HOW TO DO A RESEARCH PROJECT COLIN ROBSON

Related Web links

The references and links on these pages have been collected and reviewed by Colin Robson. They will be updated on a regular basis. Chapter links Click on the links below for websites giving further information on topics covered in each chapter of the book: Most of these websites have been found by surfing the Web using Google. Apologies if any links don't work. They all did when this material was prepared, but things change on the Web. There is, of course, nothing to stop you surfing for yourself. Take care, it can be addictive and act as a displacement activity to getting on with your project!

Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Preliminaries Approaches to research Developing your ideas Selecting the method(s) of collecting data Practicalities of data collection Analysing and interpreting your findings Writing the report

Chapter 1 Preliminaries
Websites on topics covered in this chapter

Of general use when starting to think about doing your project

The Guide to the Best of the Web for Social Science

http://www.intute.ac.uk/socialsciences/ INTUTE: Social Sciences (formerly known as SOSIG the Social Science Information Gateway) is an absolutely invaluable resource for anyone carrying out a research project using social science methods. Discussed in detail in chapter 3.

The Web Center for Social Research Methods

http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/ A very useful and wide-ranging compendium of resources developed by Bill Trochim from Cornell. Aimed at people involved in applied social research and evaluation. Lots of resources and links to other locations on the Web that deal in applied social research methods.

Final Year Projects

http://final-year-projects.com/ Down to earth advice on completing a final year project for business students, but generally applicable. Mainly focused on desk' or library-based projects. Written by Mike Hart, University of Winchester.

The Social Science Undergraduate Dissertation Companion

http://www.socscidiss.bham.ac.uk/ Covers all aspects of completing projects in sociology, anthropology, politics, social policy, social work and criminology. Well worth studying. Edited by Malcolm Todd from Sheffield Hallam University.

Research methods and methodology

http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/methods.html#ms Wide-ranging, engagingly quirky with extensive set of links. written for sociologists but of general interest. The home page (A Sociological Tour Through CyberSpace' http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/index.html includes sections on data resources and useful Web tools. In addition to extensive sociological material, there are links to sites covering mass media and communication studies, political science, health statistics and the medical establishment, anthropology and history). Edited by Michael C. Kearl, Trinity University, Texas.

The Research Gateway

http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/hlst/resources/researchgateway An online resource to support student research project work in Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism by Tess Kay and Leigh Robinson, Loughborough University.

Web resources helpful for librarians doing research

http://www.researchinglibrarian.com/ A site created for librarians who find themselves needing to perform research for purposes of publication, promotion, tenure, or other reasons. Useful generally. From Beth Ashmore of The Researching Librarian'.

Social Research Updates

http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/ Wide range of articles on different research methods and techniques. From the Department of Sociology at the University of Surrey.

Covering specific issues

How to Keep a Research Diary
http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arr/arow/rdiary.html Useful notes on keeping a research diary by Ian Hughes. Discussed in the context of an action research project but generally applicable. An Action Research E-Report from the University of Sydney.

Team building
http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/GPP/Students/ch7a.html Invlauable for anyone working on a group project. Written by James Groccia, John T. O'Connor, and Susan Vernon Gerstenfeld from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA.
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Chapter 2 Approaches to research

Websites on topics covered in this chapter

Action research
Introduction to action research
http://www.enquirylearning.net/ELU/Issues/Research/Res1Ch4.html A useful chapter on what is meant by action research and how to do it. By Rob McBride and John Schostak, Manchester Metropolitan University.

Soft systems methodology

http://www.bola.biz/research/ssm.html An introduction to Checkland's soft systems methodology, popular in business and management research. Developed by Chris Jarvis for the Business Open Learning Archive Project.

Case study
Introduction to case study
http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR3-2/tellis1.html Provides a general discussion of case study methodology in the context of a specific example on the introduction of information technology at a university. By Winston Tellis in the ejournal Qualitative Report. http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR6-2/zucker.html Another useful paper, from the e-journal Qualitative Report, on case study. Focus is on nursing research, but generally applicable. By Donna Zucker, University of Massachusetts.

Documentary analysis
See section in chapter 4 below.

