Understanding how to design your research so as to successfully answer your research question is a fundamental part of your education course. This book explains why careful research design is important; in part one (conceptual) it sets out all of the theoretical themes and issues that need to be considered when choosing a design. In part two (designing) a range of expert contributors introduce research designs based around the key methods most frequently used by education students.
Throughout the book there is an emphasis on the student's experience and addressing the uncertainty many feel when designing their research project - real case studies from students are used as examples to show good research designs alongside research designs that did not provide the rich data expected. Each chapter in part two includes a real world case study to show different designs in action.
About the Author
Jon Swain was born in London and spent his early years in West Bengal and at school in England. He began his career in journalism as a teenager, working in the English provinces. After a brief stint in the French Foreign Legion, his desire to be a foreign correspondent drove him first to Paris and then, in early 1970, to Indo-China to cover the Vietnam war. He stayed until 1975, working first for Agence France-Presse, the French news agency, and then as a freelance reporter and photographer, principally for The Sunday Times, BBC, Economist and Daily Mail before he joined the staff of The Sunday Times.
Jon was the only British journalist in Phnom Penh when it fell to the Khmer Rouge in April 1975. His coverage of these events and their horrific aftermath won him the first of his many awards, the British Press Awards Journalist of the Year. They featured in the Oscar-winning film, The Killing Fields, and form the backdrop to Jon’s bestselling memoir River of Time.
Jon was on the staff of The Sunday Times for 35 years. His career has taken him to most of the world’s wars and disasters. His reporting reflects wide experience in Asia, Africa - where he was kidnapped for three months - and the Middle East.
Industry Reviews
This engaging and lively book is a landmark in the field of designing effective education research. It presents successful strategies drawn from highly experienced researchers and provides accessible and useful advice for doctoral students and early career researchers. Highly recommended! -- Patrick Danaher This is a very valuable resource... it draws on a wide range of research examples and includes useful reflection and commentary from leading researchers. -- Paula Clarke This book has the potential to inform and frame the next generation of research scholars in education. -- Stephen Dobson This is a great book! It provides knowledge about the theoretical as well as the practical aspects of educational research. It is engaging and provides rich information from experienced researchers for doctoral students and early careers researchers. It is interesting and easy to read. I would highly recommend it. -- Athina Tempriou
