
Doing Your Research Project
Judith Bell(Author)
Open University Press
3rd Edition
Published on 16. August 1999
Book
Paperback/Softback
248 pages
978-0-335-20388-8 (ISBN)
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Description
Over 200,000 copies sold!
Reviewers comments on the 2nd Edition:
"The first edition of this book was something of a classic, and a battered and thumbed copy will be found on most researchers' shelves. The second edition deserves to enjoy every bit as much success" - Nursing Times
..."Nicely done Judith Bell - no wonder the book is in its 10th printing" - Social Work Review
Since it was first published in the late 1980s, Doing Your Research Project has become the benchmark reference for first-time researchers in social science. This third edition reflects advances in technology and methodology and positions the book to support researchers in the twenty first century. However, the book's formula remains essentially the same because of its unmatched ability to deliver two key benefits:
* it enables students to get through their first research projects successfully and without wasting lots of time in trial and error;
* in the process, it helps students to develop sound techniques and good practice which will serve them well in future research projects
Doing Your Research Project assumes that the reader has no prior knowledge of research methodology or experience of carrying out research. Written in lucid, plain English, it takes the reader step by step through each stage of preparing for, carrying out and writing up a research project.
Judith Bell speaks directly to the beginner student, frequently introducing examples from her own experience of, for example, supervision, the problems of getting access to data, and so on. There are regular checklists to help students monitor the progress of their own projects and the book is full of examples of good practice and warnings about pitfalls to be avoided. It serves as a guide to practice for beginner researchers who are embarking on undergraduate or postgraduate study and professionals such as teachers, nurses and social workers who are involved in the preparation and production of research projects.
The third edition includes coverage of Narrative Inquiry, Supervision, Intellectual Property, Ethics, Finding and Searching Information Sources (including an extensive section on use of electronic resources such as CD-Roms and the Internet), and the production of Literature Reviews.
Reviewers comments on the 2nd Edition:
"The first edition of this book was something of a classic, and a battered and thumbed copy will be found on most researchers' shelves. The second edition deserves to enjoy every bit as much success" - Nursing Times
..."Nicely done Judith Bell - no wonder the book is in its 10th printing" - Social Work Review
Since it was first published in the late 1980s, Doing Your Research Project has become the benchmark reference for first-time researchers in social science. This third edition reflects advances in technology and methodology and positions the book to support researchers in the twenty first century. However, the book's formula remains essentially the same because of its unmatched ability to deliver two key benefits:
* it enables students to get through their first research projects successfully and without wasting lots of time in trial and error;
* in the process, it helps students to develop sound techniques and good practice which will serve them well in future research projects
Doing Your Research Project assumes that the reader has no prior knowledge of research methodology or experience of carrying out research. Written in lucid, plain English, it takes the reader step by step through each stage of preparing for, carrying out and writing up a research project.
Judith Bell speaks directly to the beginner student, frequently introducing examples from her own experience of, for example, supervision, the problems of getting access to data, and so on. There are regular checklists to help students monitor the progress of their own projects and the book is full of examples of good practice and warnings about pitfalls to be avoided. It serves as a guide to practice for beginner researchers who are embarking on undergraduate or postgraduate study and professionals such as teachers, nurses and social workers who are involved in the preparation and production of research projects.
The third edition includes coverage of Narrative Inquiry, Supervision, Intellectual Property, Ethics, Finding and Searching Information Sources (including an extensive section on use of electronic resources such as CD-Roms and the Internet), and the production of Literature Reviews.
Reviews / Votes
"Doing your Research Project is an extremely useful and accessible overall guide for the novice/daunted researcher." - Sarah Earthy SRA News 20030203More details
Edition
3rd edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Milton Keynes
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
references, index
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 137 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
340 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-335-20388-8 (9780335203888)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
New editions

Judith Bell
Doing Your Research Project
A Guide for First-time Researchers in Social Science, Education and Health
Book
06/2005
4th Edition
Open University Press
€44.75
No shipping information available
Person
Judith Bell has worked as a university lecturer, head of department and vice principal in colleges of further education, senior counsellor and course team writer for the Open University, and as one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools specializing in continuing education. She works now as a freelance writer, lecturer and consultant and holds honorary fellowships in various universities in the UK.
Content
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part one: Preparing the ground
Approaches to educational research
Planning the project
Negotiating access, ethics and the problems of 'inside' research
Keeping records, making notes and locating libraries
Finding and searching information sources
The literature review
Part two: Selecting methods of data collection
Introduction
The analysis of documentary evidence
Designing and administering questionnaires
Planning and conducting interviews
Diaries
Observation studies
Part three: Interpreting the evidence and reporting the findings
Introduction
Interpretation and presentation of the evidence
Writing the report
Postscript
References
Index.
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part one: Preparing the ground
Approaches to educational research
Planning the project
Negotiating access, ethics and the problems of 'inside' research
Keeping records, making notes and locating libraries
Finding and searching information sources
The literature review
Part two: Selecting methods of data collection
Introduction
The analysis of documentary evidence
Designing and administering questionnaires
Planning and conducting interviews
Diaries
Observation studies
Part three: Interpreting the evidence and reporting the findings
Introduction
Interpretation and presentation of the evidence
Writing the report
Postscript
References
Index.