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Antwerp, Belgium
You could use blogs, emails, Word documents, Google documents that are shared with a group. It's really whatever you are most comfortable with. It's for your work.
Dr Shamus Smith
Senior Lecturer, Computing and Information Technology, University of Newcastle, Australia I always suggest my students have a journal, whether it's a paper journal or an electronic journal, and basically write everything in there, keep track of times and dates, use it as a to do list, and look at using it as a tool to work through the goals that they need to achieve.
It is important to keep clear and detailed notes as part of the project-management process, especially if you are working as part of a group and you need to share notes with others. If you are
being assessed on how you project manage, there may be criteria relating to how and when you make notes.
à Reflect on these statements on making useful project notes, and consider how you would fill in the blank spaces. Then continue for our suggestions of how to complete the sentences.
Our thoughts:
For supervisory meetings, your notes should include what you planned to discuss, the discussion itself and agreed actions with deadlines. Send your notes to your supervisor after the meeting to check that they agree with them.
• Feedback: By the end of a meeting you should have agreed what you and your supervisor will do next and have agreed deadlines.
For group project meetings, take turns to be the note-taker. Take notes on what you planned to discuss, the discussion itself, agreed actions, named action-taker/s, and deadlines. After the meeting, share the notes.
• Feedback: Ensuring everyone can read and check they agree with the notes is a good way to avoid confusion and misunderstandings in the future.
Stakeholder meeting notes should include what you planned to discuss, the discussion itself and agreed actions with named action-taker and deadlines. Follow up with a thank you and
a summary of agreed actions and plans/dates for further meetings.
• Feedback: Adopting this type of professional approach to working with stakeholders will help ensure you get the most out of the relationship.
Always keep notes when you are reviewing your project. Record not just the decisions but also identify any issues and the stages of identifying a solution.
• Feedback: Taking time to reflect on and make notes about problems will mean you are better prepared to deal with similar situations in the future.
Write down any thoughts or ideas in a project diary. If you are having a problem, see if you can find a solution by writing about it.
• Feedback: Just like talking through a problem, writing about it can help you find a solution. Keeping a regularly updated blog can be a great way of keeping your supervisor and other interested stakeholders up to date.
• Feedback: You don't need to update your blog every day but updating it regularly is a good way to ensure your readers stay engaged.
Key points:
- Store your notes carefully
- Refer back to them if you encounter any problems or have forgotten why decisions were made
- Date your notes
- Record context such as who was present and why the meeting was held - Include enough information for you to understand your notes at a later date.
There are different methods and tools for notetaking and you need to identify those that will be most suitable for you and the task at hand – for example, if you need to share the notes online, or if other members of a group need to edit or add to them, an electronic solution would be best.
A good way to explore the range of tools and techniques available is to talk to friends and colleagues. Are they using methods you have not yet considered?
Download
Using time-management tools and strategies
There is not a 'one-size-fits-all' solution to time management. The tools or strategies you use will depend very much on the challenge you are dealing with and your preferred ways of working. If you are using multiple tools, for example a wall planner and an electronic diary, you will need to make sure the information is consistent across both.
à Each of the following five examples presents a time-management issue. Reflect on each issue and then continue on for some suggestions about the types of time-management tools that could be used to solve it.
Example 1 of 5:
I'm having trouble timetabling a large task.
Using a mind map or a flow chart is a good way to break a large activity into stages or sections. These will be easier to timetable than just focusing on the whole.
Example 2 of 5:
I have so many things to do, I don't know where to start.
A to-do list is a good way to get an overview of all the tasks you need to do. Once you have written them down, prioritise and timetable them.
Example 3 of 5:
I need an overview so I can plan the whole academic year.
Wall planners are a good way to gain an overview of all your commitments. You can get them for a calendar year or an academic year.
Example 4 of 5:
I need to be able to make appointments and record commitments on the go.
An electronic or paper diary is a good portable tool for making and checking appointments and commitments.
Example 5 of 5:
I keep a diary but I sometimes forget appointments and commitments.
A task-management app or setting alerts on your phone will help you ensure you stick to your commitments.
Are you using the most appropriate tools for your purposes?
à Reflect on the following two time-management issues. Consider your own thoughts on how these could be resolved, then continue on for some feedback.
Statement 1 of 2:
I have a lot to do over the next month. A friend suggested I write a to-do list, but now I have a long list of things to do and don't know where to start. I have coursework to submit in three weeks. Then, the week after, I need to submit some project work.
