Doing your research project - Judith Bell

Step-by-step advice on completing an outstanding research project.

This is the market-leading book for anyone doing a research project for the first time. Clear, concise and extremely readable, this bestselling resource provides a practical, step-by-step guide from initial concept through to completion of your final written research report.

Thoroughly updated but retaining its well-loved style, this 7th edition provides:

A brand new first chapter describing what it means to carry out research, the role of the researcher and the difference between qualitative and quantitative research methods.
An update to the chapter on using social media in research to include ethical considerations; and the blurring of the lines when considering information collected via Social Media, referred to by D'Orazio (2013) as 'qualitative data on a quantitative scale'.
An online review of the latest tools to collect and analyse both quantitative and qualitative data gathered from social media sites, such as Survey Monkey, Wufoo, Pulsar (Online Twitter Search Platform); keyword searches in Yammer; the use of Google Analytics and other metric software; and the similarities and differences between how the researcher might use the diary/journal as a record of experience and posting on social media as a record in real-time
Further coverage on how to protect research participants, including advice from the World Health Organisation on how to conduct research in health-based settings.
More detailed explanation of how to conduct online literature searches, not only using Google but also other research-based search engines such as CINAHL and PubMed and professionally-focussed sites e.g. medicine and local government.
To support your learning, questions at the end of each chapter which prompt you to reflect on your research journey.

This practical, no-nonsense guide is vital reading for all those embarking on undergraduate or postgraduate study in any discipline, and for professionals in such fields as social science, education and health.