My hand trembled with nervousness and anticipation. It was the start of my student research project. My supervisor had talked me through how “by doing X we will learn more about Y” and I was excited to get started.A decade later when I talk to my own students I sometimes catch myself using another way to frame our work: “if we do X, and it ‘works’, then perhaps we can get into prestigious journal Y”. This is poison for an inquiring mind...

For many researchers beginning a research project is a daunting process. In this post Zina O’Leary, author of the recently released The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project, third edition shares her 10 steps for demystifying the research process and understanding the logic of undertaking research.