Blending Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods in Theses and Dissertations

Blending Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods in Theses and Dissertations PDF Author: R. Murray Thomas
Publisher: Corwin Press
ISBN: 9780761939320
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 260

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Book Description
Aimed at empowering students with the information necessary to choose the best approach to fit their needs, the text outlines numerous research options from varying viewpoints, and highlights the procedures involved with putting each method into practice.

Theses and Dissertations

Theses and Dissertations PDF Author: Dale L. Brubaker
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0313034346
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 310

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Book Description
This book guides students through the process of planning, researching, and writing the final version of theses and dissertations. Five major stages of the process are illustrated with multiple examples from the social and behavioral sciences, humanities, and such allied fields as education, social work, and business administration. The first stage, Preparing the Way, describes problems and alternative solutions in working with faculty advisors and in searching the professional literature. Stage 2 explains how to find good research topics and define them clearly for presentation to faculty advisors. Stage 3 describes problems often encountered in data collection and suggests solutions for those problems. At Stage 4, students learn ways of organizing and interpreting information, including classification schemes, verbal and statistical summaries, and methods of deriving meaning from data. The final stage, Presenting the Finished Product, offers guidelines for thesis and dissertation writing and for publishing the results in such media as books, journal articles, and popular periodicals. Stage 5 also includes a chapter about how students can mount a convincing defense of their work during a faculty committee's final oral examination session.

The Essence of Research Methodology

The Essence of Research Methodology PDF Author: Jan Jonker
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540716599
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 182

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Book Description
Methodology is the ?eld which is indisputably complex. In the academic world, it is often said to be important, yet in everyday academic practice, it is not always treated accordingly. In teaching, methodology is often a mandatory course. Usually, it consists of learning how to adopt several common approaches when doing research, and how to conceive a research design (often leading to a survey). This usually leads to collecting data on a modest scale and – when the opportunity arises – analysing the data with the help of some statistics. Ask the students of their opinion at the end of such a course and they tend to heave a deep sigh of relief and say, “I have got through it. ” Then their real courses start again, in which methodology often does not play a role at all. We are of the opinion that writing-off methodology in this way is a real pity. It ignores the valuable role that methodology should play in academic teaching as a whole. Here, methodology is presented as a form of thinking and acting that, while obviously entailing research work, can also include the design and change of organisations. This broad approach has been purposefully chosen, as it is almost obvious from research and graduation projects that the students do not really have a clue what methodology involves and, therefore, wasting their time by producing work that has a little quality.

Theses and Dissertations

Theses and Dissertations PDF Author: R. Murray Thomas
Publisher: Corwin Press
ISBN: 1452294739
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 353

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Book Description
"This text moves beyond simplistic ′procedures to follow′ to in-depth discussions of stages in the research process, providing strong reference points and examples for students embarking on the disciplined inquiry of thesis and dissertation research. A valuable text for proposal writing classes, faculty members who direct dissertations and theses, and students throughout the research process." —Betty J. Alford, Chair of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership Stephen F. Austin State University "Graduate students will be in debt to professors Thomas and Brubaker for providing a long-overdue guide to the rite of passage known as theses and dissertations. This book is realistic, clear, and refreshingly sensitive to what students need to know." —Seymour B. Sarason, Professor of Psychology Emeritus Yale University Take the anxiety out of preparing your thesis or dissertation! This revised classic helps graduate students approach the thesis or dissertation writing process with confidence, offering updated references and new information on Internet searches, narrative summaries, plagiarism, and Internet publishing options. The authors help readers stay on track by providing checklists and multiple examples as they progress through five critical stages: Preparation Selecting research topics Collecting and organizing information Interpreting the results The final presentation With thorough guidelines for evaluating research options, this indispensable resource helps make the writing process a satisfying and rewarding one!

