The research indicated that writing learning journals had the potential significantly to enhance and develop the depth and range of student learning . . . First, journals gave students an opportunity to write regularly and at length, allowing them to develop their ideas and writing fluency . . . Second, writing journals enabled students to construct a ‘map’ of the complex structures and relationships in a course or range of material . . . Third, writing journals encouraged the students to think differently.
(Crème 2000: 98–9) A journal also allows one to grapple with the deep and lasting effect that fieldwork produces . . . which is often more evident when analysing the data than when collecting it. During the months I spent transcribing 27 lengthy taped life-history interviews of members of Jews for Jesus, I was forced to continually examine my own relationship to Judaism and religion in general. While I could put off my informants’ questions about my ‘position with God’ by saying ‘I’m not ready to consider this commit-ment’, alone with my typewriter and those convincing tapes I asked this kind of question many times: ‘Why not me? Sarah is so like me in back-ground and abilities. She has found such peace, purpose, growth, and understanding in life because of her commitment. What am I afraid of?’
(Lipson 1991: 85) Whatever kind of research project you are engaged in, regardless of the meth-odology you are using, and whether it is focused on your workplace or not, you may find it a good idea to keep a research diary. In this diary, you might record your progress, feelings, thoughts, insecurities and insights, day by day, as your research continues. A variety of formats are possible. While most diaries will probably be kept on paper, there is no reason why you shouldn’t keep one on tape or on a computer (perhaps as a blog).
One school of thought recommends that you should organize your research diary in terms of observational notes, methodological notes, theoretical notes
and analytic memos (see Schatzman and Strauss 1973). This is just one strat-egy, however, and you might opt to use a different format, perhaps more akin to the literary notion of the diary.
See also the section in Chapter 6 on Recording your progress.
Your research diary should prove to be an invaluable resource in filling in the context for your research, and reminding you of critical incidents and particu-lar aspects of data collection or fieldwork. It will also give you reguparticu-lar practice in distilling your ideas in writing. It could be a support, in which you can confide and work out your concerns and fears. And, as it builds up during the project, it will serve as a trigger for reflection and a physical (but hopefully not too embarrassing) reminder of just how far you have progressed.
Summary
Having read this chapter, you should:
• be better able to choose a research topic which is feasible and motivates you;
• have an understanding of how you may focus your original ideas into some-thing more achievable;
• be aware of the issues involved in choosing a supervisor;
• have a clearer idea of the advantages and disadvantages of group research, and of researching your own organization;
• be ready to get on with the actual research work!
Exercises
2.1 Make as complete a list as you can of all the costs you are likely to incur during your research project. Add an additional figure for unexpected costs. Can you afford it?
2.2 Make a list of all the (financial and non-financial) resources you have access to, and of those you believe you will need access to in order to carry out your research project. How will you access those resources you don’t already have access to?
2.3 Write down up to four key questions which your research project seeks to address. Begin each one with a questioning word, like how, who, what, when or why. Which of these questions is the most important or central to your research?
2.4 Make a list of the key concepts, issues and contexts of importance to your research (see Box 2.5 for explanations of these terms).
2.5 Note down the prospective contents of your planned dissertation, thesis or report. You can do this chapter by chapter, or section by section, but include sub-headings and details. Try and set yourself realistic word limits for the various chapters or sections.
2.6 Identify and list the qualities you are looking for in your supervisor(s).
Once you have done this, arrange them in order of priority.
Further reading
In this section, we list a selection of books that are of particular relevance to the topics discussed in this chapter, together with an indication of their con-tents. We would stress two points about this listing. First, that a particular book is not included does not mean that we don’t rate it: social research is a vast field, and we simply have not read everything. Second, we have deliberately kept the list to recently published books that are still in print. There are many older texts that you may come across, perhaps earlier editions of some of those we mention, in the library or second-hand which are also valuable.
Andrews, R. (2003) Research Questions. London: Continuum.
Discusses how to formulate research questions, subsidiary and contributory questions, and the relationship between research questions and methodology.
Bell, J. (2005) Doing Your Research Project: A Guide to First-time Researchers in Education and Social Science, 4th edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
This introductory text reviews the stages of implementing a research project.
Boynton, P. (2005) The Research Companion: A Practical Guide for the Social and Health Sciences. London: Routledge.
Offers advice on all the main elements of the research process, including safety issues and ethics.
Brause, R. (2000) Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation: Invisible Rules for Success.
London: Falmer.
Covering more than just writing, this book is organized in three main sec-tions: getting a sense of the terrain, preparing for your study and doing your study.
Burton, D. (ed.) (2000) Research Training for Social Scientists: A Handbook for Postgraduate Researchers. London: Sage.
