Undertaking and writing research that is important, targeted, and the best you can do

Three recent events over the past week that made me reflect on writing and undertaking research. 

1. I have written my final editorial as editor of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (IJSLP),
2. I was invited to open the School of Teacher Education Research Writing Retreat with "inspirational words"
3. I was invited to speak at the Early Years Education Collaborative Research Network meeting in Melbourne on the topic of "Improving your academic writing - both journal article and thesis writing"

The convergence of these three events inspired me to talk and write about "Undertaking and writing research that is important, targeted, and the best you can do"

McLeod, S. (2014). Editorial: Undertaking and writing research that is important, targeted and the best you can do. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 16(2), 95-97. 

 Here is the beginning of the editorial:

Conducting and writing research is a privilege. It is a privilege because researchers can change lives through their findings and can influence public knowledge and debate. It is also a privilege because researchers are reliant on the time and goodwill of participants (and colleagues), and research is often underpinned by funding raised by the public, either through taxes or philanthropic donations. This privilege comes with responsibility. Researchers have a responsibility to undertake research that is important, targeted, and of high quality. This editorial aims to inspire, challenge, and bolster the research efforts of individuals and teams.