Our thoughts:
Use an urgency/importance grid to prioritise the to-do list tasks. Timetable those that are urgent and important, and do them first. Then timetable and work on the other important tasks. If two
important deadlines are close together, bring one forward so you have time to work on both tasks. Statement 2 of 2:
Five of us are working on a group project. We have meetings where we all agree who is doing what, then someone forgets something or there's confusion and a few weeks later we're arguing, rather than getting on with the work – which we're now behind with!
Our thoughts:
At each meeting, one of the team should make notes about what is agreed and write them up, highlighting who is doing what and the deadline. Then they should circulate the summary to the group. Keep in regular contact via social media or email so you can monitor progress.
As the examples show, there is often more than one stage to solving a time-management problem. The solution can involve using a range of tools and strategies, and it can be a matter of trying out different approaches until you find one that works.
Managing yourself: energy levels
Are you full of energy first thing in the morning or do you work more effectively in the afternoon or evening?
Most people have a sense of how their energy levels rise and fall throughout the day but keeping a record for a few days will give you a deeper understanding of your energy levels.
The easiest way to do this is to make a note of your energy level (between 0 and 100%) at one- or two-hourly intervals. At the end of the day you can see when your periods of high and low energy are. Energy levels can fluctuate throughout the week, depending on job shifts or your social life, so create an energy chart each day for a week.
Understanding your energy levels can be useful in helping you timetable your daily activities. Continue on for more information about energy levels.
Normal energy level
When your energy levels are normal, you will be able to tackle all but the most demanding tasks. Try setting a routine of working for 15 minutes, then taking a 5-minute break. Working in 15-minute chunks is less daunting than studying for 2 hours solid.
Low energy level
When your energy levels are low, timetable in activities that do not require too much concentration or thought, or take a break.
High energy level
A high energy level means that your concentration and retention are at their best. This is a good time to tackle difficult work such as problem solving or writing a tricky conclusion. Try to schedule key stakeholder meetings for when your energy levels are high.
Everyone's energy level highs and lows will be different and you should try, when possible, to work with your pattern. Your energy level is not, however, set in stone and it can be modified by changing your eating and exercise habits. For example, missing breakfast does not save time if your energy levels are too low for you to concentrate by mid-morning. Also, if your energy levels are low, taking a break and doing some exercise can bring them back up.
à Consider the following two questions about how your energy levels change throughout the day and how you spend your time. Reflect on your responses.
Question 1 of 2:
When are your periods of low and high energy? Question 2 of 2:
What changes can you make to ensure that you work more effectively?
Do you need to move tasks around so that you are making the most of your differing energy levels throughout the day? Do you need to change your exercise or eating patterns to ensure that you work more effectively?
Time management calculator
Ever feel like time is slipping through your fingers? There will only ever be 24 hours in a day, but there may be ways you could make better use of the time that you have.
This screen gives you a chance to reflect on how you spend your time. There could be a mismatch between what you think you do and what you actually do.
àYou will be presented with a list of activities. For each type of activity, consider the number of hours per day you spend on it and the number of days per week that you engage in it. If there is a big variation between days (for example, for 'Household chores' or 'Socialising'), try to work out an average figure. Then calculate the total time you spend on each activity per week and work out how much free time you have. There are168 hours in a week, so if your grand total exceeds this amount you should revisit your estimates to get a more realistic figure.
Here is the list of activities: • Sleeping
• Eating
• Working on my project
• Timetabled classes, seminars, lectures, labs etc. • Studying outside class (personal study)
• Commuting
• Employment (full-time or part-time) • Family commitments
• Household chores (cleaning, tidying, shopping etc.)
• Relaxing at home (TV, reading, internet, computer games, email, texting etc.) • Socialising.
Were you surprised by your totals? Are any of the characteristics (e.g. procrastination or
perfectionism) or ways of working that we have already looked at in this module, having an impact on how you spend your time? What steps can you take to manage your time more effectively if
Activity log
You may have a sense of how you spend your time but how do you really spend it? Keeping an activity log every now and again is a good way to measure:
• Timewasting
• Time spent on proactive tasks Proactive tasks
Tasks that you plan and are able to timetable in advance. • Time spent on reactive tasks.
