This successful text on carrying out research in 'real world' situations has been thoroughly revised and updated in order to make it as useful as possible to teachers and students from a range of behavioral and social science disciplines. Includes new examples from applied psychology, applied social science, health studies, social work and education. Provides more coverage of qualitative methods. Pedagogical material has been updated to include a glossary and detailed cross-referencing across chapters. Bases the quantitative analysis section around version 10 of SPSS and the section on qualitative analysis around the NUD*IST software. Situates material more clearly within theoretical conceptualizations of the nature of social science research, pointing to the advantages of a critical realist approach. For sample chapters please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/robson

Available with free access to the interactive eBook* for 12 months when you buy the paperback version (ISBN 9781446295311 only), this is the companion for any student undertaking a research project. Click on the icons in the margins of the eBook to access a wealth of resources including: Video Content Chapter introductions and top tips from the author along with tried and tested open access videos on YouTube introduce you to key chapter contents Datasets Play around with real data in SPSS and put your statistics knowledge into practice Weblinks Direct you to real world examples to broaden your knowledge Checklists Guide you through a specific research process such as running a focus group or conducting an interview Further Reading Link you to a range of resources to deepen your understanding of a topic However you access the content the Third Edition guides you smoothly through the research process from start to finish setting out the skills needed to design and conduct effective research and introduces the reader to the reality of conducting research in the real world. It gives practical advice on how best to select appropriate projects, design strategies, sources and methods and provides the tools needed to collect, analyze and present data. Applicable to any discipline and firmly rooted in the practicalities of research there are new and exciting chapters on: - Using SPSS for quantitative data analysis - Sampling strategies in quantitative and qualitative research - Approaches to secondary analysis - Using focus groups - Ethnography and participant observation (*interactivity only available through Vitalsource eBook) Available with Perusall—an eBook that makes it easier to prepare for class Perusall is an award-winning eBook platform featuring social annotation tools that allow students and instructors to collaboratively mark up and discuss their SAGE textbook. Backed by research and supported by technological innovations developed at Harvard University, this process of learning through collaborative annotation keeps your students engaged and makes teaching easier and more effective. Learn more.

This practical text combines social research methods with coverage of statistical analysis to help students develop the applied research skills needed for future careers in public and private organizations, while also delivering a solid foundation for those going on to graduate school. Throughout the book, the author offers a real-world example and then breaks it down into a decision tree, which helps lead students to a possible statistical decision (rather than starting with the statistic). This text gives students a toolbox of the most common and in-demand skills and demonstrates how those skills can be used to make the best research decisions. The book takes students through the entire real-world research process, from the formation of a research topic to measurement and sampling, to methods for gathering information and making sense of the data, and finally presenting to a non-academic audience in a way that "gets the job done." Resources for instructors and students are available on an accompanying website for the book.

Research Methods: Designing and Conducting Research with a Real-World Focus provides the tools required to conduct relevant, high-quality research in both the classroom and the field. Carrie A. Picardi and Kevin D. Masick—psychologists with expertise in both teaching research methods and applying methods to diverse field settings—offer a unique perspective by integrating current research articles with field-specific scenarios. They draw from research methodology tactics, strategy, and constraints from practitioners across the social sciences and in business. This text effectively bridges the gap between theory and practice by demonstrating how research is done within an organizational setting, and supplies students with relevant, applicable examples to learn from.

Bringing together leading authorities, this unique handbook reviews the breadth of current approaches for studying how people think, feel, and behave in everyday environments, rather than in the laboratory. The volume thoroughly describes experience sampling methods, diary methods, physiological measures, and other self-report and non-self-report tools that allow for repeated, real-time measurement in natural settings. Practical guidance is provided to help the reader design a high-quality study, select and implement appropriate methods, and analyze the resulting data using cutting-edge statistical techniques. Applications across a wide range of psychological subfields and research areas are discussed in detail.

