Providing a logical, step-by-step approach to educational research, this handbook is the ideal companion for students embarking on a research project for the first time. Anyone embarking on a research project for the first time is likely to be daunted by the research process and the huge array of impenetrable jargon. This user-friendly yet comprehensive handbook is designed as a survival guide for the inexperienced researcher. Divided into three sections, the handbook carefully guides the reader step-by-step through the whole research process, from getting started and gathering data, to making sense of the data. Accessible and down-to-earth, this handbook will prove a one-stop resource for educational researchers everywhere.
Introduction: Passionate enquiries; Part 1: Getting Started; 1. Research Paradigms and Approaches: Choosing models and traditions; 2. Designing the Project: Preparing the groundwork; 3. Issues in Research: Moral, authentic and trustworthy investigations; Part 2: Gathering Data; 4. Questionnaires: The strength of numbers; 5. Interviews: The beauty of verbal interaction; 6. Observation: The charm of gathering data in situ; 7. Documents: Exploiting records of social phenomena; Part 3: Making Sense of Data; 8. Quantitative Data Analysis: Seeking breadth and generalisability; 9. Qualitative Fata Analysis: Achieving depth and richness; 10. Writing Up: The potency of written argument; References; Index.
