2009, 177 p.

This practical, down-to-earth guide is for researchers, students, community groups, charities or employees - in fact anyone who needs to put together research projects quickly and effectively. It contains everything from developing your idea into a proposal, through to analysing data and reporting results. Whether you have to undertake a project as part of your coursework, or as part of your employment, or simply because you are fascinated by something you have observed and want to find out more, this book offers you advice on how to turn your ideas into a workable project. Specifically it will show you how to: - choose your research methods - choose your participants - prepare a research proposal - construct questionnaires - conduct interviews and focus groups - analyse your data - report your findings - be an ethical researcher.

1

How to Define Your Project 1

Asking questions 1

Thinking about your project 4

Understanding the five ‘Ws’ 5

Summarising your research 8

Summary 13

Useful websites 13

2

How to Decide Upon a Methodology 14

Recognising qualitative and quantitative research 14

Understanding the methodological debate 15

Choosing a methodology 16

Summary 23

Further reading 23

3

How to Choose Your Research Methods 27

Using interviews 27

Conducting focus groups 29

Using questionnaires 30

Undertaking participant observation 32

Choosing your methods 33

Summary 37

Further reading 38

4

How to Conduct Background Research 40

Conducting primary and secondary research 40

Using websites 42

Using interlibrary loans 44

Keeping records 44

Summary 46

Further reading 47

5

How to Choose Your Participants 48

Understanding sampling techniques 48

Choosing your sample size 54

Summary 55

Further reading 56

6

How to Prepare a Research Proposal 57

Understanding the format 57

The contents of a proposal 58

What makes a good proposal? 63

Reasons why research proposals fail 64

Summary 65

Further reading 65

7

How to Conduct Interviews 66

Methods of recording 66

Developing an interview schedule 70

Establishing rapport 73

Asking questions and probing for information 74

Completing the interview 76

Summary 77

Further reading 78

8

How to Conduct Focus Groups 79

The role of the moderator 79

Recording equipment 81

Choosing a venue 84

Recruiting your participants 85

Summary 87

Further reading 88

9

How to Construct Questionnaires 89

Deciding which questionnaire to use 89

Wording and structure of questions 91

Length and ordering of questions 96

Piloting the questionnaire 98

Obtaining a high response 100

Summary 102

Further reading 103

10

How to Carry Out Participant Observation 105

Places of study 105

Gaining access 106

Acting ethically 107

Collecting and analysing information 109

Withdrawing from the field 111

Summary 112

Further reading 113

11

How to Analyse Your Data 114

Deciding which approach to use 114

Analysing qualitative data 115

Analysing quantitative data 125

Measuring data 130

Summary 132

Further reading 133

12

How to Report Your Findings 134

Writing reports 134

Structuring reports 137

Writing journal articles 143

Producing oral presentations 146

Summary 146

Further reading 148

13

How to be an Ethical Researcher 149

Treating participants with respect 149

Recognising overt and covert research 150

Producing a code of ethics 153

Summary 157

Further reading 158