The cost of doing research

by UOCE graduate research students
 

Doing research costs. Doing a research degree can cost a lot. First of all there's the uni fees - if you're self-funding with a loan they can feel very steep and add up very quickly. But there are also other costs involved in collecting data, writing, and sharing your research. Recently 'The Blog With No Name' took a light-hearted look at the true cost of doing research  such as coffee, chocolate, wine, and gym memberships. 




While many grad research students may agree with these costs (certainly the coffee! - Ed), we decided to ask some Grad Research Students about their real research costs: 

 

What degree are you doing, and do you know how much it's costing?

A: I'm doing a PhD. So far I haven't added up the full costs of the whole thing - I think I'd be scared to know!

B: Master of Arts (Education) - Fees, printing costs, buying of resources for study, school administration time for sourcing research participants, curriculum time for children is sacrificed so they can take part in my study, travel - to schools, time out of the classroom (as I am normally a teacher) 

C: Phd, no idea how much it is costing so far as I have only just started collecting data and incurring costs. 

D: I am doing a Phd full time degree. I have an Otago scholarship so all standard course fees are covered. But my fieldwork costs have been substantial; approx. $6000 to date (and that is only a year into my PhD).  

E: PhD, I don't dare look - but lots!   

 

 

Did you know how much it would cost before you started? 

A: I did the usual estimate in my PhD application, but I think I seriously underestimated how much the process would cost, partly because it can be hard to foresee what you're going to encounter along the way. I had quite a few changes in my methodology which meant increased costs of recruitment, and I discovered some new software I wanted to try so... It also can depend on how you're counting cost. Do you count lost wages while you study? Or impacts upon mental health and sleep patterns?

B: I had a fair idea of the financial cost that I would incur taking on something like this but I had no idea of the magnitude of effort that would be required to really give a research project like this your 'all'. As I completed much of the project part time while still working, I found it can be almost impossible to produce work that you're proud of when you have been working all day/all week and trying to read, write or critique in a state of tiredness. However, having time to focus full time on study has provided by far, a better 'space' to work in.  


C: No idea, and no indication seems to be available.

D: I knew that the overseas fieldwork would be costly, but I naively thought that there would be other scholarships or funding options available to cover such things as flights, accommodation, etc. I was told before enrolling that there are a number of grants available, but I have since discovered that the criteria are so narrow in many cases that it is simply impossible to find one that suits your needs and field of research.

E: Having completed a Masters away from home base before I took on my PhD research, I knew there would be lots of money spent over the time so went in with 'eyes open'. 

  
Do you take a qualitative or quantitative approach, and what sort of expenses has that incurred? 

A: My research is qualitative but I don't think I've had anything unusual in costs considering I had multiple meetings with participants. Not counting uni fees (I was lucky enough to get those paid) or living costs, my biggest costs will have been for recruitment and data collection, such as vouchers for participants and the host schools. Travelling out of town can cost more than expected, especially if you have to make multiple and repeated trips. Even just providing food and drink during interviews starts to add up, especially if you're interviewing in a cafe, or have focus group meetings as well. I worked out that averaging out all the costs involved in just gathering the individual interview data, my interviews from out of town cost me on average around $200 each. In comparison, closer to my home base the interviews cost around $60 each. After that, some costs are more from my personal choices e.g. the cost of software for transcribing and analysing data such as Dragon, HyperTranscribe, HyperResearch, and software like Endnote, and Evernote for cloud storage. I also needed hardware such as digital voice recorders, backup harddrives, usb sticks, a wireless keyboard because the design was lower and better for my wrist, etc. Then I needed to update to a laptop that could handle the software I was using so I could work at home sometimes. I've bought some 'textbooks' on my topic, and there are conference fees and travel over and above the uni-funded conference... And I guess there are lots of little things that you don't notice as you go - Should I count the coffee to fuel it all? ;)

B: Quantitative - paper (repeated measures study) means I have had children (120) complete surveys and other activities that have required several reams of paper. There was the cost to purchase SPSS software and also time to train in the statistical methodologies of being able to competently work in this way. Possibly even having to enrol in further courses just so you can understand statistical methodologies.


C: Qualitative - so far most of my costs have fallen within my research allowance/ conference bursary award, but I have spent money on the following:
-travel to Auckland conferences - funded through conference bursary or supervisor’s pbrf
-conference fees - funded through conference bursary or through supervisor’s pbrf
-accommodation - funded through conference bursary 
-food whilst away from home approx $60 
-food for participants in my research (self-funded as I lost receipts or purchased food items amongst domestic shopping, possibly $100 thus far) 
-hardware - digital recorder, materials for research activity (all claimed for) approx. $200

D: I am using a qualitative approach using visual methods and interviews. The creative materials have incurred an extra cost as I have had to purchase art supplies for 50 participants. The interviews have also incurred an extra cost as they have not been conducted in English and so I have had to pay for interpreter services. There are also hidden costs of doing fieldwork such as purchasing food and drinks for my interpreter and driver, plus gifts of appreciation for my hosts.

E: Flexibility = Money! (But is totally worth it). My research is qualitative and as such my approach called for face to face interviews over the period of a year. I had to be flexible in my times, and being such involves the haemorrhaging of money. Through trial and error, I did a drive/fly combo for both North and South island collections - the more you have to geographically move around (rather than flying to one place three times) the more you spend in money and time at the very least I spent 10,000 dollars traveling to the North Island – 3/4 times for flights, car hire (and petrol)  and accommodation not including participant expenses like cafe lunches and thank you vouchers. The south island legs were possibly cheaper as I only had to pay petrol and accommodation however driving nine sometimes 15 hours a day was expensive in time and personal health.
 

 

Do you have any words of wisdom for someone starting out? 

A: It will cost more than you think, especially if you have changes. (Maybe research students need a course on creating research budgets through GRS? *waves at GRS*)

B: Choose your topic wisely - if you have a passion for research in one area - this is great, but is it going to be a practical project for research, especially in an MA programme? Be strict on yourself and set yourself aspirational, but achievable targets and put this in writing so you are aware of your expectations of yourself and so that you can cross off your achievements along the way. Use your supervisors - they are there to help and if you are plodding along and achieving not much, they might have some advice to get you out of a rut.

C: The research proposal currently focuses on research overview/methodology/ethics, students are not required to consider costs as part of that. Including predicted costs at this stage would be practical, and could be a factor to consider in the research design.

D: I would suggest checking with your department which costs are refundable and what exactly you are entitled to. For instance, my two international flights costing just over $3000 in total have not been reimbursable, because the tickets were not purchased through the university travel agent. I think this is something that should be looked at as circumstances may lead you to independently book your travel tickets (and the cheapest  you can find), but if any funding does become available later on you are left out of pocket because the university policy was not followed (i.e. booking through the university travel broker). This is what happened in my case when I moved departments after booking my airline tickets. Funds were available but I couldn't use them to claim my flight costs.

E: Be prepared to spend! (You are investing in you). If you have to travel to do face to face interviews - keep it near you (say 3 to 4 hour radius), try to keep it to one location- the less 'little' trips you can make the better. Skype, or other types of video conferencing/interviewing, may be a great way to keep costs down, but aren’t so great in building that rapport for sensitive topics. Most of all, remember this is for you – it’s your work, your monograph - so the time, money, energy, and such you spend is an investment in you!