Download or read book Constructing Research Questions written by Mats Alvesson and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2013-02-01 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: All researchers want to produce interesting and influential theories. A key step in all theory development is formulating innovative research questions that will result in interesting and significant research. Traditional textbooks on research methods tend to ignore, or gloss over, actual ways of constructing research questions. In this text, Alvesson and Sandberg develop a problematization methodology for identifying and challenging the assumptions underlying existing theories and for generating research questions that can lead to more interesting and influential theories, using examples from across the social sciences. Established methods of generating research questions in the social sciences tend to focus on ′gap-spotting′, which means that existing literature remains largely unchallenged. The authors show the dangers of conventional approaches, providing detailed ideas for how one can work through such problems and formulate novel research questions that challenge existing theories and produce more imaginative empirical studies. Constructing Research Questions is essential reading for any researcher looking to formulate research questions that are interesting and novel.

Download or read book Doing Management Research written by and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2001-07-12 with total page 446 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Doing Management Research, a major new textbook, provides answers to questions and problems which researchers invariably encounter when embarking on management research, be it quantitative or qualitative. This book will carefully guide the reader through the research process from beginning to end. An excellent tool for academics and students, it enables the reader to acquire and build upon empirical evidence, and to decide what tools to use to understand and describe what is being observed, and then, which methods of analysis to adopt. There is an entire section dedicated to writing up and communicating the research findings. Written in an accessible and easy-to-use style, this book can be read from cover to cover or dipped

Download or read book Research Methods for Construction written by Richard F. Fellows and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2015-07-07 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Research Methods for Construction will help you instil rigour into your problem-solving, and into your reports and publications. It will be of value to construction, surveying, architecture and civil engineering students undertaking research, whether for bachelors and masters degree dissertations, or for masters and doctoral research degree theses. Now in its Fourth Edition, this remains one of the few books to provide guidance on research formulation, methodologies, and methods specifically for construction students. Three main sections – Producing a Proposal, Executing the Research and Reporting the Results discuss the key issues in research and examine the primary approaches, both qualitative and quantitative. The methods adopted for scientific and engineering experiments, model building and simulations are discussed, as well as those employed for research into management, social and economic issues. The authors examine the requirements for data and analysis, including the important statistical considerations and a range of qualitative techniques that enable construction researchers to appreciate what needs to be evaluated in devising how research may be carried out effectively and efficiently. This new edition has been updated to reflect current debates and concerns, including ethical issues, legislation and codes of practice concerning the collection, processing, storage, use and disposal of data. Pressures of time and funding to carry out the empirical work all too often lead to a lack of attention to how the study should be done and why. The authors address the importance of explaining the philosophical approach adopted (ontology, epistemology) and the consequent methodology. They advocate close scrutiny of the methods available for appropriateness, both academically and practically. The fundamental theme of the book remains to facilitate a researcher’s informed and justified selection of a philosophical paradigm and of appropriate methods to execute the research.

Download or read book Constructing Social Research written by Charles C. Ragin and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2018-03-30 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Constructing Social Research answers the question: What is social science? Updated throughout with new references and examples, the Third Edition of this innovative text by Charles C. Ragin and Lisa M. Amoroso shows the unity within the diversity of activities called social research to help students understand how all social researchers construct representations of social life using theories, systematic data collection, and careful examination of that data.

Download or read book Framing Questions Constructing Answers written by Noel F. McGinn and published by Harvard Kennedy School. This book was released on 1995 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This workbook is an example of an interactive expert system. It simulates the relationship between an education policy maker and an informed consultant. The consultant interviews the policy maker, asking about the performance of the education system. The policy maker's answers to each question influence the next question that is asked. The consultant discusses results from studies in other countries to help focus questions. Eventually the questions lead to examples of programs tried out in countries with problems similar to those of the policy maker. All aspects of basic education systems are covered: finance, teachers, assessment, curriculum, material, buildings, and administration.

