Graduate research is a complicated process which many engineering and science students aspire to undertake. The complexity of the process can lead to failures for even the most brilliant students. Success with graduate level research requires not only a high level of intellectual ability, but also a high level of program management skills. After many years of supervising several graduate students, I have found that most of them have the same basic problems of planning and implementing their research programs. Even the advanced graduate students need the same 'mentoring and management' guidance that has little to do with actual classroom performance. It is my conjecture that graduate students could make a better job of their research programs if a self-paced guide were available to them. The guide provided in this book covers topics ranging from how to select an appropriate research problem to how to schedule and execute research tasks. The book takes a project management approach to planning and implementing graduate research in engineering, science and manufacturing disciplines. It is a self paced guide that will help graduate students and advisors answer most of the basic questions about 'how to do this and how to do that'. There is a need for such a guide book. The book will alleviate frustration on the part of the student and the research advisor.

Project management as a discipline has experienced near-exponential growth in its application across the business and not-for-profit sectors. This original, authoritative guide provides both practitioner and student researchers with a complete guide to research practice on project management. In Designs, Methods and Practices for Research of Project Management, Beverly Pasian has brought together original chapters from a veritable who's who of project management research including authors such as Harvey Maylor, Christophe Bredillet, Derek Walker, Miles Shepherd, Janice Thomas, Naomi Brookes and Darren Dalcher. The collection looks at research strategy, management, methodology, techniques as well as emerging topics such as social network analysis. The 38 chapters offer an international perspective with examples from a wide range of project management applications; engineering, construction, mega-projects, high-risk environments and social transformation. Each chapter includes tips and exercises for the research student, as well as a complete set of further references.

Design Methods and Practices for Research of Project Management is the most comprehensive guide on how to do research on and in project management. Project management as a discipline has experienced near-exponential growth in its application across the business and not-for-profit sectors. This second edition of the authoritative reference book offers a substantial update on the first edition with over 60% new content and so provides both practitioner and student researchers with a fully up-to-date and complete guide to research practice on project management. In Design Methods and Practices for Research of Project Management, Beverly Pasian and Rodney Turner have brought together 26 original chapters from many of the leading international thinkers in project management research. The collection looks at each step in the research stages, including research strategy, management, methodology (quantitative and qualitative), and techniques as well as how to share and publish research findings. The chapters offer an international perspective with examples from a wide range of project management applications; engineering, construction, megaprojects, high-risk environments, and social transformation. Each chapter includes tips and exercises for the research student, as well as a complete set of further references. The book is the go-to text for practitioners undertaking research in companies, and also doctoral and master’s students and their supervisors who are involved in research projects in and for universities.

"This book has been designed for undergraduate students and professionals who are new to research to offer guidance for navigating the research process"--Page 3.

The project management approaches, which are used by millions of people internationally, are often too detailed or constraining to be applied to research. In this handbook, project management expert P. Alison Paprica presents guidance specifically developed to help with the planning, management, and leadership of research. Research Project Management and Leadership provides simplified versions of globally utilized project management tools, such as the work breakdown structure to visualize scope, and offers guidance on processes, including a five-step process to identify and respond to risks. The complementary leadership guidance in the handbook is presented in the form of interview write-ups with 19 Canadian and international research leaders, each of whom describes a situation where leadership skills were important, how they responded, and what they learned. The accessible language and practical guidance in the handbook make it a valuable resource for everyone from principal investigators leading multimillion-dollar projects to graduate students planning their thesis research. The book aims to help readers understand which management and leadership tools, processes, and practices are helpful in different circumstances, and how to implement them in research settings.

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.