Title: Small-scale research :
Authors: Knight, Peter T.
Date: 2002
Publisher: SAGE,
Physical description: xiii, 223 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm
Language: English
LC classification: H
Abstract: 'Small-Scale Research' is a direct, comprehensive guide for students doing theses, dissertations, papers and projects. It works through the central methods of inquiry and demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches.
Contents: Machine generated contents note: 1 Starting with Writing 1 -- Private writing 1 -- Creating research questions 5 -- Writing a literature review 11 -- 2 Research as Claimsmaking 16 -- Research is more thinking than doing 17 -- Claims that research may make 23 -- Research standpoints 33 -- Research forms 37 -- Generalizing and learning from research 43 -- A pragmatist account of social research 46 -- 3 Face-to-face Inquiry Methods 49 -- Instrument structure and question formation 54 -- Special concerns in face-to-face research 54 -- Observation 56 -- Interviews 61 -- Nominal group technique 69 -- Focus groups 70 -- Memory work 71 -- Experiments 72 -- 4 Research at a Distance 80 -- Measurement, rating scales and lookalikes 80 -- Questionnaires 87 -- Diaries, logs and journals 95 -- Q-sort 97 -- Concept mapping 98 -- Image-based research 101 -- Documentary analysis 104 -- Unobtrusive methods 108 -- Post-empirical research 109 -- 5 Research Design: Bringing It All Together 114 -- A palette of methods 119 -- Sampling, generalizations and research methods 119 -- Multi-method design 127 -- Quality 133 -- 6 Complexity 144 -- The significance of complexity 146 -- Complexity and organizations 151 -- Complex people 156 -- 7 Doing It 161 -- Being pragmatic 161 -- Data capture 163 -- Disclosure and harm 169 -- 8 Sensemaking 173 -- Data analysis: levels, objectivity and continuity 173 -- Numbers and data analysis 176 -- Analysing qualitative data 182 -- 9 Writing, Disseminating and Influencing 193 -- Public writing 193 -- Disseminating 199 -- The influences of social research 203 -- 10 Reflecting 210 -- Hints for hard-pressed researchers 210 -- A quality check 211.
Subject headings (LCSH): Report writing.; Social sciences--Research.