Doing Excellent Small-Scale Research
- Derek Layder - University of Leicester, UK
In this inspiring and engaging book, readers are presented with the key principles and practices of small-scale research. In addition, the book provides a peerless introduction to the key features involved in the process of research design and practice. Written in a clear, accessible way and drawing on exciting up-to-date examples, this book makes for a crucial companion on the way to research excellence.
Based on Layder's solid background as a researcher, supervisor and teacher, Doing Excellent Small-Scale Research:
- Leads the researcher through the actual process of doing a research project from start to finish
- Offers a comprehensive outline of general areas and issues such as preparation and planning, developing research questions, interviewing and sampling
- Reflects upon research as a social and human process
- Provides systematic guidelines and advice above and beyond technical essentials.
This book will be invaluable to both students and researchers interested in social interaction - informing, guiding and inspiring them towards excellent small-scale research.
Layder's adaptive approach answers the question that many social science researchers (particularly students) grapple with-how do I conduct (and justify) research grounded in both local-level data and pre-existing theory!
Dr Laurie Field
Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Human Sciences , Macquarie University, Sydney
This book will be ideal for provoking ideas in undergraduate and foundation degree childhood studies and research.
It is particularly useful for my students to select relevant questions from data they have read.
A useful resource in a small size book.
As with Layder's other work - this is a very accessible, well-written text that is extremely useful for undergraduate and even MSc students studying social sciences.
It offers smething slightly different from the rather overwhelming number of publications on the market because of the focus on small-scale research makes it a more 'realistic' proposition for undergraduate students than many other research methods texts.
This is a really good text that I would certainly recommend to my third year undergraduate dissertation students and also my masters students. It is written in a friendly, down to earth format that students can engage with and it contains lots of concrete examples; which are useful and contribute to very practical and accessible handbook
Some good pointers for students embarking on small research projects.
This book is of the same high standard as other Layder texts, and the focus on small-scale projects is extremely valuable to post-graduate students.
A good, to the point guide for Bachelor students who write their dissertations on a primary research study.
Good overview - recommended!
Even though this would be a usable book for our students, it would a bit too expensive for them since we have several other books on the course - in Sweden, it costs £60.
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This might have been a lesser obstacle if the book had been clearer in some areas, but I find one of the central distinctions argued for in the book to be somewhat hard to grasp for the students - thus, it might confuse them rather than bringing clarifying insights.
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I'm really sad to turn down this book since the overall approach seemed a promising one.