Ethnographic research
What is ethnography?
http://cira.med.yale.edu/events/mbseminars/mbs070705.pdf

Introduction by Jean Schensul, Institute for Community Research ,Hartford, CT

Concepts, terms and assumptions

http://www2.chass.ncsu.edu/garson/PA765/ethno.htm Brief, clear review by David Gerson, North Carolina State University.

Evaluation research
The worldwide evaluation gateway
http://www.policy-evaluation.org/ Includes a wide range of articles, papers and reports. Links to methods, also to data, e-mail lists, other resources. Very comprehensive. Part of the the Virtual Library' Project.

Online evaluation texts

http://www.eval.org/Resources/onlinehbtxt.asp List of handbooks and texts which are available in their entirety online. Most are multi-chapter documents focusing on how to do evaluation-related subjects. From the American Evaluation Association.

Evaluation resources
http://gsociology.icaap.org/methods/ A list of free resources for methods in evaluation and social research. The focus is on how to do evaluation research and the methods used: surveys, focus groups, sampling, interviews and other methods. Most of the extensive links are to resources that can be read over the Web. By Gene Shackman, applied sociologist.

Experiments
Note: I have had some difficulty in selecting websites to recommend. Many I have come across contain dogmatic and debatable views about experimentation.

Experimental design
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/desexper.htm

This can definitely be recommended. Includes sections on two-group experimental designs, classifying experimental designs, factorial designs, randomized block designs, covariance designs and hybrid experimental designs. From Bill Trochim's Research Methods Knowledge Base'. See alsohttp://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/quasiexp.htm for quasi-experimental designs.

Introductory text
Robson, C. (1994) Experiment, Design and Statistics in Psychology, 3rd edition. Harmondsworth: Penguin. Out of print but available at http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/researchproject/experiments.asp

Feminist research
Methodological and epistemological issues
http://www.socresonline.org.uk/2/3/3.html Covers a range of issues raised when doing feminist research. A paper from Sociological Research Online by D. Millen. http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/1-01/1-01westmarland-e.htm Discusses the appropriateness of qualitative and quantitative methods for feminist research. A paper by Nicole Westmarland in Forum: Qualitative Social Research.

Feminist Research Design and Institutional Gatekeeping Mechanisms

http://culturecat.net/node/460 A blog entry from Nancy Ratliff of the Department of English at East Carolina University discussing the problems posed by institutional gatekeeping mechanisms.

Grounded theory
Introductions to grounded theory
www.analytictech.com/mb870/introtoGT.htm

A straightforward account of what grounded theory is and how to use it by Steve Borgatti. The paper outlines the key principles of grounded theorizing and then goes on to discuss open, axial and selective coding in turn, using worked examples of qualitative data. http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/groundedition.html A very useful thumbnail sketch'. Addressed to psychologists but generally applicable. By Bob Dick, Southern Cross University.

Qualitative research (includes stuff on action research, case study, grounded theory, ethnography, etc.)
How to do qualitative research
http://www.qual.auckland.ac.nz/ Wide-ranging introduction to what is involved in doing a project based on collecting qualitative data. Written for students of information systems but generally applicable. By Michael Myers, University of Auckland.

An introduction to qualitative research

http://www.enquirylearning.net/ELU/Issues/Research/Res1Cont.html A guide which has been used as an introductory text on courses aimed at teachers, health professionals and business consultants. Written by John Schostak, Manchester Metropolitan University.

ESDS Qualidata
http://www.esds.ac.uk/qualidata/ A service providing access to a range of social science qualitative datasets. The focus is on digital data collections from purely qualitative and mixed methods contemporary research and from UK-based classic studies'.

Surveys
Guide to doing survey research

http://www2.chass.ncsu.edu/garson/pa765/survey.htm Detailed coverage of most aspects of survey design. Online material linked to the course Quantitative Research in Public Administration' by G. David Garson, North Carolina State University.

