Step 6. Carrying out your research study and disseminating your findings

With funding secured and necessary permissions granted, your research study can begin.

At times, carrying out a research project will be tricky but it will also be very rewarding. During your project timeline, some research funders require and ask for reports or updates so they can be made aware of your progress. Make sure that you are aware of these deadlines and also that you deliver these reports to your funding bodies on time.

Once you have completed your research study you will want to share it with your peers, members of the public or decision makers. By publishing your work, you are allowing yourself to be recognised as a specialist in your area of interest and it can also lay the foundations for future collaborations and research.

Here are just a few examples of how to share your findings

Journal Articles

The most common method to disseminate your findings is to write a journal article (Tips on Writing a Journal Article). Your work will be peer-reviewed by experts in the field with similar interests to you and will make comments which you will need to address before acceptance.

Publishing in open access journals will make your article available for all, and the cost should be budgeted into any funding/grant application. Some examples of public health journals include:

• Academic journals with optional open access e.g. Journal of Public Health
• Open Access Journals – e.g. Journal of Public Health Research
• ESR (Early Stage Research) Journals – a place to submit an article around your research and a source of guidance on scientific research publishing

Conferences

Many health organisations hold annual conferences and provide opportunities for you to submit an abstract and present your work to interested peers. At these conferences you may be invited to give an oral presentation or be asked to present your work in the form of a poster.

• Check if your organisation has any relevant conferences coming up. NHS Health boards and Trusts often hold annual R&D conferences.
• External public health organisations often hold annual conferences e.g. R&D Forum, Faculty of Public Health Annual Conference

For a list of annual Public Health Conferences please click here.

You can also see what conferences are coming up by visiting our Events page.

Useful tip: Organisations and charities can often provide small grants for you to attend and present your paper at conferences (if relevant to their aims) e.g. Alcohol Research UK & Cancer Research UK.

Online Sharing Platforms

An increasingly common method to share your work is through online channels. Below are a couple of examples you may wish to explore.

• ResearchGate – a networking site to share your paper with colleagues
• Kudos – an online platform to explain your work in simple language and share to a wider audience
• Social Media (e.g. Twitter, Linkedin) is a great way to get your research work noticed by a wider audience.

Blogging can be another platform where you can promote your research or experiences of undertaking a research study. If you would like to post a blog on this site please contact publichealthwales.research@wales.nhs.uk