Researching research

Tom Dunne

So, I got accepted onto a doctoral program, but I do not come from a research background.

At the interview, they suggested I read up on research methods prior to starting, specifically in the area of education.

Does anyone have any book recommendations? I found this one on Amazon - Research Methods in Education.

Any other suggestions?

#15

Cohen and Manion is an excellent one, so you are on the right track there IMO.

Other ones that I have found useful are Blaxter's How to Research and The Good Research Guide by Denscombe. Neither are very taxing, but they are worth a look.

If you're into quantitative research, then Understanding Social Science Research by Black is a decent starting point.

Btw, what program are you doing? (if you don't mind me asking)

Tom Dunne

#15 wrote: »

Btw, what program are you doing? (if you don't mind me asking)

Not at all. It's the Doctorate of Education at Durham University in the UK.

#15

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Not at all. It's the Doctorate of Education at Durham University in the UK.

Good luck with it!!

If you have already been given your university login details for the online resources, then you should check out some of the journals too. They can be quite useful and are much more focused than a book covering the whole field.

You should have access to them through your course, but if you don't, feel free to PM me and I will send on any articles that you need. I have access to about 15 Educational Research Methods journals.

Ostrom

This is, in my opinion, the current general field leader;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Social-Research-Methods-Alan-Bryman/dp/0199264465

Also, any of John Creswells' books on mixed methods research design offer a good review of the various orientations;

http://www.sagepub.com/authorDetails.nav?contribId=526131

Are you looking for specific direction on particular methods, or a general review of debates in methodology? Discussions on social science methodology are driven mainly by qualitative/quantitative distinctions, their respective relation to theory, underpinning philosophies - issues which almost every general text should cover in some detail. There are specific paradigms with which researchers tend to align, and this is usually reflected in the content of journal articles, editied readers in applied methods etc.

There are better and more detailed books on specific methods (i.e. if you're looking for a book on focus group mediation, multilevel modelling etc, such as the sage series), but most general texts will give you a cursory grounding in the main (often quite boring) debates.

Tom Dunne

efla wrote: »

Are you looking for specific direction on particular methods, or a general review of debates in methodology?

At this stage, a general review.

baby and crumble

You should also check your Universities' policy on auditing classes- you might find there is a course somewhere in the uni that will give you a good introduction in your first term, possibly as part of a final year undergrad or masters programme, around doing research. If I had known I could do that, for free, when I started my PhD it would have made my life a million times easier.