Survey design
http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/GPP/Students/ch10.html Introduction to survey methodology and design. Includes material on sampling, response rates, Choosing the right survey method, Question wording, questionnaire design, pretesting, survey implementation, ethical considerations, and reporting on survey methodology. Prepared by James K. Doyle, Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Social surveys online

http://qb.soc.surrey.ac.uk Gives online access to a wide range of surveys (e.g. Families and Children Study, General Household Survey, English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, National Travel Survey, Health Survey for England, British Social Attitudes Survey 2002 Questionnaire, National Survey of NHS Patients. The Question Bank' is very useful when devising your own survey questionnaires (special reference is made to the wording of questions and the construction of questionnaires). Can also be used for secondary analysis of survey data. Note that the organization of this site is changing but you should still be able to access the Question Bank either from the above or http://www.socstats.soton.ac.uk/CASS/QBMartinBulmer.html

The UK MORI polling organisation.

http://www.mori.com/ Lot of material about recent real-life surveys. See also the US Gallop website at http://www.gallup.com/

Other approaches
Narrative-based research

http://www.enquirylearning.net/ELU/Issues/Research/Res3.html An introduction to the basic ideas behind using narrative as a vehicle for research by John Schostak, Manchester Metropolitan University.

Hermeneutics
http://www.enquirylearning.net/ELU/Issues/Research/hermeneutics.html A short introduction to using a hermeneutic approach. Also by John Schostak, Manchester Metropolitan University.

Discourse analysis
http://extra.shu.ac.uk/daol/ This is the homepage of a relatively new online journal dedicated to the theory and practice of discourse analysis (DA). Edited by a team at Sheffield Hallam University, it contains a range of interesting articles that you can browse from the current and previous editions of the journal; these include themed issues' on topics such as feminist DA. Useful section on DA resources.

Conversation analysis
http://www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/~ssca1/sitemenu.htm Tutorial covering the basic principles of conversation analysis written by Charles Antaki at Loughborough University. See also http://www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/~ssca1/home.htm. A course designed for a group of Danish students studying for an English degree by Charles Antaki. The basic idea of thelectures is to give a reasonable grounding in Conversation Analysis, or CA and http://www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/%7Essca1/antaki1.htm which includes several papers on the topic
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Chapter 3 Developing your ideas

Websites on topics covered in this chapter

Introduction

Topic selection
Getting started
http://www.socscidiss.bham.ac.uk/s5.html Discusses how to find a topic and suggests some sources that may prove helpful. Part of The Social Science Undergraduate Dissertation Companion' edited by Malcolm Todd from Sheffield Hallam University

Ideas for topics

http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/IGSD/Interactions/ A searchable database containing information on a very wide-ranging set of projects completed by students on the Global Perspective Program from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The topic areas include: Technology and Environment, Energy and Resources, Health Care and Technology, Urban and Environmental Planning, Science and Technology: Policy and Management, Social Studies of Science and Technology, Safety Analysis and Liability (including Fire Safety), Humanistic Studies of Technology, Economic Growth, Stability, and Development, Social and Human Services, Education in a Technological Society, Law and Technology, and Historic and Artistic Preservation Technology. There are, for example, 76 Projects in Social and Human Services, including Access to Special Needs Housing, Analysis of Dog Training in Switzerland, Disadvantaged Youth Recreation, and Web Use in Small Churches. http://www.bps.org.uk/publications/rd/rd_home.cfm A fortnightly digest of interesting new psychological research from the British Psychological Society, aimed primarily at students, and which could provide ideas for topics.

Sources
How to do a literature search
www.ccsr.ac.uk/methods/festival2004/programme/Sat/pm/D/Documents/Booth_000.ppt Entertaining and enlightening PowerPoint presentation from a workshop presentation by Andrew Booth of Sheffield University and Mary Dixon-Woods of Leicester University.

Library Research

http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/tutorial.html Seven Steps to Effective Library Research by Michael Engle, Olin and Uris Libraries, Cornell University. http://www.socscidiss.bham.ac.uk/s6.html How to get help with finding literature and research. Part of The Social Science Undergraduate Dissertation Companion' edited by Malcolm Todd from Sheffield Hallam University.

Evaluating Information Found on the Internet

http://www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/tutorial/social-research-methods A free, teach yourself' tutorial that lets you practise your Internet Information Skills. Highly recommended for anyone using the internet for research purposes. Written by Louise Corti, University of Essex as part of the Virtual TrainingSuite. http://www.library.jhu.edu/researchhelp/general/evaluating/index.html A useful and authoritative guide developed by Elizabeth Kirk, Sheridan Libraries, Johns Hopkins University.

Reference styles
Psychology
http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/ref_apa.html Detailed guide to the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing system, commonly used in both social and natural sciences. By David Baker and Lynn Henrichsen, Brigham Young University.

Sociology
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_docsocio.html Formatting in Sociology.

