Research needs participants, people who are the substance of any investigation and without whom there would be no progress. We want to post on the blog, research ideas and questions and we want YOU to comment, critique, suggest, shred, share your thoughts about them. Public views help shape our ideas, make research more relevant, and identify features that might cause problems. The more public interest we can generate, the better it will be for all of us.
All you have to do is take a look at the research question or idea and leave a comment. We won’t contact you unless you’d like us to and we’ll allow all comments to be seen, although we do reserve the right to despatch unto Hades anything that is outright offensive or derogatory. Sound ok?
Ok, let’s get going then. This question is over-arching so it will stay here in grand isolation with its own page. The rest will go on the blog so the comments follow on properly.
Question: We need a whole lot of research-savvy people to work with us on all kinds of projects. Is a blog platform a good way of getting people interested in research and maybe becoming participants or collaborators?
Over to you…
Dr Suzanne Conboy-Hill 
Great blog-bit like going fishing but for what, who and what kind of research method? Hmm! Bit difficult to discuss recruitment and involvement together for some methods no problem for others
What do you have in mind?
Thanks Ruth! Fishing is about right but I’d hope, with more comments from people who might be considered ‘the public’, an open forum like this might help shape how ideas are presented and what questions people feel able to give an opinion about. Quite a lot of people have looked at this without commenting at all so why is that? Perhaps the question is meaningless, perhaps there should be more guidance on what’s wanted, maybe people are concerned about ethics as the author of the first comment was. Or maybe people plugged something into google and this is what unexpectedly turned up. The value for me is that a scenario can be presented that might represent a research situation in which people may become participants and people with no vested interests in that can freely comment on what it looks like to them. Most people will choose to cruise though, as is the way with blogs, but I’m hopeful. There’s you anyway so thanks!
“Quite a lot of people have looked at this without commenting at all so why is that?”
Ok, I’ll bite.
Sorry but we need jobs – not research.
We have never desired or appreciated been seen solely as research participants to benefit someone else’s job prospects under the guise of progress.
You did ask.
Fred
AS (diagnosed)
Quite right, no one should be just a step on someone else’s ladder but research – asking questions – (and even asking WHAT questions to ask) is an important part of helping us all move forwards. If we just did what we thought was best all the time and never involved the people it affected, I’m not sure we would have made much progress at all.
I agree, jobs are vital but does it have to be either/or? We have a very active service user group in our Trust and some have paid positions in the research where they make a critical contribution. It’s broken down all sorts of barriers and helped us all ask better, more valuable questions.
Thanks for coming in and taking the time to ‘bite’, it’s much appreciated.
‘Thanks for coming in and taking the time to ‘bite’, it’s much appreciated.’
…and thank you for answering my post in a thoughtful manner.
You’re very welcome. Please feel free to chip in whenever something strikes you 🙂