Follow one trajectory

At least the outline of a research project, much like a travel plan, ought to follow a consistent and logical development along a more or less intended path. Even if research reality often includes loops, surprises, and sudden changes of speed and direction, a journey rarely begins with a plan fraught with interruptions, accidental teleportation from one place to another, and disconnected segments would be as hard to follow as a research project whose individual segments do not link up convincingly. It is precisely because ‘life will happen’ while implementing your research project—that there will be plenty of twists and turns you will need to make sense of down the road, when writing your documentation—that you want to keep at least your initial plan quite straightforward.

Consequently, try to see your project, therefore, as a trajectory that your readers will be able to agree with. There should not be bends and breaks in your development that others find hard to follow. From another perspective, both the process and the result of research need to convince readers. Your chance to convince is threatened by each individual instance of disconnect. Maximize your chances by planning, conducting, and reporting your journey convincingly.

Research means producing and presenting a single piece of thought development. Thoughts are easily questioned and challenged by a critical audience. Researchers are by their nature among the most critical audiences you might imagine. This is why planning, implementing, and producing a seamless project is a central goal.

(This is a preview section. The full chapter on this topic continues with the sections “Rough coordinates”, “Train of thought”, “In essence”, “To reflect”, “Two travellers’ tales”, “Devil’s advocate”, and “How to tackle”.)