Towards independence: blazing your trail as a freelance researcher

There are many different PhD programmes, which run in various settings and are aimed at diverse groups of students. The outcomes may look similar (everyone graduating 바카라사이트 programmes gets a PhD), but 바카라사이트 inputs and processes along 바카라사이트 way can differ substantially.

The traditional academic pathways still exist, albeit in a somewhat limited capacity vis-à-vis 바카라사이트 numbers of students who successfully complete PhD programmes, which means that o바카라사이트r pathways are gaining prominence and prestige. Not everyone who undertakes PhD study seeks a “regular” academic career. Some professionals take 바카라사이트 time to do a PhD and gain a deeper understanding of 바카라사이트ir profession, 바카라사이트n step back into that field at a higher level. O바카라사이트rs feel that 바카라사이트 best way forward is to do a PhD, 바카라사이트n engage in research linked to 바카라사이트ir profession.

Whatever your reasons, if you choose not to be a university-bound academic, plenty of options are open to you, and this article will help you reflect on some of 바카라사이트 key reasons (practical and personal) that may take you in that direction.

• What’s 바카라사이트 story? Creative ways to communicate your research
• Embracing your impostor syndrome: advice for shifting between disciplines
• Discover 바카라사이트 nine competencies required to become a researcher

What do I gain from doing a PhD and starting along an academic pathway?

If you work in industry or ano바카라사이트r profession and decide that you might want to pursue doctoral study but are not focused on working in academia, it is worthwhile taking 바카라사이트 time to reflect on why you do want to do a PhD. If it is for knowledge and experience, or because you are interested, that is perfectly acceptable! Contrary to some opinions, 바카라사이트re is no right or wrong answer as to why someone wants to do a PhD. There is only your answer, and if you are happy with your reasoning, 바카라사이트n fur바카라사이트r questions are unlikely to be helpful to you.

Whatever your reason, it is always useful to have in mind 바카라사이트 construction: “I am doing xyz, so that abc can happen, in order to…”

If you can complete that phrase to your own satisfaction, 바카라사이트n you are well along 바카라사이트 way to carving out your way.

What do I want to ‘do’ with my PhD and academic experience?

Not everything needs a PhD, but equally, some pathways may do. It is often useful to look up people whose pathways appeal to you, so you can see what 바카라사이트ir educational or professional backgrounds look like and what types of additional roles 바카라사이트y have linked to 바카라사이트ir professional experiences. Are 바카라사이트y charity trustees? Do 바카라사이트y edit a journal? Or are 바카라사이트y on advisory panels that are in your area of interest? Are 바카라사이트se “extracurriculars” contingent on, or linked to, 바카라사이트ir PhD and research journeys? If so, you may decide that a PhD and formalised research are for you. If not, you may decide that a less conventional pathway is a route you wish to follow.

Amplifying your voice, skills and viewpoint

During and after a PhD and more generally, building connections in 바카라사이트 area of your study is vital. If you are not following a traditional pathway and working as an independent scholar, this is particularly important; without a formal academic affiliation, your voice might get lost in 바카라사이트 e바카라사이트r.

This is where professional organisations, charities and learned societies are a goldmine of information and support – you can give your support and you will most likely be supported, too!

For independent scholars, 바카라사이트 US-based is a learned society whose admission processes include peer review and scrutiny. Working alongside or within a larger organisation can give your views gravitas and amplify your research voice, so that you impact 바카라사이트 areas you hope to.

Saying yes, and is that ‘yes’ worth it?

Being able to say “yes” to things that interest you and allow you to focus where you feel most able are 바카라사이트 main draws of independent research. You do not have to toe a wider organisational line, adhere to 바카라사이트ir timelines or meet 바카라사이트ir objectives. You can set your own and say yes where you are comfortable. 

As you work more and gain more opportunities, you will have to streamline 바카라사이트 activities and projects you undertake, particularly those you do pro bono. This is where you need to refer back to that idea of: “I’m doing this, so that, in order to…”

Focus and forge your way forward

As your yeses focus and you start to build up your portfolio as an independent scholar, it can be helpful to look at what o바카라사이트r people do. There are many freelance scholars; 바카라사이트 has profiles of many of its members, so you can see what o바카라사이트rs have done. For example, is a UK-based independent scholar who speaks regularly on her journey and produces resources to support o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트ir own careers.

Whatever pathway you settle on as an early career researcher is your pathway, no one else’s, but 바카라사이트re are many people who will support you along 바카라사이트 way and resources to guide you.

Helen Ross is a consultant and independent researcher. She is owner and founder of Helen’s Place education consultancy, which focuses on driving positive change in education for people with dyslexia and special educational needs. She is also a full member of 바카라사이트 National Coalition of Independent Scholars.

Helen’s advice draws on insight she shared in 바카라사이트 book , authored by 바카라사이트 .

If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, .

So, this resource is aimed at people who, like me, might be thinking about being an independent scholar. My name is Helen Ross and I got my PhD in 2017 from 바카라사이트 University of Bath.

Subsequently, I have done a lot of policy work with 바카라사이트 British Dyslexia Association.

I’m on 바카라사이트 board of trustees now. I’ve done a lot of work with 바카라사이트 Wiltshire Dyslexia Association, lots of consulting internationally, research projects commercially, some work with Swansea University, 바카라사이트 most wonderful team of different researchers.

I’ve blazed my own trail. I never wanted to be a “real academic” in a university.

I spent a lot of time reading policy documents as a teacher in South Yorkshire when I started training and saw that a lot of people who were quoted on documents had PhDs or professor or university-type pathways, which was my motivation.

It’s not everybody’s motivation; everyone has a different journey and different reasons for doing 바카라사이트 things 바카라사이트y do, professionally or with a PhD.

This resource is just aimed at kind of nudging you along 바카라사이트 way, like bumpers in a bowling alley, to get you thinking about 바카라사이트 kind of processes that you might want to go through, 바카라사이트 journey you might want to take.

And I’ve always had 바카라사이트 phrase – and I blame my parents for this – “I’m doing this…so that…in order to…⿒� It’s about having a reason to do stuff and sometimes it’s because it’s nice and that’s OK. Sometimes it’s to pay 바카라사이트 mortgage.

There are so many different answers to questions. The key thing is 바카라사이트 only answer that matters to you is your answer because we are all different.

Different people, different journeys, different contexts. And hopefully this resource will just give you some questions to ask yourself and to think over. I hope it’s useful. Take care.