Teaching Research Methods in Sociology
Will be published approx. on 11. December 2025
Book
Hardback
356 pages
978-1-0353-2021-9 (ISBN)
Description
Providing both theoretical and practical strategies for developing engaging and innovative approaches to teaching, expert instructors share their insights into teaching about important topics in the social research process, from developing research ideas to analysing data.
Chapters set out clear, user-friendly examples providing educators with a toolkit of resources to engage their students. They cover key areas such as quantitative and qualitative data, literature reviews, ethical research, ethnography and digital research methods among others. The book also expands on the shifting discourses around teaching research methods in sociology, touching on challenges, as well as the value of embedding innovative active learning skills into a sociology curriculum.
Teaching Research Methods in Sociology is an invaluable resource for sociology instructors, particularly those teaching research methods as well as those seeking to stay abreast of new and developing methods applicable to their students. Its theoretical and practical insights will also be of relevance to education scholars more broadly.
Chapters set out clear, user-friendly examples providing educators with a toolkit of resources to engage their students. They cover key areas such as quantitative and qualitative data, literature reviews, ethical research, ethnography and digital research methods among others. The book also expands on the shifting discourses around teaching research methods in sociology, touching on challenges, as well as the value of embedding innovative active learning skills into a sociology curriculum.
Teaching Research Methods in Sociology is an invaluable resource for sociology instructors, particularly those teaching research methods as well as those seeking to stay abreast of new and developing methods applicable to their students. Its theoretical and practical insights will also be of relevance to education scholars more broadly.
Reviews / Votes
'Teaching Research Methods in Sociology is for all those who teach sociological research methods. The editors bring together specialists, across the full range of research methods, who have a wealth of experiences and insights. Readers will find the book invaluable as the contributions have their needs and those of their students, explicitly in mind.' -- Tim May, Cardiff University, UKMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cheltenham
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-0353-2021-9 (9781035320219)
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
Persons
Edited by Liam Foster, Professor of Social Policy, School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations, Will Mason, Senior Lecturer in Applied Social Sciences and Kitty Nichols, University Teacher in Applied Social Sciences, Sheffield Methods Institute (School of Education), University of Sheffield, UK
Content
Contents
1 Introduction: why engaging research methods teaching in
sociology matters 1
Liam Foster, Will Mason and Kitty Nichols
PART I
TEACHING STRATEGIES AND EMBEDDING ACTIVE
LEARNING STRATEGIES IN TEACHING METHODS
2 Doing sociology: active learning in research methods education 12
Melanie Nind and Robert Meckin
PART II
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE RESEARCH PROCESS
3 Linking theory and method. Teaching methodologies to
sociology students 29
Malcolm Williams and Charlotte Brookfield
4 Assisting students in generating research ideas and developing
research questions 43
Liam Foster and Tom Clark
5 Teaching ethics as a dynamic process to sociology students. 63
Ryan Josiah Bramley
6 Finding and reviewing literature 80
Lisa O'Malley and David Brown
PART III
APPROACHES TO TEACHING RESEARCH METHODS
TO SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS
7 Teaching qualitative interviewing 102
Kathryn Wheeler and Bethany Morgan Brett
8 Convening focus groups 119
Jennifer Cyr
9 Teaching ethnography 132
Robin James Smith
10 Working with documents 148
Malcolm Tight
11 Teaching digital research methods in sociology 165
Suay OEzkula
12 Material relationships and object interviews as a means of
studying everyday life 181
Helen Holmes
13 Teaching survey research design 196
Lesley Andres
14 Teaching secondary data analysis 210
Charlotte Brookfield
15 Teaching mixed methods research in sociology: facilitating
understanding, evaluation and implementation 228
Susanne Vogl and Antonia Josefa Krahl
PART IV
TEACHING SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS HOW TO ANALYSE DATA
16 Approaches to teaching thematic analysis in sociology 247
Kitty Nichols and Will Mason
17 Teaching Ethnographic Analysis 264
Paul Atkinson
18 Teaching students how to analyse quantitative data 279
Julie Scott Jones and Liz Cain
19 Teaching data integration in mixed methods research: the value
of Joint Displays 300
Aneta Piekut
PART V
CONCLUSION
20 Conclusion to Teaching Research Methods in Sociology 320
Will Mason, Liam Foster and Kitty Nichols
1 Introduction: why engaging research methods teaching in
sociology matters 1
Liam Foster, Will Mason and Kitty Nichols
PART I
TEACHING STRATEGIES AND EMBEDDING ACTIVE
LEARNING STRATEGIES IN TEACHING METHODS
2 Doing sociology: active learning in research methods education 12
Melanie Nind and Robert Meckin
PART II
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE RESEARCH PROCESS
3 Linking theory and method. Teaching methodologies to
sociology students 29
Malcolm Williams and Charlotte Brookfield
4 Assisting students in generating research ideas and developing
research questions 43
Liam Foster and Tom Clark
5 Teaching ethics as a dynamic process to sociology students. 63
Ryan Josiah Bramley
6 Finding and reviewing literature 80
Lisa O'Malley and David Brown
PART III
APPROACHES TO TEACHING RESEARCH METHODS
TO SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS
7 Teaching qualitative interviewing 102
Kathryn Wheeler and Bethany Morgan Brett
8 Convening focus groups 119
Jennifer Cyr
9 Teaching ethnography 132
Robin James Smith
10 Working with documents 148
Malcolm Tight
11 Teaching digital research methods in sociology 165
Suay OEzkula
12 Material relationships and object interviews as a means of
studying everyday life 181
Helen Holmes
13 Teaching survey research design 196
Lesley Andres
14 Teaching secondary data analysis 210
Charlotte Brookfield
15 Teaching mixed methods research in sociology: facilitating
understanding, evaluation and implementation 228
Susanne Vogl and Antonia Josefa Krahl
PART IV
TEACHING SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS HOW TO ANALYSE DATA
16 Approaches to teaching thematic analysis in sociology 247
Kitty Nichols and Will Mason
17 Teaching Ethnographic Analysis 264
Paul Atkinson
18 Teaching students how to analyse quantitative data 279
Julie Scott Jones and Liz Cain
19 Teaching data integration in mixed methods research: the value
of Joint Displays 300
Aneta Piekut
PART V
CONCLUSION
20 Conclusion to Teaching Research Methods in Sociology 320
Will Mason, Liam Foster and Kitty Nichols