Download or read book Understanding and Evaluating Research written by Sue L. T. McGregor and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2017-10-25 with total page 871 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding and Evaluating Research: A Critical Guide shows students how to be critical consumers of research and to appreciate the power of methodology as it shapes the research question, the use of theory in the study, the methods used, and how the outcomes are reported. The book starts with what it means to be a critical and uncritical reader of research, followed by a detailed chapter on methodology, and then proceeds to a discussion of each component of a research article as it is informed by the methodology. The book encourages readers to select an article from their discipline, learning along the way how to assess each component of the article and come to a judgment of its rigor or quality as a scholarly report.

Download or read book Constructing Effective Questionnaires written by Robert A. Peterson and published by SAGE Publications, Incorporated. This book was released on 1999-12-23 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the heart of all successful survey research is asking the right questions. Constructing Effective Questionnaires is intended for all who commission, conduct, and evaluate research based on asking questions. This book offers Robert Peterson's pragmatic perspective on questionnaire construction - one based on a balance of personal experience plus in-depth knowledge of the conceptual and methodological literature of the behavioral sciences. From specific question wording to overall questionnaire design, the book is a comprehensive guide to this critical element of survey research. Throughout the book, Peterson repeatedly stresses the importance of empirically testing and evaluating questions, not only to identify whether they work, but also "why" they work.

Download or read book Constructing Questions for Interviews and Questionnaires written by William Foddy and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1993 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The success of any interview or questionnaire depends upon good question design, yet most of the available literature has been devoted to interview techniques, rather than question formulation. This practical book provides a coherent, theoretical basis for the construction of valid and reliable questions for interviews and questionnaires. The theoretical framework used in the book provides a set of principles that, when followed, will increase the validity and reliability of verbal data collected for social research. Dr Foddy outlines the problems which can arise when framing questions with clarity and commonsense. He has written a wide ranging, useful book for survey practitioners working in the social sciences.

Download or read book Survey Research for Public Administration written by David H. Folz and published by SAGE. This book was released on 1996-04-24 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This basic introduction to survey research for public administration is organised around the fundamental stages of the research process - planning, design, implementation, analysis and presentation

Download or read book Key Concepts in Social Research written by Geoff Payne and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2004-03-18 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: `This clearly written and user-friendly book is ideal for students or researchers who wish to get a basic, but solid grasp of a topic and see how it fits with other topics. By following the links a student can easily and efficiently build up a clear conceptual map of social research′ - Malcolm Williams, Reader in Sociology, Cardiff University `This is a really useful book, written in an accessible manner for students beginning their study of social research methods. It is helpful both as an introductory text and as a reference guide for more advanced students. Most of the key topics in methods and methodology are covered and it will be suitable as a recommended text on a wide variety of courses′ - Clive Seale, Brunel University At last, an authoritative, crystal-clear introduction to research methods which really takes account of the needs of students for accessible, focused information to help with undergraduate essays and exams. The key concepts discussed here are based on a review of teaching syllabi and the authors′ experience of many years of teaching. Topics range over qualitative and quantitative approaches and combine practical considerations with philosophical issues. They include several new topics, like internet and phone polling, internet searches, and visual methods. Each section is free-standing, can be tackled in order, but with links to other sections to enable students to cross-reference and build up a wider understanding of central research methods. To facilitate comprehension and aid study, each section begins with a definition. It is followed by a summary of key points with key words and guides to further reading and up-to-date examples. The book is a major addition to undergraduate reading lists. It is reliable, allows for easy transference to essays and exams and easy to use, and exceptionally clearly written for student consumption. The book answers the needs of all those who find research methods daunting, and for those who have dreamt of an ideal introduction to the subject.

