Doing a Successful Research Project offers an accessible, even-handed introduction to carrying out research methods for undergraduate and postgraduate students conducting a research project for the first time. Guides students carefully through the process from planning to completion, whilst assessing the different strategies available.

'This is one of the most clearly written and engaging books for the beginning researcher I have encountered. It is a practical, no-nonsense and encouraging book as well.' - Elizabeth Watson, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, University of Western Sydney, Australia
 

'This is an excellent book which will capture the enthusiasm and interest of the students it is aimed at.' - Professor David Shemmings, Middlesex University, UK
 

'...anyone carrying out research for a project... and turning the results of that research into a report would benefit from this guide.' - Oxfam Development Resource Review
 
'The book is readable and accessible; paragraphs of information are interspersed with examples from students' projects and warnings of pitfalls...Doing a successful research project takes the reader through all aspects of research. The emphasis is on rigour, but the author is cheerfuly emphatic about keeping life simple.' Sara Perren, Healthcare Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal

PART 1: PLANNING YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT
So you're going to do a Research Project
Let's Make a Start
Drawing up your Personal Project Roadmap
PART 2: QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
The Principles of Sampling
Carrying Out Your Survey
Questionnaires
The Art and Science of Survey Interviewing
Analysing Your Survey Data
PART 3: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Studying a Small Sample
Qualitative Research Interviewing
There is More to Qualitative Research than Interviewing
Analysing Qualitative Data
PART 4: THE LAST LAP
Writing Your Report
PART 5: INTO MORE COMPLEX TERRITORY
A Qualitative Researcher's Briefing Sheet
Testing for Statistical Significance
Bibliography
Index

Martin Davies has extensive social science research expertise. His published work has covered health, education, criminology and social work and he has held research posts in the Home Office, the Universities of Manchester and East Anglia and the National Health Service. He has supervised the research dissertations of more than 750 graduate and undergraduate students.