Q: Where can I submit my research proposal to check if I'm still on the right track?

Detailed Question -

I am currently working on a research project on the topic 'The impacts of supporting employees' personal development on performance.' I have done the first chapter, and have moved on to the second chapter, which is the literature review. However, I do not feel confident with my work. Yes, I do have a supervisor, who just checks whether the structure of my work is okay, but does not fully read my work to see what I should include and not include. I feel like I need a second opinion or guidance before my final submission. Are there any sites I can visit that do this freely?

1 Answer to this question
Answer:

It appears that you have already begun your research project, so we will assume that your research proposal has already been reviewed and approved. In this case, the challenge you are facing is that of not receiving adequate feedback on the progress of your research work. Here are a few steps you can take to feel more confident.

  • Firstly (and you may have already done so), have you tried discussing your lack of confidence with your supervisor? Supervisors may have diverse communication styles, and perhaps your supervisor may not realize that you would appreciate more in-depth feedback on your project. Consider listing down all doubts and questions you may have about your research and ask your supervisor for specific responses to those. You can choose to schedule a meeting and discuss these in person, or write an e-mail with all your questions, if you prefer communicating in writing. Ideally, before reaching out elsewhere for inputs, make sure you have tried all the ways possible to seek guidance effectively from your supervisor.
  • If you have already tried this and believe that you still need additional guidance, consider reaching out to knowledgeable colleagues/senior researchers in your field who you trust, and seek their feedback on the aspects of your research you are not very confident about. You may also want to explore academic mentorship programs that your institute or other relevant organizations may have in place for researchers. These mentorships tend to be a little more informal than the typical supervisor-supervisee relationship and may allow you to freely discuss broad academic challenges you are facing.

To answer your question, it seems unlikely that there are any services that will evaluate an entire research project for free the way you seem to envision them, since this will need high-level subject expertise as well as extensive experience with designing and conducting research projects. If you do find any pro bono service that does this and you are inclined to try it, please take all steps to verify the quality/reliability of the service and confirm that the confidentiality of your research will be maintained. Predatory or bogus author publishing sites come in many forms, ready to take advantage of both eager and hapless researchers. You may learn more, including preventive measures, here: The scientific predator has evolved - here's how you can fight back

[On the other hand, there are globally recognized, paid author services that provide different levels of support to authors based on their needs, including a technical peer review of a manuscript or high-level editing that focuses on the structure/flow/organization of the manuscript. Feel free to explore and check if any of these may be helpful to you as well as being within your budget.]

Finally, for help with your literature review, you may find these resources useful:

Hope that helps. Here’s wishing you don’t just find yourself firmly on the right track, but coasting along on it – and soon!

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