Research Methods in the Social Sciences

by Somekh, Bridget; Lewin, Cathy

• ISBN13: 9780761944027
• ISBN10: 0761944028
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-12-08
• Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd

Summary

A companion website is available for this text! "This book provides an excellent balance between theory and practical application in social research. The book works well to develop students' understanding of particular methods of inquiry, embedding them within "real world" settings. I envisage that it will help students to understand the nuances of particular approaches, the complimentarity of certain methods, and the areas of conflict/contention within social research in a way that overcomes the sometimes abstract nature of these discussions" - Dr Jon Tan, School of Education and Professional Training, Leeds Metropolitan University "This book unlocks all of the important areas of social science research in an easily digestible and stimulating style. Both students and supervisors in a range of disciplines will find this an excellent resource" - Fazal Rizvi, Professor in Educational Policy Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Rather than being written by one or two 'generalists', this innovative book is written by a large number of active researchers about their specialisms in methods/methodologies. The book introduces all the key qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and methods and seeks to draw readers into a community of researchers engaged in reflection on the research process. Included are narrative accounts of carrying out a research study that explore the way in which the research design and methods are shaped by the methodology, discussing problematic issues, and reflecting on the way in which knowledge and understanding develop. Aimed at researchers and postgraduate students, it will also be invaluable for students at masters level. Click on the companion website logo above to access additional resources and links to accompany each chapter in the book. " Research Methods in the Social Sciences is a valuable pedagogical tool. It is organized as a dialogue between theory and key concepts, and practice - stories from the field allowing novices and scholars alike to see how critical interpretive research is actually conducted" - Norman K Denzin, University of Illinois

Table of Contents

Introduction

Research Communities in the Social Sciences

Listening, Exploring the Case and Theorizing

Introduction Ethnography

Research Diaries

Case Study

Interviewing and Focus Groups

Grounded Theory

Ethical Responsibility in Social Research

Researching for Impact

Feminist Methodologies

Critical Theories of Race

Queer Theory//Lesbian and Gay Approaches

Action Research

Researching Policy

The Practice and Politics of Sponsored Evaluations

Observing, Querying, Interpreting

Philosophy and Hermeneutics

Phenomenology

Naturalistic Enquiry

Observation

Discourse Analysis

Reading and Representing Socio-Cultural Meanings

Life History and Narrative Approaches

Semiotic Approaches to Image-Based Research

Social Semiotics and Multimodal Texts

Communities of Practice

Activity Theory

Sampling, Classifying and Quantifying

The Foundations of Experimental//Empirical Research Methods

The Positivist Paradigm in Contemporary Social Science Research

Elementary Quantitative Methods

An Introduction to Inferential Statistics

Testing for Differences and Relationships An Introduction to Statistical Modelling

Quantitative Methods in Action

Random Reflections on Modelling, Geography and Voting

Methodological Issues in International Comparative Assessments of Educational

Capturing Complexity through Maturity Modelling

Evaluating Literacy Advance in the Early Years of School

Working Backwards

The Road Less Travelled in Quantitative Methodology Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Social Inquiry

Researching in Postmodern Contexts

Deconstruction

From Hermeneutics to Post-Structuralism to Psychoanalysis

Postmodernist Perspectives

From Structuralism to Post-Structuralism

Feminism//Post-Structuralism

Social Science Research in Virtual Realities

Participating in the Research Community

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