Written specifically for students with no previous experience of research and research methodology, the Third Edition of Research Methodology breaks the process of designing and doing a research project into eight manageable steps and provides plenty of examples throughout to link theory to the practice of doing research. The book contains straightforward, practical guidance on: - Formulating a research question - Ethical considerations - Carrying out a literature review - Choosing a research design - Selecting a sample - Collecting and analysing qualitative and quantitative data - Writing a research report The third edition has been revised and updated to include extended coverage of qualitative research methods in addition to the existing comprehensive coverage of quantitative methods. There are also brand new learning features such as reflective questions throughout the text to help students consolidate their knowledge. The book is essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students in the social sciences embarking on qualitative or quantitative research projects.

Table of Contents:
Research: A Way of Thinking Research: An Integral Part of Your Practice Research: A Way to Gather Evidence for Your Practice Applications of Research Research: What Does It Mean? The Research Process: Characteristics and Requirements Types of Research Paradigms of Research Summary The Research Process: A Quick Glance The Research Process: An Eight-Step Model Phase I: Deciding What to Research Phase II: Planning a Research Study Phase III: Conducting a Research Study Summary PART ONE: FORMULATING A RESEARCH PROBLEM Reviewing the Literature The Place of the Literature Review in Research How to Review the Literature Writing about the Literature Reviewed Summary Formulating a Research Problem The Research Problem The Importance of Formulating a Research Problem Sources of Research Problems Considerations in Selecting a Research Problem Steps in Formulating a Research Problem The Formulation of Research Objectives The study population Establishing operational definitions Formulating a research problem in qualitative research Summary Identifying Variables What is a variable? The difference between a concept and a variable Converting concepts into variables Types of variable Types of measurement scale Summary Constructing Hypotheses The definition of a hypothesis The functions of a hypothesis The testing of a hypothesis The characteristics of a hypothesis Types of hypothesis Errors in testing a hypothesis Hypotheses in qualitative research Summary PART TWO: CONCEPTUALISING A RESEARCH DESIGN The Research Design What is a research design? The functions of a research design The theory of causality and the research design Summary Selecting a Study Design Differences between quantitative and qualitative study designs Study designs in quantitative research Other designs commonly used in quantitative research Study designs in qualitative research Other commonly used philosophy-guided designs Summary PART THREE: CONSTRUCTING AN INSTRUMENT FOR DATA COLLECTION Selecting a Method of Data Collection Differences in the methods of data collection in quantitative and qualitative research Major approaches to information gathering Collecting data using primary sources Methods of data collection in qualitative research Collecting data using secondary sources Summary Collecting Data Using Attitudinal Scales Measurement of attitudes in quantitative and qualitative research Attitudinal scales in quantitative research Functions of attitudinal scales Difficulties in developing an attitudinal scale Types of attitudinal scale Attitudinal scales and measurement scales Attitudes and qualitative research Summary Establishing the Validity and Reliability of a Research Instrument The concept of validity Types of validity in quantitative research The concept of reliability Factors affecting the reliability of a research instrument Methods of determining the reliability of an instrument in quantitative research Validity and reliability in qualitative research Summary PART FOUR: SELECTING A SAMPLE Selecting a Sample The differences between sampling in quantitative and qualitative research Sampling in quantitative research Sampling in qualitative research Summary PART FIVE: WRITING A RESEARCH PROPOSAL How to Write a Research Proposal The research proposal in quantitative and qualitative research Contents of a research proposal Work schedule Summary PART SIX: COLLECTING DATA Considering Ethical Issues in Data Collection Ethics: the concept Stakeholders in research Ethical issues to consider concerning research participants Ethical issues to consider relating to the researcher Ethical issues regarding the sponsoring organisation Summary PART SEVEN: PROCESSING AND DISPLAYING DATA Processing Data Part one: Data processing in quantitative studies Part two: Data processing in qualitative studies The role of statistics in research Summary Displaying Data Methods of communicating and displaying analysed data Summary PART EIGHT: WRITING A RESEARCH REPORT Writing a Research Report Writing a research report Developing an outline Writing about a variable Referencing Writing a bibliography Summary Research Methodology and Practice Evaluation What is evaluation? Why evaluation? Intervention-development-evaluation process Perspectives in the classification of evaluation studies Types of evaluation from a focus perspective Types of evaluation from a philosophical perspective Undertaking an evaluation: the process Involving stakeholders in evaluation Ethics in evaluation Summary