A RESEARCH WAKE UP CALL

I assumed that this assignment would be easy to do given my many years of experience in writing research proposals. However, this was not the case. They say that with more knowledge comes more responsibility. That is exactly what it felt like. I was no longer writing proposals on topical areas I was familiar with. I was writing for a new audience in a new paradigm regarding a new research topic and this presented itself as a challenge to me. 

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Within my psychology paradigm I am familiar with the areas I publish within and can generally get away with making statements and not referencing. I failed to realise that I am not an expert in this medical field and everything that I said had to be referenced. As you can see in the attached Assignment 1 I was beat over the knuckles for my failure to reference...which I have learnt to do now. 

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ALWAYS USE A REFERENCE MANAGER DATABASE!

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Using a database is so critical to the ease of writing. There are various options available which include Mendeley and Reference Manager, among others, most of which are free to download online. 

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When reviewing the comments regarding the background of my protocol I learnt that I was not clear enough in my description of the issues I am trying to address. Again, this speaks to structuring your background in a clear and systematic way and ensuring that reader feels comfortable to move forward to the next page of your proposal. 

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CHECK THE FEASIBILITY OF YOUR STUDY

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In hindsight I was planning a study that was a bit over the top for a Masters study and thankfully the lecturer pointed it out in the comments. We often try to change the world in one study, but keep reminding yourself that the purpose of your dissertation is to show that you can design, conduct and report on research. Once you start applying for grants and funding after you have graduated..perhaps you can design your ideal study :)

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ENSURE APPROPRIATE STUDY DESIGN

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Although the within subject pre and post test design was my initial selection for the protocol the cohort design was the final selection as a better option. I also learnt to be more explicit in my explanation of research design and sample selection. 

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EVER LEARNING

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When I think about the assignment and the comments that were provided I feel that I have learnt some critical things regarding protocol development, as I have mentioned above. I cannot wait to start working on my next assignment which means revising the first one and adding the last parts of the protocol.