Reactive tasks
The unexpected tasks that arise during the course of the day. They may occur on a regular or routine basis and are often set by someone else.
Identifying how you spend your time will help you to focus on which skills you need to develop. Consider this log, which lists the time a student might spend on different activities throughout the day.
The activity log shows how a student spends a typical day, as follows:
She leaves home to travel to the campus at 8.45, walks to the library at 9.30, studies in the library between 9.35 and 10.05, then walks to her supervisory meeting. She meets with her supervisor between 10.15 and 10.45, then walks back to the library and studies from 10.55 to 11.30. She then walks to her study group meeting, which takes place from 11.40 to 12.40. She then goes out to buy and eat lunch and at 13.25 she does her washing in the laundrette. She goes back to the library at 14.25 and studies for an hour, between 14.40 and 15.40. She then leaves for home and arrives there at 16.25.
Reflect on the different activities and on any problems and solutions suggested by this list of activities. Consider how the student could use her time more effectively, then continue for some feedback.
How could the student use her time more effectively? Our thoughts:
The student could minimise her travel. For example, she could plan routes where tasks could be combined, like having her study group meeting in or nearer to the library. She could take her lunch with her or buy it on her way rather than having to go out and get it. She could consider starting the laundry cycle while she carries on studying nearby before collecting it when it is finished. She could save more than an hour a day.
For an activity log to be accurate and useful, note down everything from coffee breaks to checking emails.
Categorising activities as reactive or proactive will give you a better understanding of how much of your time should be timetabled in advance. If you spend about 25% of your day dealing with reactive tasks (things that just happen, such as dealing with unexpected emails) then you need to be careful not to schedule more than 75% proactive tasks (planned events, such as meetings with your supervisor) for the day.
à Think about how you actually spend your time by reflecting on the two questions that follow. Question 1 of 2:
What time-management issues do you think keeping an activity log will highlight? Question 2 of 2:
What changes can you make to address the issues you have identified?
While you are keeping an activity log you may find that you start to modify your behaviour. For example, you may decide not to take a break because glancing at your log shows that you have already taken two breaks.
As with an energy-level chart, an activity log will provide you with insights so you can manage your time effectively and tailor your personal management strategies. To find out exactly how you spend your time, complete the activity log in the pod on the right-hand side of the screen.
Module summary and learning portfolio
Key points:- As a project manager it is important that you effectively use time-management techniques and strategies, and monitor and reflect on your practice and behaviour.
- It is important to reflect on how you spend your time, your energy levels and the reasons why you sometimes fall behind with work (for example, being too much of a perfectionist or a procrastinator). Being more self-aware can help you manage your time more effectively. - Write a to-do list to identify the tasks you need to complete and use a tool like an
urgency/importance grid to prioritise them.
- In addition to having a project plan in the form of a Gantt chart, get into the habit of using tools like a diary or calendar to timetable tasks on a daily basis.
- Keep clear and concise notes about the project process.
- The solution to a time-management problem can involve using a range of different tools and strategies. If you decide to use multiple tools, make sure the information is consistent across all of them.
Model 5: the importance of ethics Learning outcomes
• Identify the key principles of research ethics in planning and conducting a research project. • Recognize which factors, including human, animal and environmental well-being, result in
the need for ethics approval.
• Consider the risks and consequences of not following ethics guidelines.
• Communicate and provide information to research participants in order to ensure their informed consent.
• Identify and follow the necessary processes for gaining consent when working with children or vulnerable adults as research participants.
• Identify the processes that ensure the confidentiality and anonymity of participants during and after the collection of data.
Ethics principles
Ethics are the moral principles that govern human conduct. Every research project or
dissertation has a different set of complex ethical issues. As you work through this module, ensure that you understand all of the ethics terms as listed below.
Dissertation: an extended piece of work resulting from the research project. It is usually longer and more detailed than normal coursework.
• Causing no harm
• Informed consent and confidentiality • Anonymity and privacy
• Ensuring participant well-being
• Recognising the right of participants to withdraw • Avoiding covert or deceptive practices
• Ensuring the integrity of the research
Continue on for interviews with a supervisor and a student discussing the importance of ethics What does the term ethics mean to you?
Dr Shamus Smith
Senior Lecturer, Computing and Information Technology, University of Newcastle, Australia
Ethics in research is essential if you're working with human participants. So, in my role, I do human– computer interaction. That requires me to do usability studies with human participants. So, the ethics in that context is getting institutional approval for any protocols, testing or experimentation that I might want to do.
