The Value of Independent Research

This is a Pathfinder Expert Voices post, by guest blogger Dr Helen Kara, an independent researcher for over two decades and Director at We Research It Ltd.

An independent researcher is one who works independently of an academic institution. Independent researchers are usually self-employed or work in micro-businesses. Nobody knows how many independent researchers exist, but there are enough for organisations such as the British Educational Research Association to set up a group for their members who are independent researchers. There is no clear route into independent research. Some people work for part of each week as an independent researcher and part as an employee, while others are independent full-time. Independent research suits people who enjoy a high degree of autonomy.

I have been a self-employed independent researcher for almost 25 years. We are sometimes called independent scholars, e.g. by the National Coalition of Independent Scholars, a global organisation despite its name. In my view, independent research is a great way to earn a living. Although it is challenging to find work as well as do work, and most independent researchers earn less than our employed contemporaries. However, for many of us the self-determination is worth the cost.

First, my ten top tips for independent researchers:

1. Be able and willing to live on less money than your employed contemporaries. The day rates can be high but you won’t get paid work every day, and some weeks or months you will have no paid work at all. There are no benefits such as holiday pay, sick pay or pensions, so you need to earn enough to cover those. If you crave luxury, the indie lifestyle is not for you.
2. Be highly motivated. Much of the time there is nothing to make you get out of bed but your own free will. Some people think that all there is to independent work is highly paid jobs for clients and a lot of time off. This is far from the case. You also have to run your own business, which means accounts, marketing, sorting out your own continuing professional development, and so on.
3. Be very well organised. Sometimes you will have several client projects running at the same time, and you will need to stay on top of each one, plus the needs of your own business.
4. Be reliable. Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it. If you encounter a problem that could affect others, let them know as soon as possible. Don’t take on work you might not be able to complete.
5. Networking is essential. You won’t have colleagues down the corridor who you can wander along to see for a chat when there’s something on your mind. At times you’ll need help and without a network you may have nobody to ask. Network online as well as offline.
6. Keep up to date with developments in your field. Sign up for as much relevant free information as you can, decide what of the rest is worth paying for, and make time to read it all.
7. Use your time productively. The workload is lumpy and sometimes you will have to work long hours. Try to keep those times to a minimum. When necessary, schedule routine work for when you’re more tired.
8. Look after your health. This is a huge priority when you have no sick pay. Eat sensibly, get enough rest, take exercise, have holidays. And be prepared to drag yourself out to work in physical and emotional states that would have an employed person reaching for the self-certification form.
9. Think at least twice before accepting unpaid work. Time is your most valuable asset. People will ask you to do all sorts of things for free – even governments will – and you need to be sure that whatever you do can also benefit you in some way, and won’t take up too much of your precious time.
10. Write for publication. Published writing looks great on your CV and is a marketing asset. What you write, and for whom, and where you publish that work, is for you to decide. Make it professionally relevant, write it well, and then promote it as widely as you can.

Value of independent researchers working with universitie

Independent researchers have a lot to offer universities and other research-active organisations. If you are an employed researcher, a manager of researchers or Principal Investigator, you may find that independent researchers can be useful to you. There are three main ways independent researchers can help:

1. As part of a team e.g. on a funded research project. Allocating time and costs for an indie within a funding bid shows that you are thinking beyond the walls of your organisation and taking a creative approach to the work. Indies have high day rates, but funders are used to these. You can cost in a very small amount of time: I am currently working as methods/ethics adviser on one funded longitudinal research project and my allocation is 12 hours per year.
2. To augment your teaching programme. Indie researchers can be useful for all sorts of teaching, from a single seminar or a one-day course to a whole module or doctoral supervision. I have found that postgraduate researchers and research staff value the perspective of independent researchers who often bring practitioner experience and/or real-world research expertise.
3. When you have capacity problems. If a key person gets a job elsewhere or goes on maternity leave when you’re in mid-project, you may need good quality help at short notice. It makes sense to get to know your local indies, and/or the indies in your field, because one of them may have the necessary skills and capacity.

Another good reason for getting to know independent researchers is that you will find out who you can trust. As with employees, some are more skilful, knowledgeable, productive and reliable than others. Also, if an indie hasn’t been independent for long, it is worth asking them about their intentions. In these precarious times, some people set up as indies in the hope of earning a little money while they look for full-time employment. It won’t help you if the independent researcher you have come to rely on gets a job and leaves you high and dry.

Mostly, though, independent researchers are flexible, thoughtful, and bring a fresh perspective. They are less constrained by bureaucracy, so have more time to think.

I love the autonomy of my independent research life and my wonderful clients and collaborators. If only independent researchers were eligible for research funding… but that is a post for another day.