Full Description
This handbook provides an in-depth exploration of the entire journey of postgraduate research in the social and behavioural sciences, from enrolment to its culmination in the form of a thesis, dissertation or portfolio, and beyond. It is written in an accessible and example-rich style, offering practical and concrete advice in virtually all areas. It also includes references to additional resources and websites, and each chapter features key recommendations for improving the postgraduate research experience.
The book addresses not only research-related aspects (e.g. supervisors; selecting your guiding assumptions; contextualising, framing and configuring research; reviewing literature; sampling; writing proposals; ethics and academic integrity; selecting a data gathering strategy; surviving your thesis/dissertation/portfolio examination; and publishing), but also questions concerning how to integrate, manage, and balance the research journey in the context of the postgraduate student's broader life-world (e.g. skill development and supervisor relations; effective time and project management; a healthy work-life balance; maintaining motivation; and dealing with criticism). The book adopts an explicitly pluralist perspective on postgraduate research, moving beyond mixed methods thinking, and offers concrete examples from postgraduate students' real-world experiences.
Contents
Chapter 1 - Why am I doing this and what do I expect?.- Chapter 2 - What skills do I need.- Chapter 3 - Should I keep a research diary?.- Chapter 4 - How should I manage the relationship with my supervisor?.- Chapter 5 - How should I manage the research project?.- Chapter 6 - How should I manage my time?.- Chapter 7 - How do I stay on track?.- Chapter 8 - How do I maintain a good work/life balance?.- Chapter 9 - How do I decide on my guiding assumptions?.- Chapter 10 - How should I position my study?.- Chapter 11 - How do I identify/frame my research problem and questions?.- Chapter 12 - How do I scope and shape my research project?.- Chapter 13 - How should I select, read and review the literature?.- Chapter 14 - What data gathering strategies should I use?.- Chapter 15 - How do I handle academic integrity issues?.- Chapter 16 - How should I shape and defend my proposal?.- Chapter 17 - How can I gain access to data sources?.- Chapter 18 - When and how should I deal with measurements?.- Chapter 19 - How do I manage the sampling process?.- Chapter 20 - How should I organise my data?.- Chapter 21 - How should I approach data analysis and display results?.- Chapter 22 - How should I tell a convincing story?.- Chapter 23 - How should I respond to criticisms that arise.- Chapter 24 - How will my thesis/ dissertation be examined and judged?.- Chapter 25 - Should I publish as I go?.- Chapter 26 - Common pitfalls.
