Research Methods for Education

Description

Features

Key features:

·         Written for people who are new to research and not confident with numbers

·         A mixed methods approach, which doesn’t simply prioritise quantitative or qualitative methods

·         Rich supporting website with activities, multiple choice questions, data-sets, examples of good and bad research tools. This shows students how to progress their own research project and contains a remedial maths coaching tool

·         Covers graphical and analytic procedures using Internet tools and spreadsheets

·         Contains guidance on analytic procedures that require more advanced tools such as SPSS, Minitab

·         Designed to help students produce good, valid and valuable research

·         Excellent coverage of availability of secondary data sources

·         Many excellent international examples and case studies specifically from education, which breaks away from a parochial focus on UK education system

Table of Contents

PART I: The Context for Your Research.
1. Research: A Messy Business.
2. Understanding the Research Process
3. Putting Your Research Design Together.
PART II: The Process of Data Collection.
4. Data: Assembling the Research Toolkit.
5. Using Literature In Research.
6. Getting the Right Information.
7. Modelling Data Needs.
8. Using Questionnaires.
9. Talking, Listening and Watching: Other Approaches to Data Collection.
PART III: The Process of Data Analysis.a
10. Extracting the Information from Statistical Data.
11. Extracting the Information from Qualitative Data Sets.
12. Extracting Information from Quantitative Data.
13. Using Statistics to Say Something Significant.
14. Putting It All Together.
References.
Appendices.
Glossary.
Index.

Back Cover

Research methods is a complex subject which many education students find frustrating. Philosophical approaches, quantitative methods and epistemology can all prove confusing and arcane for the novice educational researcher, whilst many students struggle with the practical aspects of deciding on a research project, designing a questionnaire or presenting conclusions in the most convincing way.

Research Methods in Education, therefore, takes the student by the hand and guides them through the subject in an engaging, witty and clear way. Packed with exercises, examples and comparative international material from other educational contexts, Peter Newby's book is the student-friendly text which demystifies the research process with clarity and verve.

Key features:

• Written for people who are new to research and not confident with numbers

• A mixed methods approach, which doesn’t simply prioritise quantitative or qualitative methods

• Rich supporting website with activities, multiple choice questions, data-sets, examples of good and bad research tools. This shows students how to progress their own research project and contains coaching and support to help students with mathematics

• Covers graphical and analytic procedures using Internet tools and spreadsheets

• Contains guidance on analytic procedures that require more advanced tools such as SPSS, Minitab

• Designed to help students produce good, valid and valuable research.

• Excellent coverage of availability of secondary data sources.

• Many excellent international examples and case studies specifically from education, which breaks away from a parochial focus on UK education system.