Abstract 

Behavior analysts employed in the both academia and practice realms wear many hats. Clinician,
teacher, researcher, advocate, mentor, supervisor, the list goes on and on. For some behavior analysts
at certain institutions the ability to conduct high-quality behavior analytic research is prioritized and
includes abundant time and resources. For others, there are many barriers to the researcher hat.
However, with a little creativity, some refined soft skills, and the gusto to find a way to make it work,
valuable research can still be conducted by behavior analysts whose other hats are prioritized by their
institution. In this presentation Dr. Gifford will share strategies and methods she has found helpful to
continue conducting behavior analytic research at her small regional university. Additionally, Dr. Gifford
will share strategies for practitioners who may have fallen out of the research game post graduate
school and are looking to revive their research career, or perhaps start one!

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Objectives

• 1. Attendees will be able to identify and describe different strategies for collaboration and
  productivity in research with limited resources.
  2. Attendees will be able to describe some of the barriers associated with collaborative research
  and describe strategies to overcome these barriers.
  3. Attendees will be able to identify areas in their own practice where research might be a
  possibility.

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Bio

Dr. Margaret Gifford received her bachelor’s degree from Drake University, master’s degree from the
University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, and doctoral degree from Marquette University. She is currently
an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Louisiana State University in Shreveport and is a board-certified
and licensed behavior analyst in the state of Louisiana. Dr. Gifford specializes in the assessment and
treatment of severe problem behavior, primarily working with children diagnosed with intellectual and
developmental disabilities. She is also passionate about undergraduate education and training in
behavior analysis. She currently serves on the editorial review boards of Behavior Analysis: Research and
Practice and Child & Family Behavior Therapy. Dr. Gifford’s research interests lie primarily in improving
the assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior, collaborative research and practice, visual
analysis of single-subject data, choice making, and behavior analytic training models.

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