Research Methods in the Social and Health Sciences: Research Decisions, by Ted Palys and Chris Atchison, gives students a thorough, thoughtful, and highly readable introduction to the entire research process from start to finish. From its underlying premise that your research questions and objectives, rather than any specific method, should guide your research, this book discusses each step of the research process, from limiting the scope of a literature review to navigating ethical considerations to deciding which methods are best suited for finding answers to specific research questions to how to analyze data and present findings. Readers are encouraged to think deeply about each step of the research process. The book promotes this deliberation by discussing the strengths and limitations of different methods and. Throughout the process, the authors provide many examples from their own and student research, sharing insights for research decisions arising from that experience. Readers will develop the skills to create solid research questions, perform literature reviews, identify appropriate data sources and methods, conduct research, analyze and interpret data and translate the resulting knowledge generated from the research process to a wider audience– all core parts of the research process –by developing their knowledge and creating confidence in their own decision-making skills. After explaining the unique and often complementary strengths of qualitative and quantitative methods, students focus on what methods are best suited for finding answers to the research questions that interest them. Major types of research including experiments, case studies, surveys, quasi-experiments, ethnographies, focus groups, participatory action research, and archival studies all receive significant coverage. The text illustrates how these methods are enhanced by integrating them with 21st century technologies and combining them in mixed methods projects. Chapters on constructing a research proposal and disseminating research bookend the process with concrete steps in between to support students designing their own original research projects. Study questions at the end of each chapter encourage students to think critically about the research process and how the choices a researcher makes will broaden or constrain what they can find. By the end of the text, social and health science students will feel confident in undertaking ethical and thoughtful research.

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Research Methods in the Health Sciences provides clinical and non-clinical health science students with a comprehensive review of the designs and methods most frequently used in the discipline. Rather than preparing them to conduct original research, this text helps students develop a broad working knowledge of research processes across methodologies. Over the course of 10 chapters, students gain a strong understanding of the scientific method, evidence-based practice, deductive and inductive reasoning, ethical issues when conducting research, and the role of literature in the research process. They read about developing research problem statements and purpose statements, and asking sound research questions. Dedicated chapters illuminate how to select the right methodologies to ensure a study is valid, reliable, and trustworthy, how to understand qualitative and quantitative studies, and how to understand mixed methods research. Each chapter features field-tested tips for studying the material according to individual learning styles, as well as activities to help students develop high-order thinking skills. Written to help students develop foundational knowledge in the discipline, Research Methods in Health Sciences is an ideal resource for introductory courses in health science research methods.

There is a growing interest in, and acceptance of, qualitative research approaches in the health science disciplines, both as standalone methodologies and integrated with quantitative designs in mixed methods approaches. This comprehensive text provides deeper knowledge and application of a wide range of methodologies, methods and processes, enabling readers to develop their qualitative research skills. Divided into two parts, focusing first on methodologies and then on methods and processes, the text also includes revision of essential aspects of quantitative research as they apply to mixed methods research and a discussion of the uptake of qualitative research in the health sciences. The methodologies covered include: Grounded Theory; Historical Research; Ethnography; Phenomenology; Narrative Inquiry; Case Study Research; Critical Ethnography; Action Research and Mixed Methods. The methods and processes covered include: Interviewing and Analysis; Group Work and Analysis; Narrative Analysis; Discourse Analysis. Using accessible language to help extend readers’ practical research skills, this is a thorough and reliable text to guide advanced students and researchers from all health-related disciplines – including nursing, midwifery, public health and physiotherapy – to the best use of qualitative research.

This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.

In this book the contributors introduce all the key qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and methods and draw readers into a community of researchers engaged in reflection on the research process

Research Methods in the Social Sciences is a comprehensive yet compact A-Z for undergraduate and postgraduate students undertaking research across the social sciences, featuring 71 entries that cover a wide range of concepts, methods, and theories. Each entry begins with an accessible introduction to a method, using real-world examples from a wide range of academic disciplines, before discussing the benefits and limitations of the approach, its current status in academic practice, and finally providing tips and advice for readers on when and how to apply the method in their own research. Wide ranging and interdisciplinary, the text covers both well-established concepts and emerging ideas, such as big data and network analysis, for qualitative and quantitative research methods. All entries feature extensive cross-referencing, providing ease of navigation and, pointing readers to related concepts, and to help build their overall understanding of research methods.