No doubt, you’ve already established the purpose and goals of your research project in the process of applying for funding. However, before you actually begin, it’s good to re-evaluate what it is that you’re setting out to do. Here are some key questions to consider:
What are you trying to achieve with your research? (In other words, do you have a clearly defined hypothesis?) Are you clear on the parameters and goals of your investigation? Is your study design feasible for what you hope to achieve? Are the time limitations of your funding period realistic? Is your project budget adequate? Do you have reliable procedures in place for tracking your budget and expenses? (For more information, see Research Budgeting and Tracking Expenses.) Have you started to think about publishing the results of your research (even though it's still early in the process) and begun to prepare for that goal? Do you know what help with any of these issues is available from CTSI andhow to access that help?
