Share
The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project
Fifth Edition
- Zina O'Leary - The Australia and New Zealand School of Government
- Emma Tennent - Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington
Additional resources:
Other Titles in:
Research Methods & Evaluation (General) | Research Project | Social Research Methods
Research Methods & Evaluation (General) | Research Project | Social Research Methods
January 2025 | 448 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
Doing a research project or dissertation can be daunting. This practical book will help you dive straight in, driving each step of the process with confidence. Packed with features to support your learning, this guidebook gives you invaluable advice at each stage, from picking a topic, designing your study and navigating ethics to collecting and analysing data then sharing your findings.
This fifth edition
- Empowers you to be critical and self-reflective when consuming and doing research, with 19 critical thinking challenges.
- Equips you with the skills to make good decisions, prepare effectively, and take charge of your own project.
- Draws on case studies of real-world research to inspire your creativity and curiosity.
This popular, down-to-earth guide is a must-have for undergraduate and postgraduate students embarking on research projects across the social sciences.
Chapter 1: Taking the Leap into the Research World
Chapter 2: Setting Up and Getting Started
Chapter 3: Developing Your Research Question
Chapter 4: Undertaking Credible and Ethical Research
Chapter 5: Crafting a Research Proposal
Chapter 6: Reviewing Literature
Chapter 7: Designing a Research Plan
Chapter 8: Understanding Methodologies: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches
Chapter 9: Understanding Methodologies: Mixed Approaches
Chapter 10: Understanding Methodologies: Evaluative, Action-Oriented and Emancipatory Strategies
Chapter 11: Identifying and Selecting Samples, Informants and Cases
Chapter 12: Primary Data: Surveys, Interviews and Observation
Chapter 13: Secondary Data
Chapter 14: Online Generated Data
Chapter 15: Analysing Quantitative Data
Chapter 16: Analysing Qualitative Data
Chapter 17: The Challenge of Writing Up
Chapter 18: Final Hurdles
Supplements
Click for Online Resources
For lecturers (log-in needed)
- A detailed Lecturer’s guide supports you to teach using the book, featuring case studies, real datasets, teaching suggestions, checklists, as well as additional further reading resources for each chapter.
- Download PowerPoint slides for each chapter featuring content summaries, key figures, examples and discussion point which can be customized for use in your own lectures and presentations.