Doing Academic Research With Ease

"Doing Academic Research with Ease: Five Basic Methods Every Novice Researcher Should Know" guides researchers through the critical process of writing an academic research paper. It enables researchers with sets of skills as they design the research methodology of their study. The first two chapters discuss the meaning and nature of research and the research process. Specifically, it introduces learners to the tools of data collection, processing and evaluation. The last two chapters explain the methodological process of survey, interview, observation, experimental design, and focus group discussion (FGD). The dynamics of research instruments, sampling techniques, threats to validity, including sample and stratum sizes are rationalized.

Online student resource material cab be accessed under the 'Support Materials' tab at https://www.routledge.com/9780367207939 Doing Academic Research is a concise, accessible, and tightly organized overview of the research process in the humanities, social sciences, and business. Conducting effective scholarly research can seem like a frustrating, confusing, and unpleasant experience. Early researchers often have inconsistent knowledge and experience, and can become overwhelmed – reducing their ability to produce high quality work. Rather than a book about research, this is a practical guide to doing research. It guides budding researchers along the process of developing an effective workflow, where to go for help, and how to actually complete the project. The book addresses diversity in abilities, interest, discipline, and ways of knowing by focusing not just on the process of conducting any one method in detail, but also on the ways in which someone might choose a research method and conduct it successfully. Finally, it emphasizes accessibility and approachability through real-world examples, key insights, tips, and tricks from active researchers. This book is a highly useful addition to both content area courses and research methods courses, as well as a practical guide for graduate students and independent scholars interested in publishing their research.

Presents a guide to writing a research paper, covering such topics as finding sources, taking research notes, creating an outline, writing the first draft, and completing the final version.

All students and professors need to write, and many struggle to finish their stalled dissertations, journal articles, book chapters, or grant proposals. Writing is hard work and can be difficult to wedge into a frenetic academic schedule. In this practical, light-hearted, and encouraging book, Paul Silvia explains that writing productively does not require innate skills or special traits but specific tactics and actions. Drawing examples from his own field of psychology, he shows readers how to overcome motivational roadblocks and become prolific without sacrificing evenings, weekends, and vacations. After describing strategies for writing productively, the author gives detailed advice from the trenches on how to write, submit, revise, and resubmit articles, how to improve writing quality, and how to write and publish academic work.

Choosing & Using Sources presents a process for academic research and writing, from formulating your research question to selecting good information and using it effectively in your research assignments. Additional chapters cover understanding types of sources, searching for information, and avoiding plagiarism. Each chapter includes self-quizzes and activities to reinforce core concepts and help you apply them. There are also appendices for quick reference on search tools, copyright basics, and fair use.

Written in simple and straightforward language, this book will prove useful in reducing the stress that undergraduate students feel when conducting research and embarking on scientific writing. It contains several essential aspects of general research methodology, and simplifies important concepts and procedures that students need to fully grasp in order to tackle their academic assignments with confidence. Assuming no previous knowledge on the part of the reader, it is richly supported with examples, and will serve as a friendly companion to any student who aims for academic excellence. Practitioners in the field, and even teachers of research methodology, will also find the book useful as a revision guide.

Written in simple and straightforward language, this book will prove useful in reducing the stress that undergraduate students feel when conducting research and embarking on scientific writing. It contains several essential aspects of general research methodology, and simplifies important concepts and procedures that students need to fully grasp in order to tackle their academic assignments with confidence. Assuming no previous knowledge on the part of the reader, it is richly supported with examples, and will serve as a friendly companion to any student who aims for academic excellence. Practitioners in the field, and even teachers of research methodology, will also find the book useful as a revision guide.

This book is designed to help you achieve one specific goal. It’s not designed to give you the philosophies of conducting research. It’s not designed to give you a background in a specific academic discipline or a specific topic. It’s not designed to give you theory. It’s designed specifically to instruct you in the practicalities of the writing process used to create strong, thorough, and potentially bulletproof literature reviews. This book is the culmination of years of research experience. It’s also the culmination of several years of teaching writing and critical thinking to doctoral students. Although it began as a tool for doctoral students, it has been expanded to be useful for everyone from senior high school students through doctoral candidates working on developing their first literature review or a larger literature review than they normally develop. It has been created for everyone from academics to new business entrepreneurs with good ideas who are trying to write their first reviews to support the new idea they’re proposing.