
Doing Research in the Real World
David E. Gray(Author)
SAGE Publications Ltd (Publisher)
3rd Edition
Published on 12. November 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
752 pages
978-1-4462-6019-7 (ISBN)
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Description
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.
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.
Reviews / Votes
"Doing Research In The Real World is an excellent, comprehensive resource for research students and academics, which effectively communicates the fundamentals of research to an interdisciplinary audience. The book provides an in depth understanding of the relationship between ontology, epistemology, research methodology and methods as well as the complexity of data collection, analysis and synthesis. Intertwined with the real world context, this book is particularly useful in helping research students understand and navigate the complex nature of research." -- Emma Murphy This is a very good book; it provides a genuinely insightful approach to methods, rather than the more bog-standard textbooks, this one offers a more 'realistic' overview of methods. -- Daniel Bloyce 'Gray skilfully explains daunting concepts, such as the philosophy of research, in an unpretentious manner, and, as the book progresses, builds the readers confidence in their own knowledge and abilities. The interactive nature of the book and its use of videos is a real strength, making it easier to engage with, and, along with the quality of the content, engaging.This book is a valuable resource for those undertaking research in the social sciences and therefore deserves a place on the bookshelves of undergraduates and postgraduates alike, as well as those involved in their teaching.' -- Christina Dobson * LSE Book Reviews *
More details
Edition
3rd Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Edition type
Revised edition
Dimensions
Height: 246 mm
Width: 184 mm
Weight
1267 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4462-6019-7 (9781446260197)
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

David E. Gray
Doing Research in the Real World
Book
12/2017
4th Edition
SAGE Publications Ltd
€68.27
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
David Gray was Professor of Leadership and Organisational Behaviour at the University of Greenwich. His research interests, and publication record, included research methods, management learning (particularly coaching and mentoring), professional identity, action learning, reflective learning, management learning in SMEs and the factors that contribute to SME success. He published books and articles on research methods, organizational learning, and coaching and mentoring.
David led a number of EU-funded research programmes including one examining the impact of coaching on the resilience of unemployed managers in their job-searching behaviours and another on how action learning can sustain unemployed managers in starting their own business. He also completed a global survey into the professional identity of coaches.
David led a number of EU-funded research programmes including one examining the impact of coaching on the resilience of unemployed managers in their job-searching behaviours and another on how action learning can sustain unemployed managers in starting their own business. He also completed a global survey into the professional identity of coaches.
Content
PART ONE: PRINCIPLES AND PLANNING FOR RESEARCH
Theoretical Perspectives and Research Methodologies
Selecting and Planning Research Proposals and Projects
Research Ethics
Searching, Critically Reviewing and Using the Literature
PART TWO: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design: Quantitative Methods
Research Design: Qualitative Methods
Research Design: Mixed Methods
Sampling Strategies
Designing Descriptive and Analytical Surveys
Designing Case Studies
Designing Evaluations
Action Research and Change
PART THREE: DATA COLLECTION METHODS
Questionnaires
Interviewing
Non-participant Observation
Ethnography and Participant Observation
Focus Groups
Unobtrusive Measures
Secondary Analysis
PART FOUR: ANALYSIS AND REPORT WRITING
Getting Started Using SPSS
Analyzing and Presenting Quantitative Data
Analyzing and Presenting Qualitative Data
Writing up the Research
Preparing for Presentations and Vivas
Theoretical Perspectives and Research Methodologies
Selecting and Planning Research Proposals and Projects
Research Ethics
Searching, Critically Reviewing and Using the Literature
PART TWO: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design: Quantitative Methods
Research Design: Qualitative Methods
Research Design: Mixed Methods
Sampling Strategies
Designing Descriptive and Analytical Surveys
Designing Case Studies
Designing Evaluations
Action Research and Change
PART THREE: DATA COLLECTION METHODS
Questionnaires
Interviewing
Non-participant Observation
Ethnography and Participant Observation
Focus Groups
Unobtrusive Measures
Secondary Analysis
PART FOUR: ANALYSIS AND REPORT WRITING
Getting Started Using SPSS
Analyzing and Presenting Quantitative Data
Analyzing and Presenting Qualitative Data
Writing up the Research
Preparing for Presentations and Vivas