Research methods in educational leadership and management

'This book is a second edition of a much respected and well-used reference text....One of the strengths of this book lies in the authoritative nature of its contributors and the wealth of experience they disseminate throughout the text....Overall I greatly enjoyed reading this book and would certainly recommend it to those individuals starting out on the path of exploring the field of research into educational leadership and management' - International Journal of Research & Method in Education

Written for both new and experienced researchers, this book is the essential guide to research in educational leadership and management. The second edition maintains the accessibility of the first, all chapters have been revised and updated, and the scope of the book has been widened both by the addition of new chapters and by increased contributions from international authors and experts in research in educational leadership.

The book deals with:

o the concept of research and its philosophical bases

o 'critical' approaches to research

o fundamental issues of ethics, validity and reliability

o exploring existing literature to inform research

o making use of existing data sets

o the nature of survey, case study, action and practitioner research

o research tools such as interviews, questionnaires, documentary research and observation

o analysis and presentation of quantitative and qualitative research data

o writing up and disseminating research

This book is a core text for master's level and professional doctorate courses in educational leadership and management. It is accessible for the beginning researcher, while at the same time providing stimulating reading for students and practitioners with research experience.