The Complete Researcher: A Practical Guide for Graduate Students and Early Career Professionals

Learning how to do research well is not easy, and for newer scholars the process can feel overwhelming. Using clear and supportive language, this book is designed to help graduate students and early career professionals in psychology develop skills to effectively work through the research process.

Chapters cover the essential character traits and skills that are necessary to become an effective researcher, walk through the main steps for completing a research project from start to finish, and discuss considerations when building a career and research program.

Rather than the nitty-gritty of research methods, authors Joshua N. Hook, Don E. Davis, and Daryl R. Van Tongeren focus on the big picture of what is required in research. Chapters in the first section address overarching principles—the personal growth, attributes, and habits that are important to develop to become a successful researcher. The second section illustrates the key steps in completing a research project from start to finish, from formulating an idea for a project, to completing a literature review, collecting data, analyzing data, and writing up the results. The third section discusses developing a research program and transitioning from graduate student to professional—topics such as collaborating with others in research and mentoring students. This section is full of practical advice the authors learned from mentors and from personal experience.

Written for people with a broad range of career goals, and with the mentoring relationship in mind, the book helps mentors and students form productive relationships that feel mutually beneficial and rewarding. Each chapter aims to help students and professionals along their research journey, and teaches them not just how to survive the process, but thrive.