One of the joys of academic life (in my field anyway) is that I get to travel the world and work at the same time. And because the travel is not high pressure and regular, I can really appreciate the experience, unlike those in sales who are on the road constantly. So, how do you get the most out of your research trip?
Getting funding:
If you have a permanent position you might be able to persuade your institution to pay for your travel and accommodation expenses. On the other hand they might ask you to apply for external funding to pay for these parts of your trip. This is the least enjoyable part of the process in my opinion. Once funding is secured you can begin the fun part!
Deciding what to see and where to go:
As an historian I know where the best libraries are across the world for my particular sub-field. Deciding which one to visit is now easier than ever because of online library catalogues. The idea is to find the library or archive that best fits the requirements of your research project. You will also be able to get an idea of how long to go for: is there a few days, a few weeks or a few months worth of material? Even better if you can team your trip with a conference or a visit to university-based colleagues.
Planning: the nuts and bolts
Unlike commercial business travelers, most academics have to make their arrangements for travel themselves, so my advice would be find a travel agent or website that you can trust. I prefer to visit a face to face travel agent rather than go online, simply because my itineraries are often very complicated (flying into and out of different airports, for example) but you can sometimes find tremendous bargains online. Don’t forget to let the library/archives know that you are coming too. They will inform you if they have specific entrance requirements, or if you need to order your research material in advance.
Last minute preparations:
As with any holiday, being well-organised is essential. But with a research trip it is important that you are focused on work. Make sure you know what material you will be looking for and what questions you will be asking. If you have already written up some of the project take it with you to remind yourself of the issues you are focusing on. And don’t forget, you can have fun too. You’ll have your evenings free, so check out some good restaurants, museums, galleries or bars that you might want to visit on your trip!
