Can anyone recommend a good book on research design?

Tom Dunne

As per the title, I'm looking for a recommendation on research design in the social sciences (Education, specifically).

I'm fairly comfortable on the various paradigms and methodologies, but I am not so sure on how to put it all together to actually start the research.

Tanx.

Black Swan

If you are only looking for a "good book on research design..." Designs are driven by the research problem, conceptual framework, research hypotheses and/or research question(s), as well as access to subjects, resources, and practicality. Such things suggest the type of data you will be collecting and whether the methods will be qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods.

If qualitative or mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative combined), John Creswell has several books on both in regards to research design. He is quite readable and respected. See Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. I would not recommend Creswell for a purely quantitative data study, or big data analysis, or a meta-analysis of several studies published by others. I use several for quantitative, and am at a javahouse now as I post this, and cannot remember specific references.

If you are doing a programme evaluation in education, I have found the Handbook in Research and Evaluation: A Collection of Principles, Methods, and Strategies Useful in the Planning, Design, and Evaluation of Studies in Education and the Behavioral sciences, 3rd Edition, by Stephen Isaac and William Michael a useful handbook.

If you plan to enter a community and ethnographically study their educational system and practices, you may want to also read the Copperbelt study chapter found in Stranger and Friend by Hortense Powdermaker. It reads like a novel, and describes a mixed methods design study of a non-western culture.

If you are designing an education related study of a Middle Eastern country, I am currently helping an ABD researcher with a research proposal and quantitative methods design that surveys, describes, explains, and predicts how specific higher education factors can facilitate UAE Emiratisation. Do you wish to discuss this further?

Tom Dunne

Black Swan wrote: »

If you are only looking for a "good book on research design..." Designs are driven by the research problem, conceptual framework, research hypotheses and/or research question(s), as well as access to subjects, resources, and practicality. Such things suggest the type of data you will be collecting and whether the methods will be qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods.

It's qualitative all the way. RQ has been developed, phenomenology has been chosen as the methodology, conceptual framework is being developed as we speak. Sure what else would I be doing on my Summer holidays?

I've a clear plan for the data being collected, it will be an investigation on the use of a particular digital technology in education, followed up by in-depth phenomenological interviews.

Black Swan wrote: »

If qualitative or mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative combined), John Creswell has several books on both in regards to research design. He is quite readable and respected. See Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. I would not recommend Creswell for a purely quantitative data study, or big data analysis, or a meta-analysis of several studies published by others. I use several for quantitative, and am at a javahouse now as I post this, and cannot remember specific references.

If you are doing a programme evaluation in education, I have found the Handbook in Research and Evaluation: A Collection of Principles, Methods, and Strategies Useful in the Planning, Design, and Evaluation of Studies in Education and the Behavioral sciences, 3rd Edition, by Stephen Isaac and William Michael a useful handbook.

If you plan to enter a community and ethnographically study their educational system and practices, you may want to also read the Copperbelt study chapter found in Stranger and Friend by Hortense Powdermaker. It reads like a novel, and describes a mixed methods design study of a non-western culture.

Some good sources there, thanks. It's interesting to see that when I enter those books into Amazon, the "customers who bought this book also bought..." suggestions are recommending books that I already have.

Black Swan wrote: »

If you are designing an education related study of a Middle Eastern country, I am currently helping an ABD researcher with a research proposal and quantitative methods design that surveys, describes, explains, and predicts how specific higher education factors can facilitate UAE Emiratisation. Do you wish to discuss this further?

The study is not particularly related to the Middle East - I could do the exact same study in the UK/Ireland/USA. It's just that I happen to be in the Middle East at the moment.

Having said that, yes, I most definitely am interested in hearing more about that.

Black Swan

Tom Dunne wrote: »

It's qualitative all the way. RQ has been developed, phenomenology has been chosen as the methodology, conceptual framework is being developed as we speak. Sure what else would I be doing on my Summer holidays?

I've a clear plan for the data being collected, it will be an investigation on the use of a particular digital technology in education, followed up by in-depth phenomenological interviews.

Most of my research experience has been quantitative, although we occasionally triangulate between quantitative and qualitative methods; and in the latter case mostly collecting data with focus groups or interviews to aid in the identification, construction, and operationalisation of variables. When we do include qualitative, we typically were informed by Grounded Theory. Only once did a research project include phenomenology, so admittedly I lack depth of experience in the use of this approach.

Tom Dunne wrote: »

The study is not particularly related to the Middle East - I could do the exact same study in the UK/Ireland/USA. It's just that I happen to be in the Middle East at the moment.

Having said that, yes, I most definitely am interested in hearing more about that.

The ABD researcher I am working with is not examining the use of digital technology in education, per se. He is attempting to describe, explain, and predict how higher education curriculum, policies, and practices can facilitate Emiratisation (i.e., increased citizen participation in private sector employment) in accordance with the UAE 2030 strategic plan.

paul0103

Just to add to this, a particular book by Creswell that I've dipped into is Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: choosing among five approaches. Have found it useful. Phenomenology is one of the five approaches it discusses.

Also, a nice smaller and quite accessible book is one by Joseph A. Maxwell, Qualitative Research Design

Black Swan

paul0103 wrote: »

Just to add to this, a particular book by Creswell that I've dipped into is Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: choosing among five approaches. Have found it useful. Phenomenology is one of the five approaches it discusses.

Good reference paul. Should be helpful to Tom.

innad

In addition to the Creswell books already mentioned, I've also found David DeVaus' Research Design in Social Research very helpful.

For qualitative research, Jennifer Mason's Qualitative Researching and Qualitative Research Practice by Ritchie et al. are both excellent.

Tom Dunne

paul0103 wrote: »

Just to add to this, a particular book by Creswell that I've dipped into is Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: choosing among five approaches. Have found it useful. Phenomenology is one of the five approaches it discusses.

Also, a nice smaller and quite accessible book is one by Joseph A. Maxwell, Qualitative Research Design

Lovely stuff. I find the names "Creswell" and "Maxwell" coming up again and again.

I actually have another book by Maxwell, which I find quite useful.