Also, on the other side, you see, you've got those kinds of ethics from an institutional level, but you've also got ethics in practice. So, you may need to look at the ethics of the research that you're doing, maybe the societal norms or expectations of your research, but also when you're even running experiments, you need to make sure that the ethics that you said you were going to apply actually are happening. So, even though you get consent from participants, or assent if you're working with children, that can change at any time. So, not only do you need to get their agreement at the beginning, you need to monitor it throughout the whole process, and then modify your protocols as appropriate.
Mingze Xi
PhD student, University of Newcastle, Australia
Well, for me, the ethics mean the permission to conduct my case study with humans. Why is a sound understanding of ethics important to you as a researcher?
Mingze Xi
PhD student, University of Newcastle, Australia
I think a good understanding of ethics is important to every researcher. So, understanding ethics forces you to learn the policies and to follow them to protect sensitive information and prevent abuse of data. Also, I think ethics are an important part of academic integrity.
Question 1 of 6:
Do you need to get informed consent from the adults who are going to take part in your research? A. A). No
B. B). Yes.
If you answered A, go to Feedback 1 and then proceed to Question 3. If you answered B, go to Question 2.
Question 2 of 6:
How can you ensure that you get informed consent?
A. By giving detailed information and getting written consent. B. By giving detailed information and getting verbal consent. If you answered either A or B, go to Feedback 1.
You should now consider Question 3 as follows. Question 3 of 6:
What does 'cause no harm' refer to?
A. Ensuring that participants do not get physically hurt.
B. Ensuring that participants do not suffer any physical or mental harm. If you answered A, go to Question 4.
If you answered B, go to Feedback 2 and then proceed to Question 5. Question 4 of 6:
What factors need to be considered aside from preventing physical harm? A. Nothing – 'cause no harm' refers to the prevention of physical harm.
B. Mental factors such as stress, anxiety, loss of self-esteem and loss of dignity. If you answered either A or B, go to Feedback 2.
You should now consider Question 5 as follows. Question 5 of 6:
How can you ensure confidentiality and anonymity for participants? A. By not using real names, recognisable images or identifiable data.
B. It is not possible to guarantee confidentiality and anonymity for all participants. If you answered A, go to Question 6.
Question 6 of 6:
Can you store data for an indefinite period? A. Yes
B. No.
If you answered either A or B, go to Feedback 3. Feedback 1: Informed consent
You must get written, informed consent from every participant. Give information sheets and consent forms to them before they decide to take part. Make sure that the information sheets and consent forms are written in appropriate language and tailored to the individuals or group taking part. Most participants are able to give consent but in some cases you may need to acquire proxy consent: someone who consents on behalf of the research participant, for example for children under 16, or others not considered capable of consenting. Take advice from the gatekeeper or organisation from which you are recruiting participants. Also ask children for their consent, as well as asking their parents or carers. You should regularly review the situation to ensure that consent is still freely given.
Feedback 2: Cause no harm
The principle that underpins ethical research is that research is not just about collecting information, but is concerned with the dignity, rights, safety and well-being of those who take part. It is your responsibility to protect participants from any harm arising from the research. Harm may arise from stress through participation, loss of self-esteem and psychological injury, as well as physical harm. As a general rule, people participating in a study must not be exposed to risks that are greater than or additional to those they encounter in their normal lifestyles.
Feedback 3: Anonymity, confidentiality and data protection
Anonymity is especially important in projects where the participant group is so small that individuals can be identified, and when researching children or vulnerable people. Anonymity applies to images, photos, videos, etc., as well as to textual and statistical data. It is usual to promise anonymity, but some participants may prefer not to be anonymous, and in these cases you may offer them the choice (make sure they understand the implications and risks of being named). There may be limits to confidentiality, for example with children under the age of 16, as you are obliged to take action if a participant reveals that they or another person is at risk from harm. You should make this
obligation of disclosure clear before the research starts.
Identify which of the issues raised so far will be relevant to your planned research.
à You must follow the Data Protection Policy (or other legal framework) relating to your university or any institution you are working with, at all stages of your research.
A case study in poor ethics – the Willowbrook experiment
Some of the examples with the most significant impact are when ethics have not been applied properly and things have gone very wrong.
Continue on for a brief summary of the Willowbrook experiment.
