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Will's Research Principles

Written in the first person so that each researcher can make a clear commitment to these goals.
 

A. Goals for My Research

1. I will aim to produce a definitive synopsis on each topic.

2. I will aim to write reviews that will withstand critiques from both researchers and practitioners.

3. I will seek a fresh perspective on every topic that I consider.

4. I will seek to understand the human functioning behind each phenomenon that I study.

 
B. Approaches to Doing the Research

1. I will keep practical application as a guidepost as I do my research and think about each topic.

2. I will seek out a wide range of articles for each topic.

3. I will examine the evidence to find the truth, limiting the influence of my prejudices.

4. I will approach each research article with healthy skepticism, understanding that:

a) Authors' conclusions can be wrong, biased, or narrow.

b) The relevance of the article may be limited in scope.

c) Research articles may not generalize to the practice of training.

d) A single research article by itself is not worth much; a confluence of evidence is usually required.

e) Research articles may have methodological flaws and so may not be relevant. Sometimes, though rarely, these flaws may be tangential enough to be ignored or downplayed.

5. I will examine empirical research studies and not just review articles.

6. I will approach each review article with healthy skepticism, understanding that:

a) Reviews can be wrong.

b) Reviews can be limited in scope and thus not relevant.

c) Reviews may not generalize to the practice of training or workplace learning.

d) Reviews can inappropriately evaluate research articles.
 

C. Approaches to Doing the Writing

1. I will write in an engaging style that promotes interest, wonder, and a clear sense of what to do.

2. I will write so that practitioners will quickly and easily understand my points.

3. I will seek out researchers with relevant expertise to provide feedback and insight on the content.

4. I will seek out practitioners to provide feedback and insight on the writing and its practicality.

5. I will write a fair and balanced synopsis and let the reader know my level of certainty.

6. I will follow prescribed editorial guidelines.

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