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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• Pesquisa e estatística social