Contents
Introduction
1 Selection of the research question
1.1 The nature of the research
question: 'What can be studied?'
1.2 Who chooses the research question?
1.3 Selection in a social context:
important factors
1.4 Basic questions
2 Selection of the research methodology
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Criteria of choice
3 Methodological construction of the
research topic
4 Definition of the topic
5 Exploration
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Types of exploratory studies
6 Operationalisation
6.1 Operationalisation in quantitative
research
Central procedures
Examples of operationalisation
Basic questions in operationalisation
Rules of operationalisation
Choosing indicators
6.2 Operationalisation in qualitative
research
7 Multiple operationalism: triangulation
7.1 Introduction and types of triangulation
7.2 Purpose of triangulation
7.3 What is triangulation worth?
8 Formulation of hypotheses
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Types of hypotheses
8.3 Criteria of hypothesis
construction
8.4 The trouble with hypotheses
Main points
Where to from here?
Further reading