ABSTRACT
The previous two chapters outlined issues to consider when planning and setting up research. The early stages of any study are crucial in terms of spotting factors that could get overlooked and lead to work building up beyond your control. This chapter takes things up a level by focusing on the stage between planning and running a study, including:
The most important part of this chapter focuses on piloting. Many research books outline methods and how to do them, but do not explain how to get your study into shape, which can be achieved only by good design and piloting. If you pilot your work, you can save time, check whether an idea will work, and make improvements to a study before it gets out of control. Unfortunately, piloting is frequently rushed or missed out completely, so this chapter will stress its importance and show how to do it.
