Developing Research Questions - 2nd Edition by Patrick White (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This no fuss, compact guide steers social science students of all levels through the complex process of conducting a research project. It explains how to break down initial ideas and broad topics into manageable questions and gives detailed guidance on how to refine these as the project progresses. With a wide range of international examples and reflective exercises, it is packed with handy tips and examples that show how to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls, and ensure that hypotheses and questions are linked with research design, methods and answers at every step.

Taking readers from the start through to the final stage of answering their questions and drawing conclusions, this is an indispensable resource for research methods courses. In addition, it is highly recommended for all students undertaking an independent research project or thesis at undergraduate, postgraduate or PhD level and beyond.

New to this Edition:
- Includes a wider range of international examples to appeal to a global audience
- More visual devices are used to summarise and illustrate the processes involved in developing research questions
- Reflective exercises help students apply their knowledge and consider the issues
- Increased coverage of the role of the literature review in generating and refining research questions

From the Back Cover

Undertaking a research project is a crucial but often overwhelming aspect of any social science degree, and selecting a research question can be one of the toughest parts of the process. What makes an appropriate topic for research? How do you transform an idea into a researchable question? And, once you've got a question, where do you go from there?

Developing Research Questions steers readers through the difficult early stages of conducting a research project. It explains how to break down initial ideas and broad topics into manageable questions, and gives detailed guidance on how to refine these as the project progresses. Each chapter is packed with handy hints, tips and examples that show how to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls throughout this process. Linking hypotheses and questions with research design and methods at every step, this text takes readers from the very start of their project through to the final stage of answering their questions and drawing conclusions.

With an even wider range of international examples of real-life questions from many different subject areas, and reflective end-of-chapter exercises, this second edition continues to be a no-fuss, practical guide and an indispensable resource for social scientists carrying out research projects at all levels.

Patrick White is Associate Professor in the School of Media, Communication, and Sociology, University of Leicester, UK.

About the Author

Patrick White is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology, University of Leicester, UK.
Patrick White is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology, University of Leicester, UK.