The Complete Researcher: A Practical Guide for Graduate Students and Early Career Professionals

Learning how to do research well is not easy, and for newer scholars the process can feel overwhelming. Using clear and supportive language, this book is designed to help graduate students and early career professionals in psychology develop skills to effectively work through the research process.

Chapters cover the essential character traits and skills that are necessary to become an effective researcher, walk through the main steps for completing a research project from start to finish, and discuss considerations when building a career and research program.

Rather than the nitty-gritty of research methods, authors Joshua N. Hook, Don E. Davis, and Daryl R. Van Tongeren focus on the big picture of what is required in research. Chapters in the first section address overarching principles--the personal growth, attributes, and habits that are important to develop to become a successful researcher. The second section illustrates the key steps in completing a research project from start to finish, from formulating an idea for a project, to completing a literature review, collecting data, analyzing data, and writing up the results. The third section discusses developing a research program and transitioning from graduate student to professional--topics such as collaborating with others in research and mentoring students. This section is full of practical advice the authors learned from mentors and from personal experience.

Written for people with a broad range of career goals, and with the mentoring relationship in mind, the book helps mentors and students form productive relationships that feel mutually beneficial and rewarding. Each chapter aims to help students and professionals along their research journey, and teaches them not just how to survive the process, but thrive.

Joshua N. Hook, PhD, received his doctorate in counseling psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a professor of psychology at the University of North Texas, and he is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Texas. His professional interests include humility, religion/spirituality, and multicultural counseling. Dr. Hook has published more than 300 journal articles and book chapters, has received several grants from the John Templeton Foundation for his research and received the early career awards from two divisions of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Don (Donnie) Davis Jr., PhD, is an associate professor of psychology at Georgia State University. He received his doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University, completed his predoctoral internship at Clemson University, and is currently licensed in Georgia. A member of the Ken Matheny Center for the Study of Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, Dr. Davis has worked on more than 30 grants. His research and clinical interests are in positive psychology, with a focus on humility and related virtues. He has published more than 275 articles and chapters, and has written several books. He is associate editor of The Journal of Positive Psychology.

Daryl Van Tongeren, PhD, is an associate professor of psychology at Hope College. A social psychologist, he has published more than 200 articles and chapters on topics such as meaning in life, humility, religion, relationships, and well-being. This is his third book. Dr. Van Tongeren’s research has been covered by numerous national media outlets. His work has been supported by grants from the John Templeton Foundation, and he was won national and international awards for his research. He is an associate editor for The Journal of Positive Psychology and a consulting editor for Psychology of Religion and Spirituality and The Journal of Social Psychology.