Humanities

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html Using the Modern Language Association (MLA) format common in the humanities.

Referencing electronic sources

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_docelectric.html Resources for Documenting Electronic Sources. All from the Purdue University Online Writing Lab.

Ethics
Research ethics for projects
http://www.socscidiss.bham.ac.uk/s8.html Discussion of research ethics for projects in Sociology, Anthropology, Politics, Social Policy, Social Work and Criminology. There are links to various useful documents: Research Ethics Proposal, Participant Information Sheet, Sample Consent Form, Risk Assessment Proforma. A resource developed in partnership by the Higher Education Academy's Centre for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics, the Centre for Social Work and Policy and Sheffield Hallam University

Ethics in participant observation

http://www.research.utoronto.ca/ethics/pdf/human/nonspecific/Participant%20Observation %20Guidelines.pdf. Guidelines from the University of Toronto. (PDF file needs Adobe Reader).

Research ethics codes

The following is a selection. If your discipline or field of study isn't included you should be able to locate the appropriate one via the website of the relevant disciplinary or professional organization.

Social Research (general)

http://www.the-sra.org.uk/guidelines.htm

Social Research Association

Business and Management

http://www.mrs.org.uk/standards/fieldwork.htm Market Research Society

Education
http://www.aera.net/aboutaera/?id=222 American Educational Research Association. http://www.scutrea.ac.uk/library/beraethguide.pdf British Educational Research Association guidelines.

Nursing and health-related areas

http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Ourresearch/Ethicsresearchguidance/RegulatorySupportCentre/Policyg uidance/RGF/index.htm Medical Research Council (MRC) provides links to documents detailing their Research Governance Framework http://www.nres.npsa.nhs.uk/ NHS National Research Ethics Service covering most ethical aspects of NHS research. http://www.rcn.org.uk/development/researchanddevelopment/policy/research_governanceet hics Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Research Governance and Ethics

Psychology
http://www.apa.org/ethics/ American Psychological Association http://www.psychology.org.au/about/ethics/

Australian Psychological society http://www.bps.org.uk/the-society/code-of-conduct/code-of-conduct_home.cfm British Psychological Society http://www.cpa.ca/aboutcpa/committees/ethics/codeofethics/ Canadian Psychological Association http://www.psychology.org.nz/Code_of_Ethics New Zealand Psychological Society

Social anthropology
http://www.aaanet.org/committees/ethics/ethcode.htm American Anthropological Association http://www.nomadit.net/asatest/ethics/guidelines.htm Association of Social Anthropologists of the Commonwealth

Social work
http://www.basw.co.uk/about/code-of-ethics/ British Association of Social Workers http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp National Association of Social Workers (USA) see section 5.02 on research and evaluation

Sociology
http://www.asanet.org/about/ethics.cfm American Sociological Association http://www.britsoc.co.uk/equality/Statement+Ethical+Practice.htm

British Sociological Association

Criminology
http://www.britsoccrim.org/codeofethics.htm British Society of Criminology

Oral History
http://www.ohs.org.uk/ethics/index.php Oral History Society
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Chapter 4 Selecting the method(s) of collecting data

Websites on topics covered in this chapter

Reliability and validity

Internal validity
http://psych.athabascau.ca/html/Validity/index.shtml Excellent tutorial on threats to internal validity. By David Polson for Athabasca University.

Reliability
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/reliable.htm Bill Trochim's chapter on reliability in the Research Methods Knowledge Base.

Interviews
Interviewing Techniques
http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/GPP/Students/ch11.html

Includes material on when interviews are appropriate, choosing the right interview method, getting the interview, ethical considerations, in-depth qualitative interviews, selecting participants, deciding how many interviews to conduct, preparing to interview, the interview process, and reducing and analyzing the data. Also covers similar issues on the running of focus groups. Prepared by James K. Doyle, Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Interview guide for semi-structured interviews

http://www.socresonline.org.uk/2/4/question.html An example of an interview guide for semi-structured interviews. The guide is copyright Sociological Research Online, 1997.

Focus groups
http://www2.chass.ncsu.edu/garson/pa765/focusgroups.htm Short, clear review of the issues involved in running focus groups by G. David Garson, North Carolina State University.

