Research Methods Hammond, Michael; Wellington, Jerry
2021, 20200928, 2020, Letnik:
1
eBook
This book provides an overview of ninety key concepts which often trouble those who are new to researching within the social sciences. It covers theories of knowledge, methodologies and methods. Each ...entry offers a definition of a concept, shows how researchers have used that concept in their research and discusses difficulties that the concept presents. The book supports those undertaking their own social research projects by providing detailed critical commentary on key concepts in a particularly accessible way.
In exploring these concepts, a wide range of research reports across many different fields are described. These include not only classic accounts, but also a broad selection of recent studies, some written by new researchers. The book will be useful for higher-education students carrying out projects within social science faculties at the end of their first degree or during a master’s programme, though it will also be particularly helpful for those undertaking doctoral research, and some entries have been written with the production of a thesis in mind.
This second edition of Research Methods: The Key Concepts provides a more comprehensive and up-to-date coverage, as old entries have been updated and 19 new entries added. It helps new researchers to navigate the changing landscape of social research by recognising (a) the changes in the ways researchers are thinking about knowledge and acquiring knowledge, (b) the increasing use of digital tools to collect data, and (c) the desire many contemporary researchers feel to promote social justice through their research.
The aim of this book is to provide an introductory but not simplistic guide to research in the social and behavioural sciences. The book sets out to tackle difficult issues and concepts in a ...scholarly but accessible manner, providing ample guidance and signposts to further reading. We explore a wide range of questions about research and research methods, including: * What counts as 'good research'? * Research approaches, paradigms, methods and methodology: what are they and what is the difference? * What is the so-called 'qualitative/ quantitative'? * When and where is quantitative research indispensable? * If one suggests that research should be 'scientific' what does that mean? * What methods and methodologies are used in social research? * What is the role of statistics in social and behavioural research? How should statistical evidence be interpreted? * What are the ways in which research can, and should, be disseminated and presented? This book is aimed as much at the reflective, researching professional as for the professional researcher.
Searching for 'doctorateness' Wellington, Jerry
Studies in higher education (Dorchester-on-Thames),
12/2013, Letnik:
38, Številka:
10
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The question of what a doctorate is has been looked at before. The author argues that the issue of 'doctorateness' is a recurring debate which needs to kept alive and revisited regularly. The aim of ...this article is to suggest five different areas or arenas in which the question can be addressed, forming a framework which can perhaps be used again. Having looked at each area, it is argued that we should not be seeking some essential meaning of the term but that we should look for 'family resemblances' across the wide range of doctorates now available to search for a better understanding of the nature of doctorateness.
This paper starts from the premise that there is more to writing than simply skill, knowledge and ability, i.e. cognition. This is an important part of writing but is only one aspect of it. The paper ...discusses the idea of the affective domain and goes on to focus largely on the positive and negative attitudes and feelings of graduate students towards writing. These views were collected during a number of teaching sessions with post-graduates. The teaching sessions, which are outlined in the paper, involved a wide range of post-graduate students (overseas and UK) who were at different stages in their doctorate. During those sessions, the views and attitudes of experienced academic writers were also presented briefly as a contrast and a comparison to those of students. The article ends with a discussion of the range of students' attitudes and feelings and considers how staff might best 'deal' with them in helping to develop students' writing as successfully as possible.
Succeeding with Your Doctorate Wellington, Jerry; Bathmaker, Ann-Marie; Hunt, Cheryl ...
SAGE Publications,
2005, 2005-00-00, 2005-04-18, 2005-04-19
eBook, Book
This book offers complete, up-to-date guidance and discussion on all aspects of successful doctoral work. The five experienced authors give advice on every stage in the process of completing a ...doctorate, from helping to engage in critical reflection to better understand the reader′s own research biases, to useful guidelines on preparing for, and surviving, the viva. Combining general discussion with practical advice, this book is an essential companion to research. Topics include: Preparing for a doctorate Embarking on your Research Adapting to life as a student Working with a supervisor Reading critically Conceptualising your research Thinking about methodologies and approaches Producing a thesis Preparing for and taking the viva Disseminating your research.
