Table of Contents

Introduction

1 About the book

2 Preparing Research Designs

3 Four Research Design Tasks

4 Research Ethics

Part 1: Focussing

5 Research Questions and Purposes

Part 2: Framing

6 Logics for Answering Research Questions

Part 3: Selecting

7 Concepts, Theories, Hypotheses and Models

8 Types, Forms, Sources and Selection of Data

Part 4: Distilling

9 Methods for Answering Research Questions: Data Gathering, Generation, Reduction and Analysis

Researching Networked Worlds

10 Design Considerations

11 Ethics Considerations

Illustrations

12 Sample Research Designs

Postscript

About the Author

Norman Blaikie is former Professor of Sociology at RMIT University Melbourne, and University of Science, Malaysia.

Jan Priest is former Adjunct Professor at RMIT University Melbourne, and a past Director of research and performance services at InfoServ Pty Ltd.

Reviews

‘A masterclass in the logic of anticipation when designing social research. Blaikie and Priest explain the choices to be made – and, oh so important, why those decisions need thoughtful planning in advance. I can’t recommend it enough.’
Rosalind Edwards, University of Southampton, Co-director of the ESRC National Centre for Research Methods ‘This book reviews the key principles of research design and strategy in ways that blend theoretical sophistication with practical strategic advice: a winning formula. If you produce your research design using this book, and if you really engage with the key issues that Blaikie and Priest write so authoritatively about, you can’t go wrong.’
Jennifer Mason, University of Manchester