Framing research as the process of asking and answering questions, this book demonstrates how to identify good research questions and how to structure and explore them successfully. Whether you are just beginning your research journey or are a seasoned traveller, it helps you: • Decide what you want to achieve with your research • Know what options you have to explore your goals • Navigate the nuances of different research approaches • Understand the decisions of other researchers • Choose what path best suits your project. Through real-life examples demonstrating different types of research, the book introduces qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches so you can compare different methods at every stage of the research process, from initial idea and design to data collection and analysis. This new edition includes new chapters on collecting and analysing mixed methods data, and additional content on qualitative data analysis. New examples reflect the cultural and global diversity of social research, and extra visual aids and summaries support understanding of key research concepts and stages. The book is accompanied by an online teaching guide, including videos, additional case studies, annotated articles, and critical thinking exercises.

This book is a starter ′DIY′ text for practitioners who are looking to conduct evaluation studies and research as part of their own professional practice. The growing emphasis on evidence-based practice means that there is an increasing need for practitioners to have at least a basic understanding of research, be aware of methodological pitfalls and to be updated on new methods. This book provides a practical, user-friendly guide to social science research methods for professionals who have benefited from little, if any, formal research methods training but find themselves in a role that requires them to read and understand complex research findings and carry out their own research as part of their professional practice. Practical Research and Evaluation is aimed at practitioners working in education, health, social care and community work. Many in this market are non-graduates or are those whose study did not contain a research element, but are required to know how research works. This book has three main aims which will benefit this audience - to enable readers to carry out small-scale research projects of their own, provide them with the basic understanding necessary to commission research, and enable them to better understand and evaluate critically research reports. This book is designed specifically for ′Do-it-Yourself′ researchers working in the public or voluntary sectors. It is accessible and relevant to practitioners, uses non-technical language wherever possible and employs grounded examples, practical tips, checklists and readings lists throughout.

Successful research requires effective and thorough preparation. In this expanded and updated Second Edition of Developing Effective Research Proposals Keith Punch offers an indispensable guide to the issues involved in proposal development and in presenting a well-considered plan for the execution of research. Dealing with both qualitative and quantitative approaches to empirical research across the social sciences, the Second Edition comprehensively covers the topics and concerns relevant to the subject and is organized around three central themes: What is a research proposal, who reads proposals and why? How can we go about developing a proposal? and What might a finished proposal look like? New features of this edition include: -Expanded sections covering research strategy, research planning and academic writing -Examples of successful research proposals from across the social science disciplines -A more comprehensive discussion of ethics -A brand new glossary and chapter summaries The Second Edition will be welcomed by all those preparing or evaluating research proposals, and will be invaluable across all areas of social science, both basic and applied, and for students undertaking quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method studies.

This book provides information about the key areas needed for a successful project. It includes software skills, developing research objectives, writing proposals, literature reviews, getting ethics approval, seeking funding, managing a project, communicating research findings, and writing reports. There is also a chapter on working as an independent researcher. The book includes numerous examples, checklists, and practical exercises designed to assist the learning of research skills and the completion of crucial project tasks. It covers procedures needed for conducting projects electronically and accessing information from the Internet.

W. Newton Suter argues that what is important in a changing education landscape is the ability to think clearly about research methods, reason through complex problems and evaluate published research. He explains how to evaluate data and establish its relevance.

This is your step-by-step guide on how to write successful research proposals in the health sciences, whether it is for a thesis or dissertation review committee, an ethical review committee or a grant funding committee. Using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research approaches, follow the journey of Liang and Natasha, two fictional researchers who will help you complete your proposal alongside reading the chapters. This practical guide includes top tips from the authors, read-reflect-respond activities and examples of project plans to equip you with all the tools you need to succeed with your research proposal.