Contribute to the PRN blog

What we're looking for

We welcome contributions from students, academics, researchers (including community researchers), professional services staff, practitioners and community organisations that offer accessible reflections, insights, and thought-provoking commentary related to participatory and co-produced research.

We welcome contributions in a range of styles, including reflective pieces, project overviews, methodological discussions, personal narratives, and collective or co-authored blogs.

We particularly welcome blogs related to the following topics: 

• Plain English and accessible summaries of co-produced or participatory research projects, including key findings, impacts, and learning for both academic and community audiences
• Participatory, inclusive, and creative research methods, such as co-design, arts-based approaches, peer research, and community-led inquiry 
• Reflections on the practices of participatory research, including ethical challenges, power dynamics, relationship-building, trust, care, and reciprocity 
• Insights from lived experience, including perspectives from community partners, peer researchers, activists, and participants involved in research processes
• Institutional conditions for participatory research, such as funding structures, timelines, recognition, governance, ethics processes, and career pathways
• Teaching and learning participatory research, including curriculum design, student involvement, assessment, and supervision
• Equity, inclusion, and accessibility in research, including anti-racist, decolonial, feminist, disability-led, and intersectional approaches
• Collaborations beyond the university, including partnerships with community organisations, third-sector groups, public services, and policymakers
• Reflections on care, wellbeing, and sustainability in participatory research for all involved

Format and style guidelines

Audience/tone: Write for a non-specialist audience, avoid academic jargon, and explain key concepts. Our blogs aim to reach a broad audience including students, other researchers, community-based actors, students, and funders and policymakers (particularly within the Higher Education sector). 

Length: Between 800-1,200 words

Style: Aim for short paragraphs and subheadings, and include an introduction explaining the central argument/message

References: use hyperlinks for any citations (no footnotes or academic referencing) 

Author bio: Include a short bio (max 100 words) with your institutional affiliation and any relevant experience, along with an optional headshot (if you're happy for us to use one)

Editorial process

• All submissions are subject to editorial review, and may receive revisions for clarity, structure or relevance. 
• We may decline submissions that don’t meet our submission requirements above. Where possible, we will provide feedback.
• Accepted submissions are copy edited to adhere to our blog style guide. 
• We will send you any edits for approval, prior to publication. 
• We will schedule your blog based on our publication timeline, and topical relevance.  

How to submit

Please email your blog, along with at least one accompanying image, to prn@sheffield.ac.uk with the subject line:

PRN Blog Submission – [First Name] [Last Name]

Please submit your blog as an editable Microsoft Word or Google document.

Image guidance

• Maximum image dimensions: 2560 × 2560 px
• Minimum image size: 800 × 450 px
• Maximum file size: 32 MB