Questionnaires
Questionnaire design
www.statpac.com/surveys A very useful tutorial teaching how to design a questionnaire and conduct a survey. Very practical, covering aspects such as planning the structure of the questionnaire, working out its layout, writing a cover letter, following up non-responders, and managing the data. By David Walonick at the University of St Thomas, Minnesota.

Postal Surveys and Self-Completion Questionnaires

www.resolutions.co.nz/mail_surveys.htm Useful short discussion of the use of questionnaires in different contexts including telephone interviewing, postal or self completion, computerised interviewing and online interviewing. From Research Solutions.

Diaries (as a research method)

www.socresonline.org.uk/2/2/7.html The use of diaries as a qualitative research method, particularly in relation to medical sociology by H. Elliot (from Sociological Research Online). http://www.socresonline.org.uk/10/4/hislop.html Using audio diaries to research sleep. By Jenny Hislop and colleagues (also in Sociological Research Online).

Tests and scales

Sources for tests
http://www.apa.org/science/faq-findtests.html Wide-ranging coverage of both published and unpublished tests. From the American Psychological Association. http://www.psychtesting.org.uk/ Complete guide to tests and testing from the British Psychological Society.

Scaling
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/scaling.htm Bill Trochim's chapter on scaling in the Research Methods Knowledge Base. Covers Thurstone or Equal-Appearing Interval Scaling, Likert or Summative' Scaling and Guttman or Cumulative' Scaling.

Using standardized tests

http://www2.chass.ncsu.edu/garson/pa765/standard.htm Thorough coverage of the use of standardized tests, concentrating on the different types of scale and appropriate statistics to use with them. By David Garson, North Carolina State University.

Observation

General
http://www.who.int/docstore/hiv/Core/Chapter_9.6.html Covers the use of different types of observation in real world projects. Part of the Rapid Assessment and Response Technical Guide, by Gerry Stimson and colleagues from the World Health Organization.

Observational field research

http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/tutorial/Brown/lauratp.htm Short review of the issues involved, from Lara Brown at Cornell.

Participant Observation
http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/2-05/05-2-43-e.htm Very useful, thorough discussion of the issues involved in using participant observation as a data collection method. includes exercises for developing observation techniques. A paper by Barbara Kawulich in Forum: Qualitative Social Research.

Structured observation
http://informationr.net/tdw/publ/INISS/Chap1.html Example of a project using structured observation, with details of procedures and methodology. From Tom Wilson and David Streatfield, Project INISS. http://www.isec2000.org.uk/abstracts/papers_p/pratchett_2.htm Use of a movement observation schedule with children with profound and multiple learning difficulties. A paper by Glynis Pratchett presented at ISEC 2000.

Examples of observation schedules

http://www.engsc.ac.uk/resources/easeit/ From a manual used to conduct a software evaluation (select Observation Scheiule') the EASEIT-Eng: Evaluation Manual. http://www.see-educoop.net/education_in/pdf/lang-asisst-scheme-041-slo-enl-t03.pdf.

A simple classroom observation schedule by Vidijka Harej and colleagues. From the South East Europe Education Cooperation Network (SEE-ECN). (PDF file needs Adobe Reader) http://portal.wpspublish.com/portal/page?_pageid=53,70384&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) by Catherine Lord and colleagues at the University of Michigan.

List of observation schedules

http://libraries.uta.edu/helen/test&meas/Table%20of%20contents/SimonBoyer1974.htm From Simon and Boyer's Mirrors for Behavior III' by Helen Hough, Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Documentary analysis
Example
http://www.ruralnursing.unbc.ca/analysis.php A study of rural and remote nursing practice in Canada based on an analysis of policy documents. Open access to useful detailed report as a PDF file. Produced by a team from several Canadian universities.

Approaches
http://chnm.gmu.edu/worldhistorysources/whmdocuments.html Discusses strategies for analyzing primary sources including newspapers, official documents and personal accounts also material culture (images and objects), maps, music and travel narratives. Part of a project on World History Sources' from George Mason University.

Unobtrusive measures
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/unobtrus.htm Bill Trochim's chapter on unobtrusive measures in the Research Methods Knowledge Base.

Online research

Psychological Research on the Net

http://psych.hanover.edu/research/exponnet.html Links to a wide range of experiments on the internet that are psychologically relatedition. Maintained by John Krantz for Hanover College.

