RESEARCH METHODS

RESOURCE GUIDE

LIBERMANN LIBRARY, KIMMAGE DEVELOPMENT STUDIES CENTRE

Research is the systematic process of collecting information in order to increase knowledge of the phenomenon, topic or issue under investigation. Sarantakos (2005, p.4) explains social research as about discovery, expanding the horizons of the known, confidence, new ideas and new conclusions about all aspects of life Qualitative research uses a diversity of methods e.g. direct observation, communication with individuals and /or groups to focus on the meaning and interpretation of social processes in a particular context. Action research is a type of applied Social Research that aims to improve Social situations. Action Research focuses on the use of knowledge rather than the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake Quantitative Research involves the collection of data in numerical form for quantitative or statistical analysis. It produces facts about the real world. It does not consider social construction. Before a Research proposal can be produced, a research question defining the problem to be investigated must be formulated. A Review of past research (Literature Search) will establish what has already been done in the field of study; identify gaps in research and opportunities for further research. A successful research project will necessitate planning, data collection, analysis and conclusions/recommendations. Research is usually published in formal publications such as books, reports and scholarly journals. (Print and electronic) Articles in scholarly journals are peer reviewed i.e. they have been read, checked and reviewed by independent third party academics. For an introduction to Social Research terminology see Jupp, Victor (2006) The Sage Dictionary of Social Research Methods, Sage for Open University, London

GETTING STARTED- PLANNING YOUR RESEARCH Antonesa, Mary et al (2006) Researching and writing your thesis: a guide for postgraduate students. NUI, Maynooth Bell, Judith (2005) Doing your Research Project: A guide for first-time researchers in education and social sciences. 5rd ed. Open University Press, Buckingham Cottrell, Stella( 2005) Critical Thinking Skills. Developing Effective analysis and argument. Palgrave Macmillan, London Hart, Chris. (2001) Doing a Literature Search -- A Comprehensive Guide to the Social Sciences. Sage Publications, London. Hart, Chris (1998) Doing a Literature Review -- releasing the social science research imagination. Sage, London. Potter, Stephen (2006) Doing Postgraduate Research. 2nd ed. Open University/ Sage, London Punch, Keith (2005) Introduction to Social research: quantitative and qualitative approaches. 2nd ed. Sage, London Ridley, Diana (2008) The Literature Review: A step-by step Guide for students. Sage, London Robson, Colin (2007) How to do a Research Project -- A Guide for Undergraduate Students. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford. Thomas, Alan (1998) Finding Out Fast. Investigative Skills for Policy and Development. Sage Publications, London Thomas, Alan (2008) Research Skills for Policy and Development. Sage, Los Angeles Thomas, R. Murray (2008) Theses and Dissertations; A guide to planning, research and writing. 2nd ed. Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, CA. Gilbert, G. Nigel.( 2008) Researching social life, 3rd ed, Sage, Los Angeles.

Kane, Eileen (2001) Doing your own research -- Basic descriptive research in the social sciences and humanities. 2nd ed Marion Boyars, London Walliman, Nicholas (2005) Your Research Project. A step by step Guide for the first time researcher. 2nd ed. Sage, London

