The Good Research Guide is a best-selling introductory book on the basics of social research. It provides practical and straightforward guidance for those who need to conduct small-scale research projects as part of their undergraduate, postgraduate or professional studies. It covers all the major issues and concerns from start to finish. It is a valuable resource for anyone conducting social research including those in applied areas such as business studies, health studies, nursing, education, social work, policy studies, marketing, media studies and criminology. The book provides: A clear, straightforward introduction to data collection methods and data analysis Jargon-free coverage of the key issues An attractive layout and user-friendly presentation Checklists to guide good practice The fourth edition has been extensively updated and includes features such as: New material on qualitative data and narrative analysis Good Practice boxes in every chapter Four new appendices on key topics: Ethics, Data Protection, Triangulation and Focus Groups New examples and illustrations on Surveys and Sampling Additional topics in the Frequently Asked Questions section

Table of Contents

Introduction Part I: Strategies for social research Surveys and sampling Case studies Experiments Ethnography Phenomenology Grounded theory Action research Mixed methods Part II: Methods of social research Questionnaires Interviews Observation Documents Part III: Analysis Quantitative data Qualitative data Writing up the research

About the Author

Martyn Denscombe is Professor of Social Research at De Montfort University, UK.