Helpdesk

The Helpdesk research team is available to carry out desk-based research assignments of up to two days at short notice. If you have a specific query related to any of the topics covered by the GSDRC, we can synthesise the key issues, identify the most relevant literature and gather comments from expert academics and practitioners.

For questions that require more in-depth investigation, we can also undertake extended assignments according to your specification.

Contact

Email: helpdesk@gsdrc.org
Telephone: +44 (0) 121 414 5037
Submit your query online

How to use the Helpdesk

Use this service to support project or programme planning, produce briefings or policy papers, prepare for missions or meetings or get quickly up to speed with the latest debates on any issue. 

1. Email us at helpdesk@gsdrc.org or use the online form to submit your query.
2. A researcher will contact you to confirm your query and ensure that we fully understand your needs.
3. The researcher will spend two days working on your query and present you with the findings, in the form of an annotated bibliography.  

The Helpdesk service is charged at fixed daily rates to organisations other than DFID; please contact us for information on costs.

Costs

We can undertake desk-based research or mobilise consultants at fixed daily fee rates.  Please contact us for details, or visit our consultancy services page for more information on consultancy.

Examples

The latest queries that the Helpdesk has responded to are listed in the right hand column of this page or search past queries on specific topics using the form below.

How the service operates

The Helpdesk is staffed by a team of three researchers located at the University of Birmingham and Social Development Direct. The GSDRC also maintains close links with the British Library of Development Studies, Europe's largest research collection on economic and social change in developing countries. Researchers can call on the GSDRC's established networks of expert academics and practitioners both within our consortium and in the wider development community.

An important part of ensuring the quality of Helpdesk responses is discussing and clarifying your query before research begins. This helps us to understand your exact needs and tailor our response to match the purpose of your query.

Related services

• Hire a consultant to carry out fieldwork, long-term research, or make policy recommendations.
• Visit the document library to search for documents in your area of interest.

Other Helpdesk services

Questions about the following subjects should be directed to other
Helpdesk services core-funded by DFID:

• Anti-corruption: U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre
• Health: DFID Health Resource Centre
• Security sector reform: Global Facilitation Network for Security
  Sector Reform (GFN-SSR)

New additions