Supplements
Detailed information on particular research settings and specific public involvement activities.
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Researcher resource
Briefing notes for researchers
A practical introduction to planning public involvement that is purposeful, inclusive and clear about how people can influence research.
Start here
Build involvement into the work, from the beginning
These briefing notes are for researchers who are new to public involvement, as well as teams who want to revisit the foundations of their approach.
They cover the purpose of involvement, practical preparation, inclusive recruitment, ways of working and learning from experience. Each note is designed to support decisions throughout the research cycle.
The resource also points to practical examples, templates and further reading for teams developing their plans.
The briefing notes
Ten questions to guide your planning
Open a note for a concise overview and a route to more detailed supporting material.
01. Introduction
An orientation for researchers considering public involvement for the first time, and a refresher for established teams.
Read the introduction →02. What is public involvement?
Understand the distinction between research carried out with or by members of the public and research undertaken about or for them.
Explore the definition →03. Why involve members of the public?
Consider relevance, accountability, transparency and the practical value of drawing on lived experience.
Explore the reasons →04. Why do people get involved?
People contribute for varied personal and social reasons. A thoughtful approach recognises those motivations and respects people’s time.
Read more →05. How can people be involved?
Plan early, communicate clearly, make participation accessible, provide support and record how involvement is resourced.
Plan your approach →06. Who should be involved?
Identify the knowledge and perspective needed, consider whose views may be missing, and plan suitable support.
Find people to involve →07. What approaches can be used?
Projects often combine approaches. Focus on the purpose, degree of influence and relationships needed for each activity.
Review approaches →08. Where can involvement happen?
Explore opportunities across the research cycle, from setting priorities and designing a study to sharing findings.
Explore the research cycle →09. What if challenges arise?
Anticipate difficulties, respond constructively and keep communication open when plans need to change.
Read practical guidance →10. Where can I find more information?
Use this final note to identify further resources, examples and reference material for continued learning.
Find further information →Useful companions
Extend the briefing notes
Use these supporting resources alongside the notes when developing a plan or preparing to work with contributors.
Case studies
Examples showing how public contributors have supported real research projects and decisions.
View case studies →Templates
Useful starting points for role descriptions, committee terms of reference and project documentation.
Browse templates →How to use this resource
Turn guidance into an involvement plan
Use the notes as a working prompt, returning to them when a project changes or reaches a new stage.
Clarify purpose
Describe the decisions that can genuinely be informed by public perspectives.
Plan access
Set out information, support, formats and time needed to make involvement possible.
Work openly
Record contributions, decisions and practical changes as the work develops.
Share learning
Explain what happened and use the learning to improve the next stage.
Common questions
Using the briefing notes
Who are these notes for?
They are intended for researchers and research teams planning or reviewing public involvement in health, public health and social care research.
Do I need to read the notes in order?
No. The notes work as a connected set, but you can begin with the question most relevant to your current stage of work.
When should public involvement begin?
Start while priorities, questions and plans are still open to influence. Early involvement makes it easier to act on contributors’ insights.
How can we make involvement more inclusive?
Consider who is affected by the research, remove practical barriers where possible, use accessible information and provide appropriate support.
What should we record?
Keep a clear account of who contributed, what was discussed, decisions made and the reasons when an idea could not be taken forward.
Where can I find plain-English support?
Visit the Plain English Summaries resource for guidance on clear, accessible project information.
Need a starting point?
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Send a concise description of your question and the stage your work has reached. Involvestory will help you identify relevant material on this site.