Description
Book SynopsisDesigning research is about making decisions to transform an idea into a plan that can provide answers to a research problem or question. Thinking about, and then making these decisions results in the research design – the plan that will be followed to conduct the research and answer the question. This text engages in a dialogue with the reader, providing a serious but accessible introduction to research design, for use as a guide when designing your own research or when reading the research of others.
Julianne Cheek and Elise Øby show that designing research is an iterative and reflexive process in which there is constant thinking through, and re-visiting of, decisions about that design as it develops. They use a variety of pedagogical devices throughout the book including
Tip; Activity; and Putting it into Practice boxes to emphasize specific points and encourage readers to think about the practical implications of what they have learned.
Trade ReviewThis is one of the clearest and most accessible research methods books I have read as a scholar. I highly recommend for both students and teachers alike. It is an excellent survey of both qualitative and quantitative research methods.
-- Natalie Danielle Baker
Students writing a thesis or dissertation will benefit from this text′s approach to the development of and design of research. It provides a strong theoretical understanding of the process of moving from an idea to a research proposal to the final research project. A good addition to the library of someone who is doing research.
-- Hugh Clark
This book provides a detailed outline of research methods. The authors break the concepts and content into a manner in which it is easily understood by the reader. They also provide activities for the reader to use to apply the content.
-- Jaimee L. Hartenstein
The authors describe the complexities of research and clearly describe the many details that go into a well-designed and executed study. They have done an amazing job describing the process of research design. Any student learning about research will benefit from this book.
-- Lauren Hays
This is an excellent text for those instructors who recognize the importance of giving research design more comprehensive treatment than is typical of most textbooks.
-- Scott Liebertz
I will add this book as required reading for my course and personally add this to my collection of research material to aid in my writing and evaluation projects. -- Sherill Morris-Francis
This text is a very approachable conversation-based introduction to research design for social science students. It provides an inviting approach to the research process that draws the reader in as a participant instead of a spectator. It’s focus on research as an iterative and reflexive process rather than a linear set of steps is refreshing. It engages the reader in the process and introduces questions to assist in understanding the complexity and interconnectivity of each part of the process.
-- Isla A. Schuchs Carr
Table of ContentsChapter 1 – Research Design: What You Need to Think About and Why Chapter 2 – Ethical Issues in Research Design Chapter 3 – Developing Your Research Questions Chapter 4 – Why Methodology Matters When Designing Research Chapter 5 – Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches to Designing Research Chapter 6 – Obtaining Data Using Qualitative Approaches Chapter 7 – Analyzing and Interpreting Qualitative Data Chapter 8 – Foundational Design Issues When Using Quantitative Methods Chapter 9 – Collecting Data Using Quantiative Methods Chapter 10 – Designing Research Using Mixed Methods Chapter 11 – Why Knowing and Declaring Your Research Design Hand Matters
