Outlier Science
Practical Research Guides and Resources
Use these guides to prepare better questions, organise useful evidence and make research decisions more clearly. The collection covers institutional research support, individual projects, publication preparation and laboratory planning.
The essential guidance and templates can be read without providing an email address. Examples are illustrative and should be adapted to the actual project, institution and applicable requirements.
On this page 6 sections
01
Institutional research development
Examine the work behind suitable submissions, identify where projects need support and select measures that reflect a healthier research pipeline.
Understand the evidence, departmental review, limitations and practical outputs that make an audit useful for institutional decisions.
Distinguish database coverage, collections and journal indicators, and plan checks that support accurate institutional reporting.
Turn a recurring workflow into a usable procedure, with responsibilities, decision points, records and a practical pilot.
Define the remit, users, service routes and capacity of a research office before committing to a structure.
02
Research methods and publication
Organise questions, a data dictionary, provenance and preparation decisions so the consultation can focus on a defensible analysis.
Build a reasoned shortlist using scope, audience, article type, policies, costs and current coverage checks.
Separate the requested changes, connect responses with manuscript revisions and explain a justified disagreement professionally.
Provide the call, criteria, complete draft and targeted questions a reviewer needs to give useful feedback.
03
Laboratory planning and research technology
Compare the costs and operating assumptions behind equipment choices, including consumables, maintenance and use.
Define the intended activity, organise evidence and distinguish readiness work from the accreditation body's decision.
Assess a proposed use, protect restricted material, verify outputs and document relevant decisions and disclosures.
04
Checklists and templates you can use
A structured checklist for reviewing institutional evidence, support processes and priorities. Record the basis for each answer and convert unresolved items into actions.
A practical review of research reporting, figures, references, journal fit and submission materials. Use it with the target journal's current instructions.
A working brief for scientific, laboratory and procurement colleagues to define intended use, requirements, evidence and lifecycle assumptions.
05
Apply the guidance to your setting
A checklist is a preparation tool, not a certificate that a project is sound or complete. Some questions require discipline-specific expertise, institutional approval or a current policy check. Keep the source, date and reason for important decisions with the project records.
The guides link to primary sources where external rules or standards matter. Those sources should be checked again when a particular decision depends on their current version. Original examples help explain a method; they do not establish a universal benchmark.
If the material reveals a question your team cannot resolve internally, the corresponding consulting service explains what a scoped assignment can cover. You can describe the issue without sending sensitive research material.
06
Suggest a practical question
The most useful research resources address decisions people actually face. If you need help applying a framework or have a question that is not covered, include it in your message. An inquiry can establish whether the issue needs guidance, a defined review or broader project support.