How to Do Your Research Project

Gary's book, never more than a metre away, has been my indispensable research companion. With its easy layout, my well-worn copy, stripy with florescent marker and pencilled notes, has been my go-to, on-hand supervisor throughout my degree; taking the distance out of distance learning. Replace daunting and impossible with clarity and entertainment. I wouldn't be where I am today without it; it has been my gateway to achievement' - Ellie Davies Moore, distance learner in Multi-Sensory Impairment at the University of Birmingham

With more advice on concluding, writing up and presenting research, using social media and digital methods, and understanding what supervisors want and how to work with them, the third edition of this bestselling title continues to lead the way as an essential guide for anyone undertaking a research project in the applied social sciences. Setting out a clear and detailed road map, Gary Thomas guides the reader through the different stages of a research project, explaining key steps and processes at each level in refreshingly jargon-free terms.

It covers:

• How to choose your research question

• Project management and study skills

• Effective literature reviews

• Methodology, theory and research design frames

• Ethics and access

• Data collection tools

• Effective data analysis

• Discussing findings, concluding and writing up

Packed with engaging anecdotal evidence and practical advice and supported by an interactive website featuring worksheets, videos, SAGE Journal articles and more, this new edition is a user-friendly, one-stop-shop for guidance on research principles.

Autorentext

Gary Thomas is a professor of education at the University of Birmingham. His teaching and research have focused on inclusion, special education, and research methodology in education, with a particular focus on case study. He has conducted research funded by the AHRC, the ESRC, the Nuffield Foundation, the Leverhulme Trust, the Department for Education, Barnardos, local authorities, and a range of other organisations. He has coedited the British Educational Research Journal and is currently an executive editor of Educational Review. He is author of many books, most recently Education: A Very Short Introduction published by Oxford University Press.

Inhalt

Starting Points: Your Introduction
Preparing: Project Management, Ethics and Getting Clearance
The Literature Review
Decide on Your Question - Again
Methodology Part 1: Deciding on an Approach
Methodology Part 2: The Design Frame
The Right Tools for the Job: Data Gathering
How to Analyse and Discuss the Information You Gather
Concluding and Writing Up