Research in Plain English

The Research Hive scholars are currently inviting doctoral students to write a blog post describing their research in plain English. We know we can't really ask others to do this, without accepting the challenge ourselves, so here is a blog from one of the scholars, Liz Thackray, describing what her research is about.

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"Life is as hard as you want to make it" - how one mother summed up living with a child with high functioning autism.

My research is about the special needs system and why it is often described using language more reminiscent of warfare. Parents speak of a battle to get their children's needs met and they fight for their children's rights. But teachers also talk about the struggle to get funding and extra help in the classroom. Sometimes professionals from education and health services engage in combat in determining the best type of schooling to offer a child. Family members, especially brothers and sisters, can suffer collateral damage.

There are three aspects to my research:

Modelling the system. The special needs system is not easily defined. It includes aspects of health, education, social care and community provision, but it is malleable. The models explore how the different parts of the system interconnect.

Exploring influences on the system. What has shaped the system and caused it to develop as it has? How have legislation, service delivery, attitudes and expectations influenced the system and how do they contribute to the tensions in the system?

How do stakeholders experience the system? I have been listening to the accounts of parents of children with Asperger's syndrome and high functioning autism, and to health and education practitioners.

Pulling it all together, I am looking at connections between the structure, influences and experiences of the system. Some aspects of struggle stem directly from the system, and it might be possible to make changes to ameliorate these. Others stem from societal attitudes and expectations - a much harder nut to crack, but by bringing them into the open, it offers opportunity for discussion and challenging perceptions.

Why am I doing this? I have a son on the autistic spectrum and I facilitate a parent support group. Parenting a child who is different can be hard, but does it have to be a battle?

Research Hive & Student’s Union: ‘Open Clinic’ & Field Trip (to Falmer Bar)

Research Hive and Student’s Union ‘Open Clinic’
Tuesday 24 April, 12:00-14:00
Research Hive (in the Library)

Stop worrying, it doesn’t help your research

• Take the opportunity to ask questions and discuss concerns about Education, Housing Welfare, Childcare or Student /Research Visa Applications.
• The Open Clinic is here to answer these questions and more.
• If you are a Doctoral Researcher and want to find out what the Students’ Union can do for you come and meet a Union Representative on:

Tuesday 24th April in the Hive, from 12 - 2pm (One–to-One consultations available).

Research Hive Field Trip to Falmer Bar
Tuesday 24th April, 17:00-19:00
Falmer Bar

Dare to Leave Your Computer and Come and Join Fellow Researchers for Drinks and a Chat.

  By popular request!

• Being a Doctoral Researcher can be sometimes lonely and stressful.
• Come and get to know other researchers over a drink.
• Share your experiences and pick up tips.

For those who arrive early you’ll receive a free drink! Hope to see you there!

Tell the Hive about your research and win a £15 Amazon Voucher!

Ever wondered what all the other Hive users are working on? Fancy telling us what your research is all about?

During April, the Hive Scholars are inviting doctoral researchers at Sussex to write a blog post that will introduce their research in a way that someone from outside their discipline would understand. In other words - describe their research in plain English. Sounds easy?

What do I need to do?

Write something describing your research in a way that will be understood by a reader who is not familiar with your work or discipline. It doesn’t need to be very long – think around 300 words as a guideline.

When you have written your text, send it to researchhive@sussex.ac.uk.  (Contributions to the Hive blog are welcome any time, but to enter the draw, get your blog post to us by 30th April) 18th May.

If you have your own blog already, and would like to send us a link to it, we can include this with your post (also, you might like to share your blog with the Doctoral School who have links to many Sussex researchers’ blogs available on an RSS feed.)

What’s in it for me?

Aside from the possibility of winning a £15 Amazon voucher? A few of you have said the being able to contribute to the Hive blog would allow you to share ideas with other researchers.

If you blog already this is the ideal opportunity to introduce your blog to the Hive community and the wider Sussex research community. By sharing information about your own research you may well discover that someone else is doing something that complements your work, or might be a useful person to talk to about methodology.

There’s an increasing emphasis on researchers engaging with the public. Being able to communicate complex ideas in accessible language is a great skill to have.

What will happen to my information?

We will publish the blog posts here on the Research Hive blog after the closing date. The exact timing will depend on how many responses we get.

What about that voucher?

This isn’t a competition for the ‘best’ entry – we’ll put the names of everyone who sends us something to publish into a draw and one person will randomly be selected to win.

Closing date for entries is April 30th May 18th

Remember to send your blog post to researchhive@sussex.ac.uk