Tips on spending less money on academic research | EduCeleb
Abdussalam Amoo
10th October 2017
Carrying out academic research is a ‘call’ that must be answered by all students in tertiary institutions before they could be awarded their degrees or diplomas. It requires devotion of time and effort.
I’m inspired to write this recalling what it took me to do my earlier research works. What I’m writing about here isn’t for lazy bones that depend solely on other researchers, copy their work and publish as if it were theirs.
You already know that researchers are meant to be active in solving certain societal problems in some unique ways. You as a young researcher can’t be any different.
Apart from the time and effort dissipated, research could cost a lot of money depending on the kind of research being carried out, the personality of the researcher and the environment in which the research is being done.
Therefore, there is the need for you as a researcher to seek means to spend lesser money on your academic research work and maximise your potentials. Do you want to minimise spending costs on your research work? Seek these tips!
Rather than paying others to do the work for you, consider doing it yourself. This requires of you a vast knowledge about what you are doing.
Choose a suitable topic, gather relevant related literature, determine a methodology to use, analyse data gathered, interpret them and draw appropriate conclusions all on your own.
You’ll need to read wider to be able to achieve that all alone. Your internet connected phone should be used productively. Other elibrary resources for tablets and PCs are also modern alternatives to the library. It is important you also explore online learning platforms to give a head start.
The more things you can do on your own, the lesser money you’ll spend on others to get them done.
Get Someone to do it at Little or no Cost
After exploring the initial option, try this. You would likely need a research assistant to handle some aspects of your field work. Let it be someone who can provide such service probably for free or charge you a little.
In my own case, my dad and a few colleagues were available to complement my efforts with regards reviewing the content of my research work before I submitted them to my supervisor.
Your friends, siblings or associates would be glad to help. Discuss it with them! I’m sure they would be glad to help.
Are you using your own laptop to type your work? Do you equally have access to a printer or photocopier too? That saves you a lot of money that you could have spent at a vendor’s shop.
Modifying and editing your work at will wouldn’t be any easier than when you own one. At least, a laptop or smart phone of yours would do for now.
Sometimes, minimising spending is all it takes to spend lesser on your educational research. For example, if you have to can use the same test on multiple occasions, produce answer sheets for respondents so that you would be able to use the sample question paper for others. Isn’t that beautiful?
If your project supervisor permits, working on the research as a group saves a lot of money. Members of the group contribute money as much as they contribute ideas.
With the expenses divided among all, your financial burden resulting from it would be minute. Group works makes researchers learn more from one another and grow together. Group work rocks!
Funding your research could be handled by some other people. Why not contact them? There are a number of local and international governments and corporate bodies ready to fund academic research in various disciplines.
Learn how to Google search to get one for your work. They would be pleased to fund your visionary exploit to add to knowledge. Their funding might cover all expenses or an appreciable part.
Funding your research should not be difficult anymore now. Utilise resources given in the above tips and have a hitch-free research sojourn.  I wish you all the best as you carry out your research.
What issues are you having funding your research? Let me know, using the comment box below.