Other methods
Simulation
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~axe/research/AdvancingArtSim2003.pdf. Wide-ranging review of simulation methods and methodology by Robert Axelrod, University of Michigan. (PDF file)

Discourse analysis
http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/~palmquis/courses/discourse.htm Short description with bibliography and links. http://extra.shu.ac.uk/daol/ Home page of Discourse Analysis Online' an online journal covering many aspects of the topic.

Repertory grid techniques

http://www.brint.com/PCT.htm Overview from the Brint Institute. Extensive Web links. http://www.terapiacognitiva.net/record/pag/man2.htm Detailed manual covering design, administration and analysis. From the Spanish Association for Cognitive Psychology.

Verbal protocols
http://informationr.net/ir/8-4/paper155.html

Example of the use of verbal protocols in observing documentary reading. A paper by Maringela Fujita and colleagues in Information Research'.

Multiple methods
Example
http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR3-4/jones.html Discusses the use of multiple methods in sports fan research. Paper by Ian Jones in The Qualitative Report'.

Discussion of the issues

http://www7.nationalacademies.org/cfe/Multiple_Methods_Workshop_Agenda.html Report (including transcripts) of a workshop on applying multiple social science research methods to educational problems. From the Center for Education, National Research Council of the National Academies, Washington, DC.

Integrating quantitative and qualitative methods

http://www.social-marketing.com/research.html Discusses how these two different research approaches can be integrated in the context of a health promotion program. From a text on Social Marketing' by Nedra Weinreich.
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Chapter 5 Practicalities of data collection

Websites on topics covered in this chapter

Safety issues
Safety in Social Research
http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/SRU29.html

Very useful discussion of the risks involved in social research for researchers, and for those people who agree to take part. A Social Research Update paper by Gary Craig, Anne Corden and Patricia Thornton.

Gantt charts
http://www.ganttchart.com/ Clear diagrams showing the Gantt chart approach.

Sampling
General
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/sampling.htm Bill Trochim's chapter on sampling in the Research Methods Knowledge Base. Sections on Sampling Terminology, Statistical Sampling Terms, Probability and Nonprobability Sampling. http://www.mis.coventry.ac.uk/%7Enhunt/meths/listof.htm Clear and easy to follow discussion of various types of sample. By Neville Hunt and Sidney Tyrrell, Coventry University http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/fact_sample.html A brief introduction to sampling, developed by the Psychology department, UC Davis. http://www2.chass.ncsu.edu/garson/pa765/sampling.htm Excellent detailed coverage of many aspects of sampling by David Garson, North Carolina State University.

Sample Sizes
http://www.resolutions.co.nz/sample_sizes.htm Discusses the factors to be considered when deciding on sample size, and shows the sample sizes needed for a given margin of error at different confidence levels from Research Solutions, an Auckland market research company. An alternative site covering the same issues (and

explaining the meaning of confidence levels and other technical terms) is http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm. from Creative Research Systems, Petaluma.

Snowball sampling
http://www.respondentdrivensampling.org/ Paper on respondent-driven sampling' (a combination of snowball sampling with a mathematical model that weights the sample to compensate for the fact that the sample was collected in a non-random way). By Salganik, M. J. and D. D. Heckathorn.

Probability sampling
http://www.fantaproject.org/publications/sampling.shtml Guide showing how to choose probability samples (e.g. of communities, households, and/or individuals). Material developed by The Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance (FANTA) Project, Academy for Educational Development, Washington, DC.

Informed Consent
Issues, background etc.
http://sophia.smith.edu/~jdrisko/consent.htm Comprehensive review with wide range of links. from James Drisko, Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, MA.

Anonymity issues
Anonymity of research participants
http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/SRU27.html Discusses assumptions, ethics and practicalities (and the legal requirements of the Data Protection Act). A Social Research Update paper by Anne Grinyer.

