Description
The government proposed in 1994 in their White Paper Realising our Potential that all graduates who wish to study for doctorates should first take a one-year master’s course in research methods. Several universities have since introduced such courses and more are planned. This book is a response to that development. It is not intended to be a deeply detailed textbook, rather a set of notes for guidance, to nudge the student’s mind into useful avenues, to tell him or her what help is available and to show how he or she can help themselves. This guidance includes many references for further study. As a set of notes it should be useful to all researchers, those studying for doctorates as well as for masters’ degrees, for their lecturers too and, indeed, for anybody in any field of research even if a higher qualification is not expected.
The breadth of the subject rules out a single author: none but the most arrogantwould pretend to such ability. The publishers and I therefore decided that we should seek contributions from many authors. This posed difficulties of recruitment, of meeting deadlines, of agreeing a common philosophy and adhering to it, and of imposing an editorial style without causing offence to the authors. These difficulties were resolved because there was one clear bond between all the authors: an enthusiasm to help young people to plan, manage, analyse and report their research better than they may otherwise. All of them are busy and successful as researchers and as teachers. I believe that all readers of this book will appreciate how much time and effort, as well as knowledge and experience, the contributors have devoted to itsproduction.
Unusually, this preface is titled Preface to the first edition. This is because I have no doubt that there will be subsequent editions. The situation will change with the introduction of more courses on research methods and experience will accumulate. I invite all readers to tell me how it can be improved: what should be added, what should be omitted, and what should be rewritten. But if you like any of it, please write and tell me. I shall forward your comments on to the authors. They deserve your praise.
Tony Greenfield