ABSTRACT

In 1991 the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) published "Postgraduate Taining Guidelines". Throughout the document emphasis is placed on the need for universities to make postgraduate research students aware of the methodological issues that affect their work.; This text explores the relationship between knowledge, methodology and research practice across the broad spectrum of the social sciences in langage that is accessible to researchers at all levels of their research careers. It follows the themes that there is no single practice or correct methodology, and that the diversity and variety in terms of methodology and disciplinary focus are a sign of the sophistication and complexity of the proceses of social research. The text examines socio-cultural contexts of social research and relates them to contemporary shifts in focus such as feminism, critical theory and postmodernism. The importance of selecting the research methodology most appropriate to the subject discipline concerned is emphasized.

chapter 1|7 pages

Introduction

part 1|59 pages

The Nature of Enquiry

chapter 3|15 pages

Telling a Story about Research and Research as Story-telling

Postmodern Approaches to Social Research

chapter 4|14 pages

Challenging the Power of Rationality

chapter 5|15 pages

Being Economical with Politics

part 2|52 pages

The Nature of Disciplines

chapter 8|11 pages

Nursing Research

a Social Science?

chapter 9|12 pages

The Case for Research into Practice

chapter 10|13 pages

Scientific and Statistical Hypotheses

Bridging the Gap