Designing Social Research aims to guide students and new researchers using everyday non-jargonised language through the jungle of setting up their own research study. Ian Greener provides readers an accessible combination of guidance on how to practically plan one's research and understand the underpinning methodological principles that should inform the decisions we make about the methods we plan to use. This is the perfect starter book for anyone looking to design their own research project and make sense of and justify the many decisions that go into the research design process. The goal throughout is to enable students and researchers to assess the appropriateness of a range of methods and to get understanding of the strengths and limitations of different approaches to research.
Greener highlights key debates in the field - both philosophical and practical - and presents them in such a way that they remain constantly relevant to research practice of his readers. Coverage includes:
- Framing an effective research question/problem;
- Examining the jargon of social research;
- The links between theory, methodology and method;
- The role of literature reviewing in research design;
- Managing and planning the research process;
- Sampling;
- Qualitative designs;
- Quantitative designs;
- Mixed methods designs;
- Data analysis.
Designing Social Research will be ideal first reading for M-level students and undergraduates planning significant research projects for their dissertations. It will also be invaluable to first year PhD students considering how they will go about their research projects.