Eight main sections consider philosophical issues; ethical and legal issues;
getting started; qualitative research design, data collection and analysis;
qualitative software; survey research design and data collection; quantitative data analysis; and finishing off.
Cryer, P. (2000) The Research Student’s Guide to Success, 2nd edn. Buckingham:
Open University Press.
From registering and settling in, through interacting with your supervisor, managing yourself and cooperating with others, to dealing with flagging, producing your thesis and conducting yourself in the examination.
Denscombe, M. (2002) Ground Rules for Good Research: A 10 Point Guide for Social Researchers. Buckingham: Open University Press.
This book is organized in terms of the ten points identified: purpose, rele-vance, resources, originality, accuracy, accountability, generalizations, objectivity, ethics and proof.
Denscombe, M. (2003) The Good Research Guide for Small-scale Social Research Projects, 2nd edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
The three parts of the book focus on strategies (surveys, case studies, experi-ments, action research, ethnography); methods (questionnaires, interviews, observation, documents); and analysis (quantitative, qualitative, writing up).
Gray, D. (2004) Doing Research in the Real World. London: Sage.
A clear and accessible guide, particularly for those undertaking research pro-jects in the workplace.
Grix, J. (2001) Demystifying Postgraduate Research: from MA to PhD. Birming-ham: University of Birmingham Press.
An introductory guide, with summaries, suggestions for further reading and a useful glossary of research terms. Covers the nature of doctoral research, nuts and bolts issues, getting started, the process of research, supervision and the viva.
Hunt, A. (2005) Your Research Project: How to Manage It. London: Routledge.
Focuses on the process, covering management, the literature survey, com-munication, report writing and the viva.
Knight, P. (2002) Small-Scale Research: Pragmatic Inquiry in Social Science and the Caring Professions. London: Sage.
A systematic guide to the process and methods of small-scale research, aimed at improving research practice.
Leonard, D. (2001) A Woman’s Guide to Doctoral Studies. Buckingham: Open University Press.
A process-based guide written from the perspective of a woman for other women.
Levin, P. (2005) Excellent Dissertations! Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Designed as a brief, ‘student-friendly’ guide.
Meloy, J. (2002) Writing the Qualitative Dissertation: Understanding by Doing.
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Slightly misleadingly titled, this book covers much more than just writing, and is informed by quotations from 40 recent doctoral students.
Murray, L. and Lawrence, B. (2000) Practitioner-based Enquiry: Principles and Practices for Postgraduate Research. London: Falmer.
Designed for postgraduate students undertaking small-scale research
projects in or around their work environments and/or as part of a higher education programme.
O’Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.
Designed to get students to reflect on every stage in the research process.
Potter, S. (ed.) (2002) Doing Postgraduate Research. London: Sage.
An Open University reader, its eight chapters examine topics such as getting going, planning and organizing, writing, using computers, responsibilities and the examination process.
Punch, K. (2000) Developing Effective Research Proposals. London: Sage.
Accessible guide, with examples, to the processes involved in drawing up a research proposal.
Robson, C. (2002) Real World Research: A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitioner Researchers, 2nd edn. Oxford: Blackwell.
Comprehensive in scope, the text includes discussion of surveys, case stud-ies, experimental design outside the laboratory, observation, interviews, questionnaires, analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, dissemination and the practitioner-researcher.
Walliman, N. (2005) Your Research Project: A Step-by-step Guide for the First-time Researcher, 2nd edn. London: Sage.
Includes new material on ethics, critical reading skills and literature reviews.
Wisker, G. (2001) The Postgraduate Research Handbook: Succeed with your MA, MPhil, EdD or PhD. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Organized in four parts, focusing on starting research, getting going, maintaining momentum and finishing off.
3
Thinking about methods
Introduction • Everyday research skills • Which method is best? • Families, approaches and techniques • Action research • Case studies • Experiments
• Surveys • Which methods suit? • Deciding about methods • Summary • Exercises • Further reading
Introduction
Many, perhaps most, introductory books on doing research pay a great deal of attention to the extensive variety of research methods which are available and in use. If you are already well into your research project, detailed guidance on the use of particular methods may, of course, be invaluable. If, on the other hand, you are just beginning research, or lack confidence, such detail and its associated jargon can be both discouraging and demotivating.
The approach we have taken in this chapter is to present your choice and use of research methods as an integral part of the whole process of doing research, and to relate this to the rest of your life. From this perspective, we would argue not just that you can do research, but that you already possess many useful research skills.
If you have not already done so, you might usefully read the section in Chapter 1 on Getting a flavour of possibilities at this point.
The chapter is organized in the following sections: