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Contents

Acknowledgments Preface PART I SETTING THE SCENE Chapter 1: What is real world research? What is real world research? Evaluation and change Participation and collaboration Ethical and political issues Returning to the real world Why do research in the real world? Chapter 2: Approaches to social research What is science? Postmodernism and extreme relativist approaches The two traditions: quantitative and qualitative social research The quantitative paradigm The qualitative paradigm Paradigms and research questions A pragmatic approach Mixed research designs Realism and real world research The purposes of research Practical value of the theoretical material covered in the chapter PART II: SELECTING A STRATEGY Chapter 3: Developing your ideas Design matters Deciding on the focus of a project Searching and reviewing the literature Research questions Developing your research question(s) The place of theory Chapter 4: General design issues A framework for research design Getting a feel for design issues Choosing a research design strategy Establishing Trustworthiness Chapter 5: Desk Based Research Tyes of desk�]based research Doing a literature review as a desk�]based project The main steps when carrying out a literature review as a desk-based project Doing a systematic review Doing realist reviews In summary Chapter 6: Fixed Designs General features of fixed designs Establishing trustworthiness in fixed design research True experiments Quasi�]experiments Single�]case experiments Non�]experimental fixed designs Sample size in fixed designs Chapter 7: Flexible designs General features of flexible designs Research traditions in qualitative research Case studies Ethnographic studies Grounded theory studies Other traditions Sampling in flexible designs Establishing trustworthiness in flexible design research Chapter 8: Mixed Designs The quantitative�]qualitative incompatibility thesis The mixed methods movement Types of mixed designs Designing and carrying out mixed desjgn research Pragmatism, realism or 'anything goes'? Dealing with discrepancies in findings Chapter 9: Designs for particular purposes Evaluation research Action research Intervention and change Researchers and practitioners Chapter 10: Ethical and political Considerations Introduction Ethical codes and guidelines Ethical issues Researcher safety and risk Working with vulnerable groups General ethical responsibilities Ethical review boards and committees Politics and real world research Sexism, racism and social research PART III TACTICS: THE METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION Chapter 11: Surveys and questionnaires Designing Surveys Carrying out a sample survey Designing and using a questionnaire Diaries Sampling in surveys - and elsewhere Probability samples Non�]probability samples Chapter 12: Interviews and Focus Groups Types and styles of interviews Advantages and disadvantages of interviews General advice for interviewers Content of the interview Carrying out different types of interview Focus groups Dealing with interview data Skills in interviewing Chapter 13: Tests and Scales Measurement scales Other scaling techniques Using existing tests and scales Developing your own test Chapter 14: Observational methods Observation in real world research Approaches to observation Participant observation Getting started as a participant observer Structured observation Deciding on a coding scheme The use of existing coding schemes Developing your own scheme Reliability and structured observation Chapter 15: Additional methods of data collection Unobtrusive measures Content analysis of documents Secondary data analysis Introduction to a range of more specialist techniques Internet�]based research Feminist research methods Multiple methods Chapter 16: Writing a project proposal How to recognize a good proposal The content of a research proposal The problem of pre�]specifying flexible design studies Shortcomings of unsuccessful proposals Sources of funding PART IV CARRYING OUT THE PROJECT PART V DEALING WITH THE DATA Collecting the Data Preparing for Analysis Chapter 17: The analysis and interpretation of quantitative data Creating a data set Starting data analysis Exploring the data set Exploring relationships between two variables Exploring relationships among three or more variables Analysing differences Quantitative analysis and different fixed design research strategies The 'New Statistics' Chapter 18: The Analysis and interpretation of qualitative data Types of qualitative analysis Using the computer for qualitative data analysis Dealing with the quantity of qualitative data Thematic coding analysis Data analysis in grounded theory studies Alternative approaches to qualitative analysis Integrating qualitative and quantitative data in mixed designs Chapter 19: Reporting, disseminating and moving forward Reporting what you have found Ethics and reporting Reporting fixed design research The scientific journal format Reporting flexible design studies Reporting on mixed design studies Reporting on case studies Reporting on literature reviews Writing for non�]academic audiences - the technical report Alternative forms of presentation Appendix A: Using specialist software for quantitative analysis Appendx B: Using specialist software for qualitative analysis References Author Index Subject Index

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