This webpage lists the resources and services available on campus to support your research from the initial idea through publication (and beyond). You will find the information on the support you need at each stage of the research cycle under the following headings in the section below:
prepared by Melody Herr, updated 28 January 2025
Consider the challenges and questions you encounter in your daily work. Do your colleagues at your institution or elsewhere share those concerns?
Look at conferences, journals, and recent books in your field. In particular, look for calls for papers for special journal issues or special conferences. What topics are getting attention? What are the research questions around those topics?
Conduct a literature search to see if others have written about your topic. Your subject librarian can assist you; you can find them in the subject librarian directory on the University Libraries website.
As you conduct the literature search, notice what questions other researchers are asking about your topic. What is their research design? What methods do they use to produce and analyze data? Are there any datasets available which would be useful to you?
Your subject librarian and the Data Services Librarian can assist you; you can find their contact information in the subject librarian directory.
Now is also the time to investigate what equipment or computing technologies are available. The Centers & Core Facilities website on the Division of Research and Innovation website and the list of software on the IT Services website are good places to start.
The staff in the Research Development Office in the Division of Research and Innovation can show you how to use the database GrantForward to find funding and assist you with applications. The information on the Research Development website will get you started. Note that some U of A colleges have their own research development team.
If you anticipate using animals or humans as research subjects (e.g., for behavioral studies, medical studies, interviews, surveys), visit the Office of Research Integrity and Compliance website to find out if you need to submit a research protocol for approval before beginning work.
Services to assist you with writing include:
For assistance with presenting your data (i.e., data visualization), consult the Data Services Librarian.
For guidance in identifying a high-quality journal for your research, visit the Writing and Publishing library guide, which includes an overview of the peer review and publishing process. Consult your subject librarian or the Scholarly Communications Librarian. (See the subject librarian directory.) These individuals can also help you identify a suitable publisher for a book.
A journal may require that you have an ORCID (i.e., a researcher identification number) in order to submit your manuscript. Learn more from the ORCID library guide.
Do you have questions about copyright? Find answers on the Copyright and Fair Use library guide.
Have you considered making your publication and/or data open? These library guides will provide you with information to make the decision and find funding for publishing charges.
You may also be able to make a version of your publication freely available on the web by depositing it in the University of Arkansas institutional repository; see the library guide Using ScholarWorks@UARK.
Publishers encourage an author to spread the word about a new publication and they often provide suggestions on how to do so. Check the author resources section of the publisher’s website. The Scholarly Communications Librarian can also help you to design a publicity campaign. And don’t forget to contact your department chair and the communicator (affiliated with University Relations) for your college.
You will also want to make sure your new publication is listed on your ORCID profile. If you don’t have a profile, please visit the ORCID library guide.