Critical Strategies For Social Research

This thought-provoking volume is designed for research methods courses in sociology and the social sciences. Critical Strategies for Social Research explores ways in which several key research strategies bring an emancipatory dimension to social analysis. The new approaches recognise that social analysis is a form of knowledge production that takes place in a human-constructed world marked by injustice and persistent inequality. The book considers five influential and productive strategies of inquiry: dialectical social analysis; institutional ethnography; participatory action research; critical discourse analysis; research to invigorate the public sphere. This unique volume of 27 readings includes works by leading Canadian and international scholars.

A Critical Introduction to Social Research is the new, updated and improved edition of A Short Introduction to Social Research. This book introduces students and researchers to the key ideas and issues that inform research practice. In it, Henn, Weinstein and Foard provide a clear and easy-to-understand route-map to help the reader plan their research project from beginning to end. A Critical Introduction is perfect for use on introductory methods courses and is also an invaluable guide for the first time researcher embarking on their own small-scale research project. This new second edition now features updated chapters which reflect recent debates and developments in the field, including: - New coverage of emancipatory and feminist approaches; - Comparative research methods, evaluation research, and action research; - Online research; - Glossary of key terms; - Revised further reading sections at the end of each chapter which include peer-reviewed research articles. This book aims to prepare students and new researchers for their research project. Brilliantly written throughout, this is your essential guide to the theory of research, the practice of research and the best ways to plan and manage your research.

Research is often seen as a neutral, technical process through which researchers simply reveal or discover knowledge. A broader and more self-reflective stance is advocated in Beyond Method, one in which a knowledge of technique needs to be complemented by an appreciation of the nature of research as a distinctively human process, through which researchers make knowledge. Such an appreciation requires a reframing of understanding and debate about research, in a way that goes beyond considerations of method alone.

The basic requirements for research designs and research proposals are laid out at the beginning of the book, followed by discussion of the major design elements, and the choices that need to be made about them. Four sample research designs at the end of the volume illustrate the application of the research strategies.

"The second edition of this popular book continues to support students through each and every step of their research projects. Drawing on a much-praised critical approach, Social Research Methodology 2e helps students to gain a full understanding of social research tools and theory, and explains the methods of putting them into practice." "Introducing and exploring all the key quantitative and qualitative methods, Roger Gomm helps students understand how to choose the right data collection technique to get the results they want. This practical book is invaluable reading for all those studying across education, health and social sciences."--BOOK JACKET.

Learning strategies for critical thinking are a vital part of today’s curriculum as students have few additional opportunities to learn these skills outside of school environments. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for pre-service teachers to learn how to infuse critical thinking skill development in every academic subject to assist future students in developing these skills. The Handbook of Research on Critical Thinking Strategies in Pre-Service Learning Environments is a collection of innovative research on the methods and applications of critical thinking that highlights ways to effectively use critical thinking strategies and implement critical thinking skill development into courses. While highlighting topics including deep learning, metacognition, and discourse analysis, this book is ideally designed for educators, academicians, researchers, and students.

For the social sciences, the approach and processes in research are quite different. The type of evidence that social scientists can collect is often very dependent on the method that has been used to gather the data. The type of findings that can be discussed are often not straightforward at all, and no easy comparison can be made with the natural sciences, although this is not impossible. The methodology in the social sciences has the same role as technology and lab techniques in the natural sciences as these need to be developed rapidly to account for the increasing complexity of the natural objects to be studied. The methodologies in the social sciences need to go through an intense period of critique, reflection, and reformulation to consider the complexity of social issues under investigation. Therefore, the area of social sciences research and methodologies should continually be studied to advance the field. Approaches and Processes of Social Science Research presents new research methodologies in the social science field and aims at providing a broad introduction to the methodology of social research in its main theoretical foundations as well as in its practical applications. Readers will develop a critical thinking attitude about social problems which in turn will sharpen their analytic approach to research. This book includes four main parts: philosophical perspectives, strategies for conducting research, common approaches for handling and collecting data, and critical aspects of research writing throughout the process. While highlighting topics such as critical theory in research, ethical issues, research processes, data analysis, and more, this book is ideal for researchers in the social sciences and practitioners, stakeholders, academicians, and students interested in deepening their understanding of the ideas and the practices of social science research.

Framing research as the process of asking and answering questions, this book demonstrates how to identify good research questions and how to structure and explore them successfully. Whether you are just beginning your research journey or are a seasoned traveller, it helps you: • Decide what you want to achieve with your research • Know what options you have to explore your goals • Navigate the nuances of different research approaches • Understand the decisions of other researchers • Choose what path best suits your project. Through real-life examples demonstrating different types of research, the book introduces qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches so you can compare different methods at every stage of the research process, from initial idea and design to data collection and analysis. This new edition includes new chapters on collecting and analysing mixed methods data, and additional content on qualitative data analysis. New examples reflect the cultural and global diversity of social research, and extra visual aids and summaries support understanding of key research concepts and stages. The book is accompanied by an online teaching guide, including videos, additional case studies, annotated articles, and critical thinking exercises.