Catalogue of Books

At some point or other in their academic careers, most tertiary-level students are going to be faced with having to do a research project. It is a fundamental part of further education that many students find daunting. This need not be the case. First steps in research uses the most current perspectives in the field both locally and internationally to provide practical guidelines on how to conduct and report on research at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

First steps in research facilitates the understanding and application of theories, goals, methods and strategies, being easy to read and use without diluting the conceptual and terminological complexities of the field. It examines the historical and philosophical underpinnings of qualitative, quantitative and integrated or mixed methods of conducting research and suggests how these three approaches may best be used. It also elaborates on the methodological dimensions of action research processes and exemplifies participatory reflection.

Contents include the following:

•  Formulating a research question

•  Planning a research proposal

•  Conducting a preliminary literature review

•  Ethical considerations

•  Interpreting data

•  Data collection methods, including how to engage participants and elicit “thick” data

•  Sampling methods

•  Graphical ways of representing data

•  Basic probability rules

•  Basic statistical methods and tests/techniques

First steps in research is aimed at novice researchers, including undergraduate students or junior postgraduate students who are encountering research methodology for the first time.