Problems
Dealing with clients

http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/SRU27.html How to anticipate possible difficulties. The focus is on contract research but useful suggestions for anyone working in organizations; e.g. What happens if the client does not like the research findings? What ethical issues are raised by the client becoming the subject of the research? If the client objects to the findings, what are the implications for publication? Another Social Research Update paper by Anne Grinyer.
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Chapter 6 Analysing and interpreting your findings

Websites on topics covered in this chapter

Quantitative analysis
Online introductory statistics texts
My out of print Penguin text Experiment, Design and Statistics in Psychology' http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/researchproject/experiments.asp HyperStat Online Textbook by David Lane, Rice University http://davidmlane.com/hyperstat/ Descriptive statistics http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/statdesc.htm Inferential statistics http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/statinf.htm Sections on the t-test, dummy variables, posttest-only analysis, factorial design analysis, randomized block analysis, analysis of covariance, nonequivalent groups analysis and regression-discontinuity analysis.

Selecting Statistics

http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/selstat/ssstart.htm An online statistical advisor. Answer the questions and it will lead you to an appropriate statistical test for your data. All from Bill Trochim's Web Center for Social Research Methods.

Methodology of quantitative analysis

http://www.jameslindlibrary.org/ Links to a fascinating set of essays on fair tests of treatments in health care. Part of the James Lind Library, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

Data analysis in action research

http://www.enquirylearning.net/ELU/Issues/Research/Res1Ch4.html#Ch4E Discussion on how to analyse data in an action research project By Rob McBride and John Schostak, Manchester Metropolitan University.

Time-series analysis
http://www2.chass.ncsu.edu/garson/pa765/time.htm Comprehensive coverage of the issues involved in various types of time-series. By David Garson, North Carolina State University.

Qualitative analysis
Grounded theory analysis
www.analytictech.com/mb870/introtoGT.htm A straightforward account of what grounded theory is and how to use it by Steve Borgatti. The paper outlines they key principles of grounded theorizing and then goes on to discuss open, axial and selective coding in turn, using worked examples of qualitative data.

Qualitative content analysis

www.qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/2-00/2-00mayring-e.htm

Discussion of the issues involved in doing content analysis in qualitative rather than quantitative terms. Outlines the basic principles of this form of content analysis, including the idea of inductive category development', and then goes on to summarize a number of interesting studies that have used this method to analyse documents, from mass media texts to interview transcripts, diaries and biographies.

NUD IST and NVivo

http://www.qsrinternational.com/ Website giving details of latest versions.
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Chapter 7 Writing the report

Websites on topics covered in this chapter

Presentation
Presentation of statistical information
http://www.rdg.ac.uk/ssc/publications/guides/toptgs.html Short but authoritative guide from the Statistical Services Centre, University of Reading.

Presenting graphs
http://www.bettycjung.net/Graphing.htm Covers just about everything you are likely to need to know about using graphs (includes section on Gantt charts). By Betty Jung. http://www.scs.gmu.edu/~wss/methods/zawitzg.html An excellent PowerPoint presentation on how to produce good graphs. From the Washington Statistical Society Methodology Seminars by Marianne W. Zawitz, Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Presenting tables

http://www.scs.gmu.edu/~wss/methods/zawitzt.html Another excellent PowerPoint presentation this time on how to produce good tables. From the Washington Statistical Society Methodology Seminars by Marianne W. Zawitz, Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Report writing
Guides
http://www.socscidiss.bham.ac.uk/s11.html Short review of all aspects of writing a report or dissertation. Part of The Social Science Undergraduate Dissertation Companion edited by Malcolm Todd from Sheffield Hallam University. See also sections on Developing Your Academic Style of Writing' and Preparing the Dissertation for Submission'. http://staff.psy.gla.ac.uk/%7Epaul/tutorials/report/info.htm Brief, clear guide for psychology students to writing reports. From the Psychology Department, University of Glamorgan. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/reportW/ Takes you through some ways to get started writing your report, explains all of the sections of a report, and offers some general technical writing guidelines. Useful sections on pre-writing activities and considering your audience. By Angela Laflen and Erin Karper, Purdue University.

APA style
http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/apa4b.htm Psychology with Style: A Hypertext Writing Guide' (for the 5th edition of the APA Manual) by Mark Plonsky, University of Wisconsin http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/apa/introduction.html Guide to writing a report in APA (American Psychological Associaton) style. APA style is not only used in psychology but also in many other disciplines including sociology, business, economics, nursing, social work, and criminology. From Purdue University.

Plagiarism
http://www.socscidiss.bham.ac.uk/s14.html Defines plagiarism, explains its seriousness, and help you to avoid it. From The Social Science Undergraduate Dissertation Companion e dited by Malcolm Todd from Sheffield Hallam University.
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