Challenging the formality and idealized settings of conventional methods teaching and opting instead for a real world approach to social research, this book offers frank, practical advice designed to empower students and researchers alike. Theoretically robust and with an exhaustive coverage of key methodologies and methods the title establishes the cornerstones of social research. Examples reflect research conducted inside and outside formal university settings and range from the extremes of war torn countries to the complexities of school classrooms. Supported by a wealth of learning features and tools the textbook and website include: Video top tips Podcasts Full text journal articles Interviews with researchers conducting field research Links to external websites and blogs Student exercises Real world case studies

Amidst rapid and fundamental shifts in the economic, geo-political, technological, and societal landscape, this cutting-edge book makes the timeless case that research can be informed by problems in the ‘real world’ and make important contributions to theory and practice.

Research ethics and integrity are growing in importance as academics face increasing pressure to win grants and publish, and universities promote themselves in the competitive HE market. Research Ethics in the Real World is the first book to highlight the links between research ethics and individual, social, professional, institutional, and political ethics. Drawing on Indigenous and Euro-Western research traditions, Helen Kara considers all stages of the research process, from the formulation of a research question to aftercare for participants, data and findings. She argues that knowledge of both ethical approaches is helpful for researchers working in either paradigm. Students, academics, and research ethics experts from around the world contribute real-world perspectives on navigating and managing ethics in practice. Research Ethics in the Real World provides guidance for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods researchers from all disciplines about how to act ethically throughout your research work. This book is invaluable in supporting teachers of research ethics to design and deliver effective courses.

Designing research can be daunting and disorienting for novices. After experiencing this first-hand, the author has written a book that shows how to mentally frame research in a way that is understandable and approachable while also discussing some of the more specific issues that will aid the reader in understanding the options available when pursuing their research. Stressing the link between research and theory-building, this concise book shows students how new knowledge is discovered through the process of research. The author presents a model that ties together research processes across the various traditions and shows how different types of research interrelate. The book is sophisticated in its presentation, but uses plain language to provide an explanation of higher-level concepts in an engaging manner. Throughout the book, the author treats research methodologies as a blueprint for answering a wide range of interesting questions, rather than simply a set of tools to be applied. The book is an excellent guide for students who will be consumers of research and who need to understand how theory and research interrelate. "The author did an excellent job on this text. This text is the missing link in explaining research methodologies. His comparison/contrasts are excellent. Moreover, the author provides interesting alternatives and discusses how each alternative might improve the validity of research." —James Anthos, South University, Columbia "...With only six chapters, the text can be covered in a short time allowing for students to spend the majority of their time investigating social issues and developing research. Students who read and understand this book will have the knowledge and resources to cover material they are unfamiliar with." —R. David Frantzreb II, University of North Carolina - Charlotte "I am looking for something just like this that is not overbearing for the student but will complement the supplementary material and resources that I am using with my students. I think the coverage is broad enough that I could use it with all of my groups." —Karen Larwin, Youngstown State University "...I think the author’s emphasis on demonstrating the relationship between theory and research is terribly important and understated in so many other texts. I also think that in the hands of competent professors, it can be supplemented with other sources to help students learn while not being encumbered financially with an expensive tome for which they may only use a fraction of it." —John R. Mitrano, Central Connecticut State University

Real world research is a common responsibility of professionals and practitioners in a wide range of both public and private settings. These include teachers, social workers and health service professionals, managers and specialists in business, architects, designers, criminologists and accountants among many others. Real World Research provides a clear route-map of the various steps needed to carry out a piece of applied research to a high professional standard. It is accessible to those without a social science background while providing rigorous and fully up-to-date coverage of contemporary issues and debates. It brings together materials and approaches from different social science disciplines, seeing value in both quantitative and qualitative approaches, as well as their combination in mixed-method designs. Updated throughout, the third edition includes: A brand new chapter on multi-strategy designs Increased coverage of ethical issues A chapter on writing a project proposal Discussion of internet-based research - both as a research tool and as a subject for research Coverage of evidence-based approaches - seeking to present a balanced assessment of their value Colin Robson′s bestselling textbook is essential reading for many higher education courses, at both undergraduate, taught postgraduate and doctoral level, as well as practitioners and others carrying out a research project as part of their job. A very extensive website, which is closely keyed in to the text, provides additional resources including copious examples of research and further discussion of research issues, links to other useful resources and selected journal articles, annotated lists of further reading and an extensive set of PowerPoint slides.