Advances in Mixed Methods Research

Advances in Mixed Methods Research PDF Author: Manfred Max Bergman
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1446241211
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 202

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Book Description
Advances in Mixed Methods Research provides an essential introduction to the fast-growing field of mixed methods research. Bergman′s book examines the current state of mixed-methods research, exploring exciting new ways of conceptualizing and conducting empirical research in the social and health sciences. Contributions from the world′s leading experts in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches are brought together, clearing the way for a more constructive approach to social research. These contributions cover the main practical and methodological issues and include a number of different visions of what mixed methods research is. The discussion also covers the use of mixed methods in a diverse range of fields, including sociology, education, politics, psychology, computational science and methodology. This book represents an important contribution to the ongoing debate surrounding the use of mixed methods in the social sciences and health research, and presents a convincing argument that the conventional, paradigmatic view of qualitative and quantitative research is outdated and in need of replacement. It will be essential reading for anyone actively engaged in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research and for students of social research methods. Manfred Max Bergman is Chair of Methodology and Political Sociology at the University of Basel.

Researching Health

Researching Health PDF Author: Mike Saks
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 9781412903646
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 438

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Book Description
'Researching Health' covers the background to conducting health research, qualitative and quantitative methods employed in researching health, contemporary issues such as research ethics, comparative research and the use of mixed methods, and how to disseminate health research.

Mixing Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Research

Mixing Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Research PDF Author: Julia Brannen
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 135191717X
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
This book focuses on a key issue in the methodology of the social and behavioural sciences: the mixing of different research methods. The extent to which qualitative and quantitative research differ from one another has long been a subject of debate. Although many methodologists have concluded that the two approaches are not mutually exclusive, there are few books on either the theory or the practice of mixing methods. Mixing Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Research presents a comprehensive discussion of the theoretical, methodological and practical issues. It also covers a number of case studies of research which have successfully combined qualitative and quantitative approaches. Contributors include sociologists who have written extensively on the methodology of the social sciences and researchers who have concerned themselves with important social policy issues in the fields of further education, community services and household finances.

Research Methods for Everyday Life

Research Methods for Everyday Life PDF Author: Scott W. VanderStoep
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470343532
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This book offers an innovative introduction to social research. The book explores all stages of the research process and it features both quantitative and qualitative methods. Research design topics include sampling techniques, choosing a research design, and determining research question that inform public opinion and direct future studies. Throughout the book, the authors provide vivid and engaging examples that reinforce the reading and understanding of social science research. "Your Turn" boxes contain activities that allow students to practice research skills, such as sampling, naturalistic observation, survey collection, coding, analysis, and report writing.

Developing Effective Research Proposals

Developing Effective Research Proposals PDF Author: Keith F Punch
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1446200000
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 177

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Book Description
Successful research requires effective and thorough preparation. In this expanded and updated Second Edition of Developing Effective Research Proposals Keith Punch offers an indispensable guide to the issues involved in proposal development and in presenting a well-considered plan for the execution of research. Dealing with both qualitative and quantitative approaches to empirical research across the social sciences, the Second Edition comprehensively covers the topics and concerns relevant to the subject and is organized around three central themes: What is a research proposal, who reads proposals and why? How can we go about developing a proposal? and What might a finished proposal look like? New features of this edition include: -Expanded sections covering research strategy, research planning and academic writing -Examples of successful research proposals from across the social science disciplines -A more comprehensive discussion of ethics -A brand new glossary and chapter summaries The Second Edition will be welcomed by all those preparing or evaluating research proposals, and will be invaluable across all areas of social science, both basic and applied, and for students undertaking quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method studies.

Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation or Thesis Faster

Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation or Thesis Faster PDF Author: E. Alana James
Publisher: SAGE Publications
ISBN: 1483312976
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 297

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Book Description
A doctoral dissertation is arguably the most important journey that students will embark upon in their professional careers, so smart travelers will want E. Alana James and Tracesea H. Slater’s Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation or Thesis Faster: A Proven Map to Success at their fingertips. James and Slater identify the key places and challenges that create extra stress during the dissertation process, and offer effective strategies and tools to address those challenges and ensure academic success. Their map walks readers through each step of the process, including: • determining the research topic, • choosing appropriate methods, • turning a hypothesis into a study, • completing a literature review, • writing and defending a proposal, • collecting and analyzing data, • writing up the study, and • ultimately defending the dissertation. Building on years of experience with doctoral students, the authors provide a comprehensive, yet easy-to-use tool that encourages student reflection; includes student stories, hints, and writing tips; and provides end-of-chapter checklists and ideas for incorporating social media. With the proven techniques and guidance of this indispensable and applied book, doctoral students will finish their thesis or dissertation—faster!