Introduction
The structure of the book
1 The Nature of Research
The 'language' of research
The nature of research
The nature of the doctoral process
Why do a PhD?
The right place to study
Matters of time
Familiarise yourself
Summary
Further reading
2 The 'Nuts and Bolts' of Research
The tools of research
Key terms in research
Summary
Essential reading
Further reading
3 Getting Started in Research
Getting started
Levels of analysis and types of research
Types of study
Summary
Essential reading
Further reading
4 The Building Blocks of Research
Ontology
Epistemology
Differing ontological and epistemological views
The directional relationship between ontology, epistemology,
methodology, methods and sources
The 'social capital' debate
Summary
Essential reading
5 Introducing the Key Research Paradigms
Research paradigms
Key perspectives in research
Summary; Disciplines, perspectives, discourses and
interdisciplinarity
Interdisciplinarity or 'post-disciplinarity'
Summary
Essential reading
Further reading
6 The Types and Uses of Theory in Research
Introducing theory
The traditional view of theory
The role of theory in social research
Research paradigms and the role of theory
Different uses of theory
Inductive and deductive theory and research
Summary
Essential reading
Further reading
7 Introducing Research Methods
Quantitative research
Qualitative research
The quantitative-qualitative dichotomy: A false antithesis
Methods
Triangulation, mixing methods and data
Summary
Essential reading
Further reading
8 Academic Standards, Plagiarism and Ethics in Research
Why worry about academic standards, plagiarism and ethics?
Ethics in research
Continuum of ethics in research
Summary
Essential reading
Further reading