ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a practical guide to the conduct of small-scale research, project or even dissertation work conducted by practising teachers. We are concerned to provide both a ‘hands on’ guide through the research process and an understanding of the ways in which both the process and products of research may be evaluated. We are not concerned here with a detailed discussion of either data collection techniques or data analysis, that is the subject of Parts II and III, respectively. We are concerned to provide a guide to carrying out research for the purposes of a project, dissertation, exploratory study, some evaluation and other forms of curriculum enquiry. We are also concerned to try and provide the fullest advice and support possible. Even so, this can only be a guide since the particular circumstances of any teacher’s research will vary and be subject to different practical and analytical constraints. We wish in this book to explore qualitative research traditions, and provide insights into the application of these techniques to teacher-researchers. However, there are some fundamental questions and issues which all researchers need to attend to, this chapter aims to open up the design, planning and evaluation of research.
