Research Services
Good research is mostly decided before the analysis: the review that frames the question, the design that can answer it, the instruments that measure it and the ethics and data plans that let it go ahead. Our research services help at each of those stages, with methods you can explain and defend.
Overview
This pillar covers the parts of a research project that come before, and underpin, the analysis. It spans evidence synthesis (narrative, systematic, scoping and bibliometric reviews), research design and sampling, instrument development and data collection, research ethics and data governance, and applied research for organizations, such as market studies, feasibility studies, policy briefs and monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
What connects these services is a focus on method. We name the standards we work to, such as PRISMA 2020, the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis, the Cochrane Handbook, recognized design typologies and data-protection principles, and we record every decision so that you, your supervisor, a reviewer or a funder can follow it. Where a simpler or different design would serve you better, we will tell you.
For students, our role is research support and coaching: we build search strategies, plan designs, draft instruments for your approval and explain the reasoning, while you remain the author of your thesis. For research teams, institutions and organizations we can take on larger parts of a project, with roles and contributions agreed openly.
Who this is for
- Master's and doctoral researchers planning reviews, designs and fieldwork for a thesis
- Early-career and established academics preparing review articles, grant-funded studies or ethics submissions
- Health, education and social care professionals running practice-based or evaluation research
- Research offices, NGOs and public bodies needing policy research, feasibility work or M&E frameworks
- Businesses and startups commissioning market or industry research
Where to start
Pick the situation that sounds most like yours.
- I need to find and assess all the studies on a focused question, following PRISMASystematic reviews
- I want to map what research exists on a broad or emerging topicScoping reviews
- I have lots of sources and my literature review feels descriptiveNarrative & integrative reviews
- I want to show how a research field has developed using citation dataBibliometric analysis
- I am not sure whether my study should be an experiment, a survey or something elseQuantitative design
- My ethics form asks me to justify my sample sizeSample size & power
- I am planning interviews or fieldwork and need a clear qualitative approachQualitative design
- I need a questionnaire that measures my variables properlyQuestionnaire design
- I have to submit an ethics or IRB application with consent formsEthics & IRB applications
- My funder wants a data management planData management plans
- Our organization needs a monitoring and evaluation framework for a programMonitoring & evaluation
- I want to combine numbers and interviews in one studyMixed methods design
Services by area
Literature Reviews
Reviews range from a flexible narrative synthesis to a registered systematic review with dual screening and risk-of-bias assessment. Choosing the right type is the first decision, and it shapes everything after it.
- Narrative, Integrative and Critical Literature Review Support “Help making sense of a lot of reading and turning it into a structured, critical literature review”
- Systematic Review Support: Protocol, Search, Screening and Extraction “Help planning and running a systematic review that follows PRISMA properly”
- Scoping Review Support Using JBI Methods and PRISMA-ScR “Help mapping what research exists on a broad topic, done in a recognized scoping review format”
- Bibliometric Analysis with VOSviewer, CiteSpace and Bibliometrix “Help analyzing publication and citation data to show how a research field has developed”
Research Design & Methodology
Your design decides what your study can claim. We help you choose between quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods and practice-based designs, and size your sample so the study can answer its question.
- Quantitative Research Design: Experimental, Quasi-Experimental, Correlational and Survey “Help choosing and planning the right quantitative study design before I collect data”
- Qualitative Research Design: Phenomenology, Grounded Theory, Ethnography, Case Study and Narrative “Help choosing a qualitative approach and planning interviews or fieldwork that fit it”
- Mixed Methods Research Design: Convergent, Explanatory and Exploratory Sequential “Help combining surveys and interviews in one study so the parts actually connect”
- Action Research and Design-Based Research Planning “Help planning research that improves my own practice or tests a design in cycles”
- Sampling Strategy, Sample Size and Power Analysis “Help working out how many participants I need and how to recruit them”
Instruments & Data Collection
Data are only as good as the tools that collect them. We help you build questionnaires, interview and observation protocols and online surveys, find secondary datasets and turn recordings into analysis-ready transcripts.