RESEARCH METHODS. Bryman, Alan. (2004) Social Research Methods. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Bulmer, Martin.(1984) Sociological research methods -- An introduction. 2Nd ed. Macmillan, London Harrell Allen, T. New methods in social science research -- Policy sciences and futures research. Praeger, New York. Holland, J. (2005) Methods in Development Research- Combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. ITDG Practical Action, Rugby Laws, S. (2003) Research for Development-a practical Guide. Sage, London May, Tim. (2001) Social research -- Issues, methods and process. 3rd ed Open University Press, Buckingham. McNeill, Patrick, Chapman, Steve. (2005) Research Methods. 3rd ed. Routledge, London. Neuman W. Lawrence. (1997) Social Research Methods, Allyn and Bacon, Boston Pratt, Brian (1992) Choosing Research methods-Data collection for development workers. Oxfam, Oxford Robson, Colin. (1993) Real World Research -- A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitioner Researchers. Blackwell, Oxford. Sarantakos, Sotirios. ( 2005) Social research. 3rd ed. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Berg, Bruce L. (1998) Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences. Allyn & Bacon, Boston Charmaz, Kathy(2006) Constructing Grounded Theory. A practical guide through qualitative analysis. Sage Publications, London Corbin, Juliet M. (2008) Basics of Qualitative Research: techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. Sage Publications, London Denzin,Norman K. & Lincoln, Yvonna S. Strategies of Qualitative Inquiry. 3rd ed. Sage Publications, Los Angeles. Flick, Uve (2002) An introduction to qualitative research. Sage, London Glaser, B.G. (1967) The discovery of grounded theory. Aldine, NY Silverman, David (2005) Doing Qualitative Research-a practical handbook. 2nd ed Sage, London Silverman, David (2005) Qualitative Research: theory, method and practice. 2nd ed Sage, London APPLIED/ ACTION RESEARCH McNiff, Jean (2000) Action research in Organisations. Routledge, London McNiff, Jean (2006) All you need to know about Action Research. Sage, London Reason, Peter (ed) (2001) Handbook of Action Research. Participative Inquiry and Practice. Sage Publications, London Smith, Susan E. (ed) (1997) Nurtured by Knowledge Learning to do. Participatory Action Research. The Apex Press, New York

DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH Bernard, H. R. (1994) Research methods in Anthropology.2nd ed. Sage Publications, London Pelto, Pertti J. (1970) Anthropological Research. The Structure of inquiry. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Borg, Walter R. & Gall, Meredith D. (1978) Educational Research. An Introduction.3rd ed. Longman, New York Van Dalen, D.(1979) Understanding Educational Research An Introduction.4th ed. McGraw-Hill, New York Byrne, Anne and Lentin, Ronit (2000) Researching women - feminist research methodologies in the social sciences in Ireland. IPA, Dublin. Smith, Linda T. (1999) Decolonizing methodologies- Research and Indigenous Peoples. Zed Books, London PARTICIPATORY TOOLS Hammond, Sue Annis (1998) The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry.2nd ed. Thin Book Publishing Co., Plano, Tx Hyman, Herbert H. (1975) Interviewing in social research. Chicago University Press, Chicago. Mikkelsen, Britha (2005) Methods for Development work and researcha new guide for practitioners. 2nd ed. Sage, London Nichols, Paul (1991) Social Survey Methods- A Field guide for Development Workers. Oxfam, Oxford Scheyvens, Regina (ed) (2003) Development Fieldwork: A Practical Guide. Sage Publications, London

INTERNET RESOURCES FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH. ODochartaigh, Niall (2002) The Internet Research Handbook: a practical Guide for students and researchers in the social sciences. Sage, London WEBSITES. INTUTE Virtual Training Suite tutorial on Social Research Methods www.vtstutorials.ac.uk/tutorial/socialresearchmethods CENTRE FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS www.socialresearchmethods.net CHRONIC POVERTY RESEARCH CENTRE. An international partnership of universities , research institutes and NGOs focussing on chronic poverty research and policy. www.chronicpoverty.org CODESRIA-Council for the development of Social Science Research in Africa. www.codesria.org ELDIS provides Dossiers and Resource Guides on various issues in Development www.eldis.org FAOs Socio-Economic and Gender Analysis Programme www.fao.org/sd/seaga/4_en.htm FORUM: Qualitative Social Research. Open access peer reviewed multilingual online journal for qualitative research established 1999. www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/index SOCIAL RESEARCH UPDATE published quarterly by the Dept. of Sociology, University of Surrey covering issues in social research http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk RIAN-Irish Research Portal provides open access to Irish research Publications http://rian.ie