Increasingly, new academics are entering higher education without conventional research training and without a clear idea of what research actually involves. This is particularly true of academics who enter from having spent time in a profession including many in the newer disciplines. In addition, institutions of higher education which do not have a tradition of research are increasingly competing for research funding. The Nature of Research looks at this background and discusses what is wrong with academic research and discusses what is wrong with academic research today, what needs to change for it to survive, how to allow new kinds of research to flourish, directions for future action and how academic research can teach us to live in today's complex and uncertain society. The aim of the book, then, is to provide a stimulus to thinking about the nature and role of research with a view to considering what might be appropriate in the next century. Since research is so central to university life, looking at research will tell us much about what the university of the future might be like.

"The book provides a reference point for beginning educational researchers to grasp the most pertinent elements of designing and conducting research..." —Megan Tschannen-Moran, The College of William & Mary Quantitative Research in Education: A Primer, Second Edition is a brief and practical text designed to allay anxiety about quantitative research. Award-winning authors Wayne K. Hoy and Curt M. Adams first introduce readers to the nature of research and science, and then present the meaning of concepts and research problems as they dispel notions that quantitative research is too difficult, too theoretical, and not practical. Rich with concrete examples and illustrations, the Primer emphasizes conceptual understanding and the practical utility of quantitative methods while teaching strategies and techniques for developing original research hypotheses. The Second Edition includes suggestions for empirical investigation and features a new section on self-determination theory, examples from the latest research, a concluding chapter illustrating the practical applications of quantitative research, and much more. This accessible Primer is perfect for students and researchers who want a quick understanding of the process of scientific inquiry and who want to learn how to effectively create and test ideas.

What constitutes qualitative evidence? This book will break new ground by providing urgently needed standards for qualitative inquiry and tackle the significant issues of what constitutes qualitative evidence. In particular, this book will address the place of qualitative evidence in the planning delivery, and evaluation of health care. The authors first examine the status of qualitative research as evidence versus as "opinion." They then examine such topics as: who decides what counts as evidence, the nature of outcomes, how to evaluate qualitative evidence, constructing evidence within the qualitative project, and research utilization and qualitative research. They conclude with perspectives on the issue of standards for qualitative investigation.

"This textbook will be used to support undergraduate dissertation supervision. The book clearly sets out the research philosophies, principles and practices relevant to conduct of fieldwork. A useful and informative text to aid the research design and process." - Nazia Ali, Bedfordshire University "A key text for students studying research methods or undertaking a research project in the hospitality and tourism industries." - Lisa Wyld, Westminster Kingsway College "An excellent overview of primary research itself and its application in Hospitality and Tourism." - Jane Warren, SHRM College Hospitality and tourism is the fourth biggest industry in the world. What are the key research issues in the field? What methods are particularly useful to answer questions of management, policy, strategy and general understanding? This is the first comprehensive guide to research methods and issues for students engaged in hospitality and tourism studies. Jargon-free, incisive and relevant, the book offers an uncluttered guide to key concepts and essential research techniques. It is grounded in a real world approach that concentrates upon the issues that students will encounter in their studies and work experience. It fills an enormous gap in the field providing students with the first dedicated introduction to research methods for hospitality and tourism students.

This book introduces students to major research processes and methods used in business research. The research process includes all steps in the research project beginning from the problem formulation, through research design, proposal, conducting the research, deriving conclusions, writing research report, and preparing and making presentation. The major research methods include risk assessment, statistics, sampling, hypothesis testing, surveys, and comparative analysis. It helps students develop solid knowledge and practical skills sufficient for conducting a research project from its initiation, through completion, and delivery. The author provides multiple examples as well as the questions and problems for self-testing and self-evaluation in each chapter. The book is structured to provide a smooth flow of understanding and learning the material along the learning curve and is concise enough to fit a one-semester course.

What is wrong with research today? This book argues that research priorities need to be reordered to address the concerns of today's society.

Julia Wolf investigates the theoretical aspect of SCM by analyzing the evolution SCM research has undergone and by assessing the question whether SCM research can be considered a scientific paradigm as of today.

This book brings together the lessons of research on both the nature of learning and different educational applications, and it summarises these as seven key concluding principles.

The Nature of Theory and Research in Social Psychology aims to provide advanced undergraduate and graduate students with a solid foundation in the logic of theory construction and the experimental method; and to teach students how to read, critically evaluate, and appreciate professional literature in the behavioral sciences. The book is believed to be unique in this latter respect and that it will serve a vital need in several different courses. The book is organized into two parts. Part I contains a detailed exposition of the nature of theory and research. It discusses the nature of formal theory, derivation of hypotheses, and the testing of hypotheses. It explicates in great detail the experimental approach to hypothesis testing. Both formal and informal aspects of a psychological experiment are discussed. Part II includes five chapters that enable students to put their analytical skills to use. Five substantive areas from social psychology have been selected. Each chapter includes three reprinted journal articles, and the chapter may be considered a ""case study"" in the analysis of experimental research in a given problem area. The following topics are covered in this section: dissonance and disconfirmed expectancies; dissonance and severity of initiation, primary-recency in personality impression formation, forewarning and anticipatory attitude change, and dependency and helping.