- Questionnaire & Survey Design, Scale Adaptation and Pilot Testing “Help building a survey questionnaire that actually measures what my study needs”
- Interview Guides, Focus Group Protocols and Observation Checklists “Help writing interview questions and a plan for running focus groups or observations”
- Online Survey Setup in Qualtrics, Google Forms, SurveyMonkey and KoboToolbox “Help putting my questionnaire online with the right logic, checks and clean data export”
- Secondary Data Sourcing: World Bank, IMF, Eurostat, Compustat and National Statistics “Help finding and assembling country or company data for my research from the right sources”
- Research Transcription: Verbatim, Clean Verbatim and Multilingual “Someone to turn my interview or focus group recordings into accurate, confidential transcripts”
Research Ethics & Compliance
Before you can collect data you usually need ethics approval, and increasingly a data management plan. We help you prepare clear, complete submissions that anticipate what committees and funders look for.
- Ethics Committee and IRB Application Support, Consent Forms and Information Sheets “Help preparing my ethics application and consent forms so the committee approves without long delays”
- Data Management Plans and GDPR Compliance for Research Projects “Help writing a data management plan for my funder or university and handling personal data properly”
Market & Applied Research
Applied research answers practical questions for organizations: is there a market, is the project viable, what should policy do, and is the program working? We bring research methods to those decisions.
- Market and Industry Research Reports with Transparent Methods “A researched report on a market or industry that shows where every number comes from”
- Feasibility Studies for Projects, Programs and Ventures “An objective assessment of whether a project or business idea is workable before we commit money”
- Policy Research, Evidence Reviews and Policy Briefs “Help turning research evidence into a short policy brief that decision-makers will actually read”
- Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Frameworks, Indicators and Evaluation Design “Help setting up a monitoring and evaluation plan with indicators for our project or program”
How we approach this work
Question first, method second
We start from what you need to find out and the claim you want to make, then choose the review type, design or instrument that can support it, not the other way round.
Named standards, not vague rigor
We work to recognized frameworks such as PRISMA 2020 and PRISMA-ScR, JBI and Cochrane guidance, validated scales, CONSORT or STROBE, and your funder's or committee's templates, and cite them so reviewers can check.
An audit trail for every decision
Search strings, screening logs, sample-size assumptions, instrument revisions and protocol deviations are documented as we go, ready for your methods section or report appendix.
Candid about trade-offs
Each design, sample and data source has limitations. We state them early, suggest mitigations and help you word conclusions that stay within what the evidence supports.
Your authorship, your approval
You approve protocols, instruments and plans before they are used, register them under your name and decide what goes into the final work.
Frequently asked questions
Which research service should I start with?
Start with the earliest stage you have not finished. If your question is unsettled, a review or design consultation comes first; if the design is agreed, move to instruments and ethics. When you contact us, describe where you are and we will suggest a sequence rather than selling separate pieces.
Can one team support several stages of my project?
Yes, and it often helps. A search strategy, a design and a questionnaire built together are more likely to line up with each other, and later analysis can use the same documentation. You can still choose single stages.
Do you work outside health and the social sciences?
Yes. Evidence synthesis and research design principles apply in business, engineering, computer science, the humanities and the natural sciences, although the databases, standards and conventions differ. We adapt to your field's expectations and say so if a field-specific specialist would be better.
How do you keep our data and documents confidential?
We use your materials only for your project, work with anonymized or pseudonymized data where possible, and follow the data-handling arrangements agreed at the start, including any requirements from your ethics approval or data management plan.
How is our contribution acknowledged?
It depends on the work and your context. Students typically acknowledge research or methodological support according to institutional rules. For publications, contribution is described according to the journal's authorship and acknowledgment policies, agreed with you in advance.
Can you get my protocol or ethics application approved?
No one can promise approval by a registry, committee or funder. We help you meet the published requirements and anticipate common reviewer questions, which reduces avoidable delays.
Tell us what you need help with
Describe your project, stage and deadline. We’ll reply with the right service, what we need from you and a quote — no obligation.