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods written by Paul J. Lavrakas and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2008-09-12 with total page 1073 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To the uninformed, surveys appear to be an easy type of research to design and conduct, but when students and professionals delve deeper, they encounter the vast complexities that the range and practice of survey methods present. To complicate matters, technology has rapidly affected the way surveys can be conducted; today, surveys are conducted via cell phone, the Internet, email, interactive voice response, and other technology-based modes. Thus, students, researchers, and professionals need both a comprehensive understanding of these complexities and a revised set of tools to meet the challenges. In conjunction with top survey researchers around the world and with Nielsen Media Research serving as the corporate sponsor, the Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods presents state-of-the-art information and methodological examples from the field of survey research. Although there are other "how-to" guides and references texts on survey research, none is as comprehensive as this Encyclopedia, and none presents the material in such a focused and approachable manner. With more than 600 entries, this resource uses a Total Survey Error perspective that considers all aspects of possible survey error from a cost-benefit standpoint. Key Features Covers all major facets of survey research methodology, from selecting the sample design and the sampling frame, designing and pretesting the questionnaire, data collection, and data coding, to the thorny issues surrounding diminishing response rates, confidentiality, privacy, informed consent and other ethical issues, data weighting, and data analyses Presents a Reader′s Guide to organize entries around themes or specific topics and easily guide users to areas of interest Offers cross-referenced terms, a brief listing of Further Readings, and stable Web site URLs following most entries The Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods is specifically written to appeal to beginning, intermediate, and advanced students, practitioners, researchers, consultants, and consumers of survey-based information.

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Research Design written by Neil J. Salkind and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2010-06-22 with total page 1779 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Comprising more than 500 entries, the Encyclopedia of Research Design explains how to make decisions about research design, undertake research projects in an ethical manner, interpret and draw valid inferences from data, and evaluate experiment design strategies and results. Two additional features carry this encyclopedia far above other works in the field: bibliographic entries devoted to significant articles in the history of research design and reviews of contemporary tools, such as software and statistical procedures, used to analyze results. It covers the spectrum of research design strategies, from material presented in introductory classes to topics necessary in graduate research; it addresses cross- and multidisciplinary research needs, with many examples drawn from the social and behavioral sciences, neurosciences, and biomedical and life sciences; it provides summaries of advantages and disadvantages of often-used strategies; and it uses hundreds of sample tables, figures, and equations based on real-life cases."--Publisher's description.

Download or read book Choosing Using Sources written by and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Choosing & Using Sources presents a process for academic research and writing, from formulating your research question to selecting good information and using it effectively in your research assignments. Additional chapters cover understanding types of sources, searching for information, and avoiding plagiarism. Each chapter includes self-quizzes and activities to reinforce core concepts and help you apply them. There are also appendices for quick reference on search tools, copyright basics, and fair use.

Download or read book Constructing Effective Questionnaires written by Robert Allen Peterson and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 143 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Asking the right questions is at the heart of all successful survey research. This text will teach students and new researchers how to commission, conduct and evaluate research based on asking these questions. The author's experience as well as in-depth knowledge of conceptual and methodological literature make this an invaluable guide for all those new to survey research.

Download or read book Crafting Qualitative Research Questions written by Elizabeth (Betsy) A. Baker and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2021-12-12 with total page 99 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The essence of research design is the ability to articulate your research question. The research question is the precursor to the study, and a well-crafted question encapsulates all of the design elements for that study. Based on more than 20 years of conducting research, collaborating with colleagues to formulate research projects, and experience advising doctoral students, author Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) A. Baker forged a research design heuristic which she introduces in this book. She starts by dissecting the anatomy of a qualitative research question, outlines the role of paradigms in research design, describes strategies to use the anatomy as a design heuristic, and provides sample cases that track the decisions two researchers made while formulating a qualitative question. The book concludes with advice on how to move from the research question to the proposal. Throughout, the author provides handy worksheets that readers can complete as they work on crafting their own research question.

Download or read book Research Methods and Writing Research Proposals written by and published by Pathways to Higher Education. This book was released on with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Student Research and Report Writing written by Gabe T. Wang and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2016-01-26 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is an invaluable, concise, all-in-one guide for carrying out student research and writing a paper, adaptable to course use and suitable for use by students independently, it successfully guides students along every step of the way. Allows students to better manage their research projects Exercises and worksheets break down the research process into small steps and walk students through each stage of the research project Offers real-world and lively examples that are attractive and relevant to students Based on twenty years of experience in teaching research techniques to students in a way that avoids the methodology “overkill” from encyclopaedic and intimidating textbooks Accompanying website includes powerpoint lecture slides for instructors and helpful links to video resources for student. Visit www.wiley.com\go\wang\researchreportwriting