Research Methodology

Höfundur: Ranjit Kumar (Útgáfa: 6)
Research Methodology

Kaup valmöguleikar

Research made doable. Research Methodology offers a clear, no-fluff, 8-step route from first idea to final report. With real-world examples, hands-on tasks, and complete projects students can follow from start to finish, it transforms research from something daunting into something achievable. Guiding students step-by-step through the entire research journey, the book covers everything needed to complete a first project with confidence.

It moves from choosing and refining a research problem, reviewing the literature, and designing a study, through to data collection, analysis, and writing up findings. Clear, structured chapters support key decision-making across qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research, with practical coverage of sampling, research instruments, ethics, validity and reliability, and presenting data clearly and effectively.

Ideal for beginners across the social sciences, this is a straightforward, confidence-building guide that helps students move from uncertainty to completed research—one clear step at a time.

Nánar um bókina

Útgefandi
SAGE Publications, Ltd. (UK)
ISBN
9781036249168
Print ISBN
9781036245559
Format
ePub
Útgáfa
6
Höfundar
Ranjit Kumar
Tungumál
English
Útgefið
2026-11-01
Prent takmörkun á líftíma
100
Prent takmörkun
30
Afritunar takmörkun
30

Kaflar

  • Cover
  • Half Title
  • Title Page
  • Copyright Page
  • Dedication
  • Contents
  • Online resources
  • Preface
  • 1 Research: A way of thinking
  • Research: A form of thinking
  • Research: An integral part of your professional practice
  • Research: A way to gather evidence for your practice
  • Research: What does it mean?
  • The research process: Its characteristics and requirements
  • Types of research
  • The mixed/multiple methods approach
  • Paradigms of research
  • Summary
  • 2 The research process: A quick glance
  • The research process: An eight-step model
  • Phase A: Deciding what to research
  • Phase B: Planning how to conduct the study
  • Phase C: Conducting a research study
  • Summary
  • STEP ONEFORMULATING A RESEARCH PROBLEM
  • 3 Reviewing the literature
  • The place of the literature review in research
  • Difference between a literature review and a summary of the literature
  • How to review the literature
  • Writing about the literature reviewed
  • Summary
  • 4 Formulating a research problem
  • The research problem
  • The importance of formulating a research problem
  • Sources of research problems
  • Considerations in selecting a research problem
  • Steps in formulating a research problem
  • The formulation of research objectives
  • The study population
  • Establishing operational definitions
  • Formulating a research problem in qualitative research
  • Summary
  • 5 Identifying variables
  • What is a variable?
  • The difference between a concept and a variable
  • Converting concepts into variables
  • Types of variable
  • Types of measurement scale
  • Summary
  • 6 Constructing hypotheses
  • The definition of a hypothesis
  • The functions of a hypothesis
  • The testing of a hypothesis
  • The characteristics of a hypothesis
  • Types of hypothesis
  • Errors in testing a hypothesis
  • Hypotheses in qualitative research
  • Summary
  • Step One Appendix: Exercises for formulating a research problem
  • For quantitative studies
  • For qualitative studies
  • STEP TWOCONCEPTUALISING A RESEARCH DESIGN
  • 7 The research design
  • What is a research design?
  • The functions of a research design
  • The theory of causality and the research design
  • Summary
  • 8 Selecting a study design
  • Differences between quantitative and qualitative study designs
  • Study designs in quantitative research
  • Study designs in qualitative research
  • Other commonly used philosophy-guided designs
  • Summary
  • Step Two Appendix: Exercises for conceptualising a study design
  • For quantitative studies
  • For qualitative studies
  • STEP THREECONSTRUCTING AN INSTRUMENT FOR DATA COLLECTION
  • 9 Selecting a method of data collection
  • Differences in the methods of data collection in quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research
  • Major approaches to information gathering
  • Collecting data using primary sources
  • Methods of data collection in qualitative research
  • Collecting data using secondary sources
  • Summary
  • 10 Collecting data using attitudinal scales
  • Measurement of attitudes in quantitative and qualitative research
  • Attitudinal scales in quantitative research
  • Functions of attitudinal scales
  • Difficulties in developing an attitudinal scale
  • Types of attitudinal scale
  • Attitudinal scales and measurement scales
  • Attitudes and qualitative research
  • Summary
  • 11 Establishing the validity and reliability of a research instrument
  • The concept of validity
  • The concept of reliability
  • Validity and reliability in qualitative research
  • Summary
  • Step Three Appendix: Exercises for developing a research instrument
  • For quantitative studies
  • For qualitative studies
  • STEP FOURSELECTING YOUR SAMPLE
  • 12 Selecting a sample
  • The differences between sampling in quantitative and qualitative research
  • Sampling in quantitative research
  • Sampling in qualitative research
  • Summary
  • Step Four Appendix: Exercises for selecting a sample
  • For quantitative studies
  • For qualitative studies
  • STEP FIVEWRITING YOUR RESEARCH PROPOSAL
  • 13 Writing a research proposal
  • The research proposal in quantitative and qualitative research
  • Contents of a research proposal
  • Work schedule
  • Budget
  • Summary
  • Step Five Appendix: Exercises for writing a research proposal
  • STEP SIXCOLLECTING DATA
  • 14 Considering ethical issues in data collection
  • Ethics: The concept
  • Stakeholders in research
  • Ethical issues to consider concerning research participants
  • Ethical issues to consider relating to the researcher
  • Ethical issues regarding the sponsoring organisation
  • Ethical issues in collecting data from secondary data
  • Summary
  • Step Six Appendix: Exercises for data collection (considering ethical issues)
  • Step one: Information about your study
  • Step two: Identifying ethical issues
  • Step three: Ethical issues to consider concerning research participants
  • Step four: Ethical issues relating to you as the researcher
  • Step five: Ethical issues to consider regarding a sponsoring organisation
  • STEP SEVENPROCESSING AND DISPLAYING YOUR DATA
  • 15 Processing data
  • Data processing in quantitative studies
  • Data processing in qualitative studies
  • Data analysis in mixed methods studies
  • The role of statistics and computers in research
  • Summary
  • 16 Displaying data
  • Methods of communicating and displaying analysed data
  • Summary
  • Step Seven Appendix: Exercises for processing and displaying data
  • For quantitative studies
  • For qualitative studies
  • STEP EIGHTWRITING YOUR RESEARCH REPORT
  • 17 Writing a research report
  • Writing the research report
  • Developing a draft outline
  • Writing about variables
  • Referencing
  • Writing a bibliography
  • Summary
  • Step Eight Appendix: Exercises for report writing
  • Step one: Developing a draft outline
  • Step two: Developing a draft outline for each chapter
  • Step three: Writing about variables
  • Step four: Referencing and writing a bibliography
  • Glossary
  • Bibliography
  • Index