Practical work has been part of science education for just over 100 years and is accepted as an essential and exciting part of understanding this discipline. Although it can be costly and sometimes ...messy, it simply has to be done if students and teachers are to progress in their understanding. Schools and universities invest millions of pounds in it and the National Curriculum reveres it - but what exactly is going on in classrooms around the country and how are the leading practitioners moving with the times? This book attempts to reflect on the value and purpose of practical work as part of the scientific curriculum. Why are practical exercises so necessary and what do they contribute to the learning process? The chapters examine many issues such as: * how practical work is perceived by students and teachers * whether we will move on to the 'virtual lab' * the limitations of current 'hands-on' work and valuable alternatives to it * the connections between practical work in science education and 'authentic' science * what role experimentation plays in current educational practice. Jerry Wellington is Reader in Education at Sheffield University, and has taught science at all academic levels.
Getting Published Wellington, Jerry
2003, 20031216, 2003-10-09, 2003-12-16
eBook
This handy guide for new and practising lecturers and researchers takes a rare insider's look at the activities of writing and publishing. Turning the spotlight inwards, it examines how and why ...professionals communicate with each other through writing and publishing. Written with great verve and pace, the author succeeds in providing sensible advice bolstered by many illustrative examples, case studies and anecdotes. For the academic needing insight into the serious business of getting published, this book will provide answers to many of their frequent questions: * Why do they write and publish? * Who are they writing for? * What channels of communication are available for their writing? * Who 'controls' these channels? * How can they successfully submit articles and papers to journals and newspapers, contribute chapters to books, or approach publishers with book proposals? Developed from a series of seminars on the subject by the author, this book will be an enjoyable and informative guide to anyone with an interest in getting their work published.
Jerry Wellington is Professor in the School of Education, University of Sheffield.
1. Why publish? 2. What might you publish about? 3. Writing and the writing process 4. Publishing in journals 5. Book publishing 6. Practical guidance on writing 7. Future publishing Appendix 1. Reflections on the writing process Appendix 2. Interviews with journal editors Appendix 3. Survey of publishers by e-mail
Not that long ago there were fairly clear divisions between researchers at different stages throughout their career, starting with doctoral students then progressing to postdoctoral workers and ...finishing with academic staff. However, more recently the term Early Career Researcher (ECR) has been introduced partly as a response to their growing importance which has been reflected by their increased respect and status shown by national, international and funding bodies. There are several common features of an ECR's job including the need to establish a professional identity and develop into an independent researcher, competing for grants and increasing one's output of research publications; this book offers proven practical advice to help ECRs kick-start a successful academic career.
With advice on:
Choosing research topics
Making best use of a Research Supervisor/Mentor
Developing your research writing
Getting published: journals and books
Writing a research grant/fellowship
Becoming a supervisor
Becoming a teacher, and
Developing your career
This guide will help academics at the start of their career no matter what discipline they are engaged in... Arts, Humanities, Sciences or Social Sciences. For example, in sciences and engineering, ECRs are commonly part of a large research team and often have to work in collaborative groups; requiring strong interpersonal skills but can lead to tension in the interaction with one's supervisor or mentor. In contrast, in the arts and humanities and perhaps the social sciences, an ECR is more likely to be an independent scholar with a requirement to work alone, leading to a different type of relationship (but not necessarily any less stressful) with one's supervisor or mentor.
Using case studies from across the subject areas to illustrate key points and give suitable examples this vital guide will help all
There has been relatively little research on the pre-conceptions of doctoral students about the final examination, the viva voce and hence there is a shortage of evidence to underpin activities ...designed to prepare them for this experience. The present paper, which is based upon data from a wide range of focus groups of pre-viva students, seeks to illuminate students' pre-conceptions, to site them within a teaching framework, and to consider the implications for practice and policy in preparing students for the viva. The paper goes on to a broader discussion of students' preparation for the viva experience by relating the focus group data to previous studies and considering the various elements and aspects of the 'event'.
This book is an introduction to the issues and practicalities of using multimedia in classrooms - both primary and secondary, and across a range of subject areas. The book draws on material from a ...range of case studies and focuses on areas of concern for teachers and researchers. Using IT effectively continues to be a problem for many teachers, and there is still a long way to go toward organising this properly. The book takes a thorough look at IT in the school, discussing and examining issues such as: * IT and the National Curriculum * foreign language teaching * differing curricular needs * opportunities and constraints of groupwork * talking books and primary reading * ways in which multimedia supports readers. The book also looks at some of the more philosophical issues such as the implications of home-computers and the limits of independent learning, and the notion of "edutainment" - the relationship of motivation and enjoyment to learning. Finally, the book makes comparisons across the curriculum and between primary and secondary sectors and raises questions about the future of IT in schools, arguing that teachers should make a significant contribution to decisions about future development.
