Understanding Research

Planning, undertaking and completing a research project – from dissertations to presentations - can be a daunting undertaking for any student, involving a number of easily taken mis-steps for those without adequate guidance.The objective of any research project is to gather data, analyse it based on your research question and present your findings and conclusions. For students, having the right approach to these steps can mean the difference between an easily handled process resulting in a well argued and presented project, or panicked flailing, misdirection and confusion.For those fearful of not getting enough research done, doing it the wrong way, putting it together incorrectly, or unsure of what the end result will be, then Understanding Research is an invaluable guide to getting it right and putting fears to bed.Successfully completing a research project is a major milestone in most university degrees, and it should be daunting – although not unassailable. This book provides students with the guidance necessary to start, undertake and present their research project in social science or the humanities.This text addresses: Where do I start? How do I begin my research and pull it together into a research question? - takes the student through the process of project design, starting research and gaining confidence in their choices Am I Researching the right things? Is it taking me in the direction I want to go? What direction is it taking me in? - explores the decision making process at all points of a research project and the implications of these decisions in the longer term Am I researching in the right way – should I be conducting interviews, reading articles or collecting statistical data? - outlines the practical and philosophical conundrums around specific techniques for gathering and analysing data Focussed explicitly on the needs and experiences of students and including a wealth of practical tips, this work is an essential resource for all students embarking on a research project.Understanding Research includes:90 illustrations2 tables21 text boxesGlossary Further Reading guides for each chapter

"It is a must read for research students confronting a thesis and students undertaking a final dissertation project. They will find this a useful text arming them the questions to ask and how to answer during the research process. It also provides supervisors innovative ways of engaging students in the research process." - Susan Banducci, University of Exeter "It's an outstanding book and of enormous help to researchers and academics." - Tim Crook, Goldsmiths, University of London"An indispensable part of a researcher's toolkit. This book thoughtfully and comprehensively tackles all of the thorny issues encountered in a research project. From proposal to design and implementation to analysis, this book confidently walks readers through the process and the stakes of 'doing' research. " - Zeena Feldman, City University, London"An extremely useful and engaging resource for the researcher in both theoretical and pragmatic terms. Navigates through complex issues with refreshing clarity and wit. Highly recommended for research methods courses, but also a good read for newer and more established scholars alike." - Robert Bodle, College of Mount St. Joseph, USA.

M. I. Franklin is Reader and Director of the Global Media & Transnational Communications program at Goldsmiths (University of London, UK). With an academic background in the Humanities (History and Music) and Social Sciences (Politics) she has held teaching and research positions in Humanities, Social Science, and Engineering faculties in New Zealand, the Netherlands, USA, and the UK. She has received research funding from Social Science Research Council (USA) and Ford Foundation and awards for teaching excellence in the UK. Previous books include Postcolonial Politics, the Internet, and Everyday Life: Pacific Traversals Online (Routledge) and Resounding International Relations: On Music, Culture and Politics (Palgrave MacMillan). Digital Dilemmas: Power, Resistance and the Internet will be out in 2013 (Oxford University Press).