Learning from Research

* How do I begin to plan my research?

* How can I be sure that I am collecting useful data and analysing it appropriately?

* Do I need a sophisticated understanding of statistics in order to carry out high quality research?

If these are questions which concern you, then you will find great support in this reassuring and down to earth book. It tells the story of five postgraduate researchers on their journey to successful completion of Master of Education or PhD degrees. Four of the five were new to research, had demanding full time jobs and so were researching part time - and at a distance. All four undertook quantitative studies and even though two of them claimed to be 'afraid of stats' at the beginning, they all succeeded in producing quality theses. The fifth researcher had previous relevant research experience and had an award which enabled her to carry out a full time qualitative investigation at doctoral level. All five faced sharp learning curves at various times but they learnt from their experiences, as we all do. They discuss very openly some of the mistakes they made, the lessons they learnt and, with hindsight, how they might have done things differently.

A comprehensive glossary, key quotations in boxes and detailed annotated further reading combined with a straightforward writing style make this an invaluable text for any researcher.

(McGraw-Hill)

Bli först med att recensera och betygsätt boken Learning from Research - du kan vinna 200 kr varje månad i tävlingen "Månadens recension".

Mantex Info Design website

This is an excellent companion volume to Judith Bells best-selling Doing Your Research ProjectIf you are embarking on research in the humanities or social sciences, this offers a supportive and well-informed account of the approaches you might take. www.mantex.co.uk



New Scientist

"This novel approach gives an accurate picture of what it's like to conduct research, and has useful tips from people who often learned the hard way." - Richard Wiseman



Oxfam

"...a useful guide to anyone undertaking a research project either for the first time or for someone looking for new ideas. The book is divided in to five chapters, each focussing on a different type of research project. For each type of research considered, a post-graduate student is used as a case study. The different styles of research used are a descriptive study, an evaluative study, an experimental study, an ethnographic study and a survey. This allows for a greater scope of discussion ensuring that all aspects of research are covered. The challenges facing the students and problems they encountered are discussed making this book a problem solving tool as well as a handbook." - Oxfam Review

(McGraw-Hill)

Judith Bell has worked as a university lecturer, head of department, vice principal in colleges of further education, course team writer for the Open University and as one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools specialising in further, higher and continuing education. She now holds the honorary post of Special Professor in the School of Continuing Education at the University of Nottingham. She is the author of Doing Your Research Project which is now into its third edition.Clive Opie is Head of Education Centres at Manchester Metropolitan University. Formerly, he was a lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Sheffield and Director of the School's M.Ed programme in Singapore.

(McGraw-Hill)

Acknowledgements
Introduction

part one: the descriptive study

background to the study and critics of descriptive studies
The preparation
Moving on to data collection
Using computer statistical packages

part two: the evaluation study

background to the study, obtaining permission and reviewing the literature
The preparation
Operationalization of the concepts
The questionnaire
The findings

part three: the experimental study

background to the study
The literature review
Obtaining permission and ethical dilemmas in experimental research
Aims and purpose of the study
The plan for data collection and analysis
The results

part four: the ethnographic study

statement of the problem and purpose of the study
Setting the scene and the analysis of documentary evidence
The review of the literature
The research contract and the principle of informed consent
The fieldwork
Analysing the data
A solution to the problem?

part five: the survey

background to the study
The preparation and the planning
The staff questionnaire
Discussion of the findings
Glossary
References
Index.

(McGraw-Hill)