A Beginner's Guide to Doing Your Education Research Project

Mike Lambert is Principal Lecturer at the School of Education, University of Wolverhampton. He developed and teaches the university's research-methods module for initial teacher training and has supervised the projects of many students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

INTRODUCTION Research: Important or Just Interesting? Research and You Education: A Research-Based Profession? Why This Book? Structures and Contents Features Time to Start PART ONE: LEARNING ABOUT RESEARCH Research, 'Paradigms' and Ethics The Process of Doing Research Learning from Other Research PART TWO: DOING RESEARCH Choosing Your Topic Research Questions Literature Review Choosing Your Methods Designing Research Instruments Validity, Reliability and Ethical Approval Carrying Out Your Investigation PART THREE: ANALYZING AND WRITING UP Analyzing Data and Producing Your Findings Writing Up Your Project CONCLUSION REFERENCES APPENDIX 1: PROJECT SHEETS APPENDIX 2: ACTIVITY ANSWERS APPENDIX 3: GLOSSARY INDEX

'Mike Lambert's book is a useful source of information, helping to create and shape your research methods project. The book contains detailed chapters with easy to follow guidelines, tips and suggestions ensuring help at every step of the way from start to finish' -Alexander Miesen, student, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences 'It is like having the best mentor, friend and University or College professor hold your hand through the scariest of assignments, helping to demystify the whole process and make it 'doable' and understandable' Early Years Educator 'Mike Lambert's Beginner's Guide is an excellent, user-friendly and overwhelmingly supportive book for anyone who has had the experience of living in the lonely space between interesting intentions (often passionate and personal) for research into their own education practice and the alientating discourse of research paradigms' -Julian Mcdougall, Media Education Research Journal (MERJ) 'If your task in life is to write an education research project, it would be hard to imagine a more valuable helpmate than this book by Mike Lambert ... I cannot recommend [it] too highly' -Education Today, Anthony Seldon 'A thorough, practical resource for individuals who will be planning and carrying out research for the first time. It is an invaluable resource for undergraduate students, their teachers, or educational professionals who are starting to do research. It systematically leads the reader through the steps involved in the process of performing education research. As such, it makes a valuable contribution toward the formation of education researchers. Helping students to enter the realm of research is a necessary step toward improved practice and professionalism in the field of education. This book can help achieve this goal' -Billaterra Journal of Teaching and Learning Language and Literature 'Students can sometimes struggle with doing this part of their course and it can be quite intimidating. In this book all aspects of doing a research project are covered by simple explanations and helpful suggestions' Conductive Education Information (www.gillian-maguire.info)