- ISBN: 9781118745236 | 111874523X
- Cover: Paperback
- Copyright: 1/19/2016
Real World Research provides a clear route-map of the various steps needed to carry out a piece of applied research to a high professional standard. It is accessible to those without a social science background while providing rigorous and fully up-to-date coverage of contemporary issues and debates. It brings together materials and approaches from different social science disciplines, seeing value in both quantitative and qualitative approaches, as well as their combination in mixed-method designs.
Colin Robson is a Professor in the Centres for Applied Childhood Studies and Evaluation Studies at Huddersfield University, and chief consultant to a major international project on the education of children with disabilities, difficulties and disadvantages, OECD, Paris. He is the author of the bestselling Real World Research.
Preface xvii
Ways of using the book xxi
The main steps when carrying out a project xxiii
PART I SETTING THE SCENE 1
Keeping your own project journal 1
Chapter 1 Introduction 3
What is real world research? 3
Design matters 5
Evaluation and change 6
The audience for this book 7
Returning to the real world 10
Beginning the journey 12
Chapter 2 Approaches to social research 14
Introduction 14
What is science? 15
Postmodernism and extreme relativist approaches 17
The two traditions: quantitative and qualitative social research 18
The quantitative paradigm 20
The qualitative paradigm 24
Paradigms and research questions 26
A pragmatic approach 28
Multi]strategy research designs 30
Realism and real world research 30
The purposes of research 39
Practical value of the theoretical material covered in the chapter 40
PART II PLANNING: SELECTING A STRATEGY 43
Chapter 3 Developing your ideas 45
Introduction 45
Deciding on the focus 47
Searching and reviewing the literature 52
Research questions 59
Developing your research question(s) 63
The place of theory 66
Chapter 4 General design issues 71
Introduction 71
A framework for research design 72
Getting a feel for design issues 75
Choosing a research design strategy 75
Establishing trustworthiness 78
Chapter 5 Desk-based research 82
Introduction 82
Types of desk]based research 83
Doing a literature review as a desk]based project 88
The main steps when carrying out a literature review as a desk-based project 89
Doing a systematic review 93
Doing realist reviews 97
In summary 100
Chapter 6 Fixed designs 101
Introduction 101
General features of fixed designs 103
Establishing trustworthiness in fixed design research 104
True experiments 121
Designs involving matching 123
Quasi]experiments 126
Single]case experiments 134
Non]experimental fixed designs 139
Sample size in fixed designs 144
Chapter 7 Flexible designs 145
Introduction 145
General features of flexible designs 146
Research traditions in qualitative research 149
Case studies 150
Ethnographic studies 156
Grounded theory studies 161
Other traditions 165
Sampling in flexible designs 166
Establishing trustworthiness in flexible design research 168
Chapter 8 Multi-strategy (mixed method) designs 174
Introduction 174
The quantitative]qualitative incompatibility thesis 175
The mixed methods movement 176
Types of multi]strategy designs 177
Designing and carrying out multi]strategy research 180
Pragmatism, realism or ‘anything goes’? 183
Dealing with discrepancies in findings 184
Chapter 9 Designs for particular purposes: evaluation, action and change 187
Introduction 187
Evaluation research 187
Action research 199
Intervention and change 203
Researchers and practitioners 204
Chapter 10 Ethical and political considerations 205
Introduction 205
Ethical codes and guidelines 208
Ethical issues 209
Researcher safety and risk 220
Working with vulnerable groups 222
General ethical responsibilities 229
Ethical review boards and committees 231
Politics and real world research 235
Sexism, racism and social research 239
PART III TACTICS: THE METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION 241
Selecting the method(s) 241
Chapter 11 Surveys and questionnaires 243
Introduction 243
Designing surveys 245
Carrying out a sample survey 256
Designing and using a questionnaire 258
Diaries 273
Sampling in surveys – and elsewhere 276
Probability samples 277
Non]probability samples 279
Chapter 12 Interviews and focus groups 284
Introduction 284
Types and styles of interviews 285
General advice for interviewers 287
Content of the interview 288
Carrying out different types of interview 290
Focus groups 298
Dealing with interview data 305
Skills in interviewing 306
Chapter 13 Tests and scales 307
Introduction 307
Measurement scales 307
Other scaling techniques 315
Using existing tests and scales 316
Developing your own test 317
Chapter 14 Observational methods 319
Introduction 319
Observation in real world research 321
Approaches to observation 322
Participant observation 323
Getting started as a participant observer 327
Structured observation 332
Deciding on a coding scheme 335
The use of existing coding schemes 335
Developing your own scheme 337
Coding sequences of behaviour 338
Reliability and structured observation 343
Chapter 15 Additional methods of data collection 346
Introduction 346
Unobtrusive measures 347
Content analysis of documents 349
Secondary data analysis 359
Introduction to a range of more specialist techniques 361
Internet]based research 377
Feminist research methods 382
Using multiple methods 383
Chapter 16 Writing a project proposal 385
Introduction 385
How to recognize a good proposal 386
The content of a research proposal 387
The problem of pre]specifying flexible design studies 391
Shortcomings of unsuccessful proposals 391
Sources of funding 392
PART IV CARRYING OUT THE PROJECT 395
Arranging the practicalities 395
PART V DEALING WITH THE DATA 403
Collecting the data 403
Analysing and interpreting data 404
Realist analysis and interpretation 405
Preparing for analysis 406
Analysis or interpretation? 408
Quantitative and qualitative data – and their integration in multi]strategy designs 408
Chapter 17 The analysis and interpretation of quantitative data 409
Introduction 409
Creating a data set 411
Starting data analysis 414
Exploring the data set 416
Exploring relationships between two variables 425
Exploring relationships among three or more variables 433
Analysing differences 438
Quantitative analysis and different fixed design research strategies 452
Chapter 18 The analysis and interpretation of qualitative data 459
Introduction 459
Types of qualitative analysis 460
Using the computer for qualitative data analysis 464
Dealing with the quantity of qualitative data 466
Thematic coding analysis 467
Data analysis in grounded theory studies 481
Alternative approaches to qualitative analysis 484
Integrating qualitative and quantitative data
in multi]strategy designs 484
Chapter 19 Reporting, disseminating and moving forward 487
Introduction 487
Reporting what you have found 488
Ethics and reporting 489
Reporting fixed design research 491
The scientific journal format 492
Reporting flexible design studies 493
Reporting on multi]strategy design studies 495
Reporting on case studies 495
Reporting on literature reviews 496
Writing for non]academic audiences – the technical report 497
Alternative forms of presentation 500
Writing skills 502
Where next? 506
Appendix A: Using specialist software for quantitative analysis 509
Appendix B: Using specialist software for qualitative analysis 513
Glossary Visit the website to view the Glossary, www.wiley.com/college/robson
References and author index Visit the website to view the References and Author Index, www.wiley.com/college/robson
Subject Index 517
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