In the 1950s, researchers used children (aged three to ten) with learning difficulties as test subjects for hepatitis research at the Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, New York.
As Willowbrook was full, the only way for parents to enrol their children was via this study, where children were intentionally given hepatitis in an attempt to track the development of the viral infection. The researchers wanted to test the effectiveness of a hepatitis treatment they were developing.
Their justification was that they believed the children would have caught the disease naturally anyway – and that by intentionally infecting them, the children were more likely to suffer a less serious infection and recover more quickly than they would if they had been left to become infected naturally.
When it was understood how hepatitis was transmitted, no effort was made to prevent transmission.
Consider the ethical implications of this case study. You might not be able to think of the key points at this stage, but as you work through this module you will learn more about research ethics, and if you come back to this activity when you have finished you will be able to see how much you have learned.
Can you think of any ethical considerations in the Willowbrook case study? Our thoughts:
• Children with learning difficulties are vulnerable participants and cannot provide informed consent as they cannot advocate for themselves or fully understand the risks involved in such a study. Furthermore, it is unethical to infect a person purposefully with a disease if that person does not understand the risks.
• The way new students were recruited was questionable. Willowbrook was over capacity and denying admission in its general unit; however, space was offered in the 'hepatitis wing' if parents agreed to allow their children to enter the study. Parents who needed a place for their child had little choice.
• When researchers understood how hepatitis was transmitted they should have worked to improve hygiene instead of using it as a means to find a vaccination.
• It is morally wrong to perform an experiment on a participant if they do not gain any benefits from it.
• People in institutions should not be used for human experimentation. What's the harm?
Without ethics, research can be exploitative and damaging to participants, especially when they have not given their permission or have not been made aware of all the potential risks and
consequences of taking part in the research. See the 'Resource bank' for some examples of studies where ethics have been ignored or compromised.
Defining ethics terms
We will now consider some ethics terms, and why some factors (including human, animal and environmental well-being) result in the need for ethics approval. For example, you would encounter a very different set of considerations when dealing with children's questionnaires from adults' questionnaires.
Informed consent : Agreement based on understanding all relevant details about the research Voluntary consent : Freely given agreement, without any pressure or deception
Research subject : A person present in a research project who has given consent
Participants : Those who play informed, voluntary, active parts, contribute their views and possibly influence the research design and findings
Information sheet : Record of the purpose and nature of the research, the risks and hoped-for benefits, with details about the research team and participants' rights
Data protection : Guaranteed security, privacy and anonymity of all personal records held by a research team
Disclosure : Personal details provided by participants that suggest serious risk of harm to self or others, so that researchers have to consider whether to break confidentiality and report the detail to the relevant authority (e.g. doctor, social services or the police)
These broad definitions of complex and debated terms should help you to: • Highlight the key principals of research ethics
• Make well-informed decisions about how to structure and conduct a research project • Ensure that all research participants fully understand the research so that they can give their
permission to be part of it. Question 1 of 4:
What if... you want to use secondary data (e.g. censuses, information collected by government departments, and so on)?
Our thoughts:
You must consider if the information you use could identify participants. Also, how do you plan to store the information you retrieve from the database and what happens to it when you are finished? Question 2 of 4:
What if... you want to carry out interviews with other students from your university? Our thoughts:
Make sure all participants fully understand your research and how you will use their answers. Ensure you get full consent from everyone but also let them know that they can withdraw from the
interviews at any time. Question 3 of 4:
What if... you are carrying out lab experiments with potentially dangerous materials? Our thoughts:
It is essential that you read, understand and obey all lab safety rules and requirements, including material-specific safety information and/or any necessary training. To minimise risk of injury, you should anticipate emergency situations and have proper safety equipment ready to deal with them. You should also ensure you wear adequate protective clothing as required by the rules.
Question 4 of 4:
What if... you are undertaking a survey in a hospital with vulnerable illegal drug users? Our thoughts:
You must ensure that participants understand that their responses will be anonymised to maintain their privacy and confidentiality. It is also important to be sensitive about how you phrase and ask your questions so that you do not unintentionally offend or harm your participants.
Consent is not a one-off process, but continues for as long as any participant is involved in the research. This means that anyone who agrees to be part of a study (or their parent or guardian) can withdraw consent at any time.
Ethics approval
One of the ways that researchers ensure that research is ethically sound is to undertake ethics approval.
