How to research

Front cover......Page 1
Half title page......Page 2
Title page......Page 4
Copyright page......Page 5
Contents......Page 6
List of boxes......Page 10
Introduction......Page 14
The first time researcher......Page 16
Getting a flavour of possibilities......Page 19
Why am I doing this research?......Page 23
Will I have anything new to say?......Page 25
In whose interests is this research?......Page 26
At last, writing up......Page 28
How to use this book......Page 29
What’s different about this edition?......Page 31
Exercises......Page 32
Further reading......Page 33
Introduction......Page 34
Choosing a topic......Page 35
What to do if you can’t think of a topic......Page 42
Focusing......Page 46
Finding and choosing your supervisor......Page 55
Individual and group research......Page 57
Keeping your research diary......Page 60
Exercises......Page 62
Further reading......Page 63
Introduction......Page 67
Everyday research skills......Page 68
Which method is best?......Page 72
Families, approaches and techniques......Page 76
Action research......Page 81
Case studies......Page 85
Experiments......Page 88
Surveys......Page 91
Which methods suit?......Page 93
Summary......Page 99
Further reading......Page 100
Introduction......Page 112
Why read?......Page 113
Coping with the research literature......Page 114
Basic reading strategies......Page 115
Using libraries......Page 119
Using the internet......Page 122
Good enough reading......Page 125
Reading about method as well as subject......Page 131
Recording your reading......Page 133
The literature review......Page 134
Issues in reading......Page 140
Summary......Page 143
Further reading......Page 144
Introduction......Page 147
Managing time......Page 148
Piloting......Page 151
Dealing with key figures and institutions......Page 152
Sharing responsibility......Page 158
Using computers......Page 160
Managing not to get demoralized when things do not go as planned......Page 162
Exercises......Page 165
Further reading......Page 166
Introduction......Page 168
Access and ethical issues......Page 169
Sampling and selection......Page 182
Recording your progress......Page 186
The ups and downs of data collection......Page 189
Exercises......Page 193
Further reading......Page 194
Introduction......Page 196
Applying techniques for collecting data......Page 197
Documents......Page 199
Interviews......Page 206
Observations......Page 210
Questionnaires......Page 214
Mixed methodologies......Page 218
Summary......Page 220
Further reading......Page 221
Introduction......Page 224
The shape of your data......Page 225
The nature of data......Page 227
Managing your data......Page 232
Computer-based data management and analysis......Page 235
The process of analysis......Page 237
Exercises......Page 238
Further reading......Page 239
Introduction......Page 241
Analytical strategies......Page 242
Analysing documents......Page 243
Analysing interviews......Page 245
Analysing observations......Page 248
Analysing questionnaires......Page 250
Interpretation......Page 255
Further reading......Page 259
Introduction......Page 263
Drafting and redrafting......Page 264
How to argue......Page 271
How to criticize......Page 275
Who am I writing for?......Page 277
Grammar, referencing and plagiarism......Page 281
Using tables, diagrams and other illustrations......Page 285
Panics......Page 287
Summary......Page 289
Further reading......Page 290
Introduction......Page 293
Planning to finish?......Page 294
The penultimate and final drafts......Page 295
Added extras......Page 298
The process of assessment......Page 300
What do I do now?......Page 306
Exercise......Page 309
Further reading......Page 310
References......Page 320
Index......Page 326
Back cover......Page 329