Consult with Colleagues, Experts, and Outsiders

Now is the time to get feedback while you can still change the plan if necessary.

Now that you have so much of your project planned out and defined, and you’ve got your data collection tool put together, it is a great time to get some final feedback (while you can still change the plan if you need to). Even if you consulted with others early on in the process, it is a good idea to run the plan by those people again so they can see how all the different pieces of the project now fit together. People you should consult with include:

• Colleagues: This includes people who have helped you with the project thus far and other people who work in your field who know something about your subject matter.
• Experts and Resource Centers: Try to see if that "superwoman" or "superwoman" in the field can also take a look at your plan. They may be able to help you think of new ideas, identify other methodological approaches, or pinpoint overlooked flaws in your design. You can also consult with the staff at NEDARC on your project plan (see sidebar "NEDARC Can Help").
• Complete outsiders: It’s also a good idea to get feedback on your project from complete outsiders – people who know nothing about your field or area of interest. Try consulting with a friend or a spouse about your project, and you’ll be amazed at the quality of feedback you can obtain.

Test Your Data Collection Tool >>

 

 

 

 

 

rev. 15-Jul-2006