How to Do Research: A Practical Guide to Designing And Managing Research Projects

by Moore, Nick

• ISBN13: 9781856045940
• ISBN10: 1856045943
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-06-30
• Publisher: Amer Library Assn
• More Book Details
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Summary

Offers a guide to the complete research process. This work focuses on the day-to-day requirements of project managing a piece of research right through from the formulation of the initial idea, to the development of a research proposal and then to the writing up and disseminating of results.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	vi
Introduction: Types of research	vii
Academic research	vii
Applied and policy research	ix
Approaches to research	xi
Summary	xiv
Part 1 The research process	1	(100)
1 Develop the research objectives	3	(7)
Defining the research issue	4	(2)
Articulating the research aim	6	(1)
Specifying the objectives	7	(2)
Summary	9	(1)
2 Design and plan the study	10	(20)
Resource constraints	10	(2)
Selecting the most appropriate methods	12	(2)
Seven principles of selection	14	(6)
Using subcontractors	20	(1)
Schedule the work	21	(5)
Calculate the cost	26	(2)
Summary	28	(2)
3 Write the proposal	30	(15)
The purposes of research proposals	30	(8)
The structure of research proposals	38	(5)
Summary	43	(2)
4 Obtain financial support for the research	45	(13)
The sources of responsive funding	45	(3)
Approaching the funder	48	(5)
Responding to calls for tender	53	(4)
Summary	57	(1)
5 Manage the research	58	(14)
The project plan	58	(2)
Launching the project	60	(1)
Make a start	61	(1)
Monitoring progress	62	(2)
The problem stages	64	(2)
Advisory and steering committees	66	(3)
Living with your funder	69	(1)
Summary	70	(2)
6 Draw conclusions and make recommendations	72	(8)
Analyse and synthesize the results	73	(3)
Draw your conclusions	76	(1)
Make recommendations	77	(1)
Summary	78	(2)
7 Write the report	80	(14)
Structure	80	(7)
Writing in style	87	(4)
Presentation	91	(2)
Summary	93	(1)
8 Disseminate the results	94	(9)
Summary findings and press releases	95	(1)
Conference papers	96	(1)
Journal articles	97	(2)
Summary	99	(2)
Part 2 Methods	101	(62)
9 Introducing research methods	103	(3)
Collecting data	104	(1)
Analysis - converting data into information	105	(1)
Summary	105	(1)
10 Desk research	106	(6)
Literature and internet searching	106	(4)
Statistical data	110	(1)
Summary	110	(2)
11 Analysing desk research	112	(3)
Common principles	112	(2)
Summary	114	(1)
12 Collecting quantitative data	115	(18)
Sampling	115	(5)
Self-completion questionnaire surveys	120	(9)
Interview surveys	129	(2)
Postscript	131	(1)
Summary	131	(2)
13 Analysing quantitative data	133	(8)
Processing the data	133	(4)
Interpreting the results	137	(2)
Summary	139	(2)
14 Collecting qualitative data	141	(11)
Semi-structured interviews	141	(1)
Depth interviews	142	(2)
Focus groups	144	(4)
Capturing the data	148	(2)
Summary	150	(2)
15 Analysing qualitative data	152	(7)
Basic principles of analysis	152	(2)
The practice of analysis	154	(3)
Summary	157	(2)
16 Sources of further reading	159	(4)
Appendix The market for information professionals	163	(8)
A proposal from the Policy Studies Institute
Index	171