No research is done alone
A researcher’s job, stripped down to the core, is to solve problems through investigation. These investigations will be of diverse nature (observational versus investigational), scale (large registry study versus small lab study), or will need varying amounts of time (longitudinal versus cross-sectional). Each of these types of investigation will come with their own set of problems that need solving. Hence, a good researcher should do many things right at once. He should pick the right research question, choose the most appropriate method, analyze patterns in the data well, and put all of it succinctly in a paper. But often it is just not possible to cover all bases.
To begin with, no scientist today can survive alone. To solve complex research problems, collaboration across disciplines is imperative. As mentioned in an earlier post, even Albert Einstein sought the help of Marcel Grossman, an eminent mathematician, before he could propose the general theory of relativity. Then there are problems of resources, both in terms of men and material, and of time (fulfill teaching duties, attend conferences, find participants for own study, and so on). Needless to say, the average researcher slogging away in pursuit of his dream could definitely do with some help at any given point in time.
What kind of support does a researcher need?
An epidemiology researcher needs to study the habits of a specific demographic. He tries going through the institutional route to recruit participants but that puts red tape in his path. He hires the services of a marketing group to email a certain number of people meeting his study criteria, which costs him a lot of money. In the end, he finds a researcher in the field with prior experience in similar studies who advises him on the best avenues to source participants from. How does he find this expert?
A pharmacist has spent two years collecting voluminous quantitative data on a research topic she’s investigating. Now that the time has come to sift through and make sense of that data, she’s at a loss. The young pharmacist’s research team is small, and their capabilities for data analysis are limited. Where does she find a competent statistical advisor?
Where will this support come from?
Imagine if the researchers mentioned above had on-demand access to qualified experts from specializations of their choice. Imagine if they did not have to spend any more time than what they would typically to explain their research problems to a friend or a peer, and their problems would be solved. Imagine if upon seeking professional assistance, they were guaranteed of speedy and practical solutions. All of this, and more, is possible with Kolabtree. You create an account, post a project, and we will put the word out for you. In no time you will hear back from those qualified and interested, and you get to pick the best in the business. It could be this simple.
Are you a researcher stuck on a project? Please share your story with us and we will let you know how Kolabtree could help you.
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