Finding Your Social Science Project

A practical guide to finding your research topic, applicable to all fields of social science.

Unlike other athletes, the rock climber tends to disregard established norms of style and technique, doing whatever she needs to do to get to the next foothold. This figure provides an apt analogy for the scholar at the center of this unique book. In Rocking Qualitative Social Science, Ashley Rubin provides an entertaining treatise, corrective vision, and rigorously informative guidebook for qualitative research methods that have long been dismissed in deference to traditional scientific methods. Recognizing the steep challenges facing many, especially junior, social science scholars who struggle to adapt their research models to narrowly defined notions of "right," Rubin argues that properly nourished qualitative research can generate important, creative, and even paradigm-shifting insights. This book is designed to help people conduct good qualitative research, talk about their research, and evaluate other scholars' work. Drawing on her own experiences in research and life, Rubin provides tools for qualitative scholars, synthesizes the best advice, and addresses the ubiquitous problem of anxiety in academia. Ultimately, this book argues that rigorous research can be anything but rigid.

This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.

How to do your Social Research Project or Dissertation provides a straight-talking, easy-to-navigate, and reassuring guide to support final-year social science undergraduates. Uniquely shaped by real social science undergraduates from a range of institutions, the book includes their advice to help you through with what can be a daunting, but rewarding stage of your degree. From the look and feel of the book, to the development of the chapter content and the advice it provides, students have been involved at every stage of the book's development to ensure it is focused on what's important to you. Expert advice from real supervisors across the subject disciplines in the 'Working with your supervisor' feature also helps you to make the most of research supervision, and learn from the experience of real researchers in your chosen field. By providing anecdotes, words of wisdom, scenarios, or simply reminders, hints, and tips on how best to prepare for meetings, and communicate effectively, How to do your Social Research Project or Dissertation is the most complete guide to facilitate the student-supervisor working relationship. Dedicated chapters cover all the typical stages of a research project or dissertation in the social sciences, while their carefully constructed structure allows you to quickly and efficiently navigate the content. Throughout the book, you'll focus on three key questions: 'What do I need to know?', 'What do I need to think about?' and 'What do I need to do?'. In so doing, each chapter gives you a clear and direct checklist of actions as you progress through your dissertation or research project, keeping you organized, motivated, and confident. The book's online resources include a wealth of free-to-access materials, including: DT Author-led videos for each chapter of the book focussing on key areas of social research including supervision, thinking up research questions and ethical challenges in social research among others. DT Student videos focussing on key issues in undertaking a research project or dissertation and how these have been overcome. DT 'Finding your Way' research pitfalls and how to avoid them. DT General dissertation template. DT Good and bad examples of various research tools: questionnaires, interview questions, observation plans. DT Good and bad examples of extracts from literature reviews. DT Downloadable research checklist. DT Further reading/research suggestions, broken down by chapter. DT A list of links to online time-management tools. DT Research plan templates. DT Links to freely available datasets. DT Tips on increasing your sample size. DT SPSS/NVIVO links/resources. DT Interactive activity to help narrow down research topics. DT Mind-mapping tool. DT Interactive editing exercise to practise writing-up, and making efficient use of word count.

The Third Edition of this bestselling title continues to lead the way as an essential guide for anyone undertaking a research project in the applied social sciences.

The first comprehensive guide to natural experiments, providing an ideal introduction for scholars and students.

A new, hands-on approach to social inquiry for social scientists who wish to make a difference to policy and practice.

Are you a final year social science student who has to do a dissertation or final year project? Do you have no idea where to start? If so, Doing Your Undergraduate Social Science Dissertation is the book for you, covering the whole dissertation journey from project planning to submission. Using a mixture of useful information, exercises, practical strategies, case study material and further reading, it helps you through the process, giving hints and tips on beginning and managing your research project and working with your supervisors. Packed with proven practical advice, it also identifies many other sources of information and resources, making it your most dependable starting point and guide on your dissertation journey. Also included are links to accompanying materials on the Routledge website. The authors have extensive experience in teaching at all levels in the social sciences, supervising social science undergraduates and dissertations.