Data collection : key debates and methods in social research / Wendy Olsen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Olsen, Wendy Kay.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social sciences--Research--Methodology.

Social sciences.

Quantitative research--Methodology.

Quantitative research.

Qualitative research--Methodology.

Qualitative research.

Methodology.

Physical Description:

xi, 234 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

London ; Thousand Oaks, Calif. : SAGE, 2012.

Summary:

This innovative book for students and researchers alike gives an indispensible introduction to key issues and practical methods needed for data collection.

It uses clear definitions, relevant interdisciplinary examples from around the world and up-to-date suggestions for further reading to demonstrate how to gather and use qualitative, quantitative, and mixed data sets.

The book is divided into seven distinct parts, encouraging researchers to combine methods of data collection:

Data Collection: An Introduction to Research Practices

Collecting Qualitative Data

Observation and Involved Methods

Experimental and Systematic Data Collection

Survey Methods for Data Collection

The Case-Study Method of Data Collection

Concluding Suggestions About Data-Collection Concepts

A stimulating, practical guide which can be read by focusing on individual concepts from the methods toolkit, or as a whole, this will be an important resource for students and research professionals. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part 1 Data Collection: An Introduction to Research Practices 1

1.1 Research and Data Collection 3

1.2 Findings 5

1.3 Data 8

1.4 Causes 18

1.5 Sampling 24

Further Reading for Part 1 29

Part 2 Collecting Qualitative Data 31

2.1 Interviews 33

2.2 Transcripts 39

2.3 Coding 46

2.4 Meaning 49

2.5 Interpretation 56

2.6 Observer Bias 65

2.7 Representations 72

2.8 Focus Groups 77

2.9 Document Analysis 79

2.10 Accuracy 82

2.11 Ethical Clearance 87

Further Reading for Part 2 92

Part 3 Observation and Involved Methods 93

3.1 Participation 95

3.2 Praxis 104

3.3 Action Research 108

3.4 Observation Methods 112

3.5 Online Data Collection 114

Further Reading for Part 3 116

Part 4 Experimental and Systematic Data Collection 117

4.1 Questionnaire Design 119

4.2 Handling Treatment Data 121

4.3 The Ethics of Volunteers 125

4.4 Market-Research Techniques 127

4.5 Creating Systematic Case-Study Data 129

Further Reading for Part 4 132

Part 5 Survey Methods for Data Collection 133

5.1 Operationalisation 135

5.2 Measurement 143

5.3 Causality 148

5.4 Data Cleaning 152

5.5 Data Extraction 158

5.6 Outliers 163

5.7 Subsetting of Data 168

5.8 Survey Weights 174

Further Reading for Part 5 179

Part 6 The Case-Study Method of Data Collection 181

6.1 Case-Study Research 183

6.2 Comparative Research 186

6.3 Configurations 189

6.4 Contingency 194

6.5 Causal Mechanisms 197

Further Reading for Part 6 200

Part 7 Concluding Suggestions About Data-Collection Concepts 203

7.1 Facts 205

7.2 Reality 211

7.3 Retroduction 215.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1847872565

9781847872555

1847872557

9781847872562

OCLC:

766263653

Publisher Number:

99962563739