Understanding Social Research: Perspectives on Methodology and Practice (Social Research and Educational Studies Series)

In 1991 the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) published "Postgraduate Taining Guidelines". Throughout the document emphasis is placed on the need for universities to make postgraduate research students aware of the methodological issues that affect their work.; This text explores the relationship between knowledge, methodology and research practice across the broad spectrum of the social sciences in langage that is accessible to researchers at all levels of their research careers. It follows the themes that there is no single practice or correct methodology, and that the diversity and variety in terms of methodology and disciplinary focus are a sign of the sophistication and complexity of the proceses of social research. The text examines socio-cultural contexts of social research and relates them to contemporary shifts in focus such as feminism, critical theory and postmodernism. The importance of selecting the research methodology most appropriate to the subject discipline concerned is emphasized. Book Cover......Page 1 Half-Title......Page 2 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Series Editor’s Preface......Page 9 1 Introduction......Page 10 References......Page 16 Introduction......Page 17 The Academy......Page 19 The Age of Enlightenment......Page 22 Modern Times......Page 24 Postmodern Perspectives......Page 27 Feminist Perspectives on Research......Page 29 References......Page 30 3 Telling a Story about Research and Research as Story-telling: Postmodern Approaches to Social Research......Page 33 Some Features of a Postmodern Approach......Page 36 Text......Page 39 Pre-text......Page 42 Inter-text......Page 43 A Postmodern Approach to Research: an Example......Page 44 A Postmodern Approach to Research: Some Questions......Page 45 References......Page 46 Breaking with Traditions of Knowledge-making......Page 48 Feminist Theory and the Challenge to Orthodoxies......Page 49 Feminist Approaches to Epistemology......Page 53 What are the Implications for Feminist Method?......Page 56 References......Page 59 Introduction......Page 61 Public Choice Theory......Page 64 Individualism......Page 65 Rationality......Page 68 Finale......Page 73 References......Page 74 A Challenge......Page 76 To Have or Not to Have—A Family, That Is......Page 78 The Sexual Division of Labour......Page 80 The Working Woman......Page 83 Marriage and Divorce, Economics Style......Page 86 Reflections......Page 87 References......Page 89 Background......Page 92 The Domain of Information Systems......Page 93 Information Systems Research......Page 94 Information Systems Development......Page 97 Potential Difficulties from this Multi-disciplinary Nature of Information Systems......Page 99 Borrowing Concepts and Methods—Advantages and Problems......Page 101 Acknowledgments......Page 102 References......Page 103 The Context of Nursing Research......Page 105 Critical Issues......Page 106 Professionalization of Nursing......Page 107 Epistemological Pluralism......Page 108 A Specific Qualitative Approach: Grounded Theory......Page 109 Triangulation......Page 112 Where to from Here?......Page 113 References......Page 114 Introduction......Page 116 Social Work in the Academy......Page 117 Resistance......Page 118 Research Practice......Page 119 Dissonance......Page 122 Praxis......Page 123 Managerialism......Page 124 Conclusion......Page 125 References......Page 126 Introduction......Page 128 Two Group Comparisons......Page 130 Individuals vs Populations......Page 133 Conclusions......Page 138 References......Page 139 Setting the Scene......Page 143 The Role of Research......Page 144 Social Work Practitioner as Researcher......Page 146 Exploring Differences of View......Page 149 Research as Partnership......Page 151 Theorizing Social Work Practice......Page 153 References......Page 156 12 Qualitative Approaches to Data Collection and Analysis: Examinations and Schools......Page 159 The Research Project......Page 160 Choosing Cases......Page 161 Negotiating Access......Page 163 Ethical Concerns......Page 166 Fieldwork Relations......Page 168 Observations......Page 169 Theory Development......Page 170 Contextualising these Accounts......Page 172 Conclusion......Page 173 References......Page 174 The Theoretical Basis of Research......Page 176 The Discovery and Development of Grounded Theory......Page 182 The Procedures of Grounded Theory......Page 186 Stage 2. Transcription of Data......Page 187 Stage 3. The Development of Categories......Page 188 Stage 4. Saturate Categories......Page 192 Stage 6. Theoretical Sampling......Page 193 Stage 7. Axial Coding......Page 194 Stage 8. Theoretical Integration......Page 195 Conclusion......Page 196 References......Page 197 What is Action Research?......Page 199 Action Research in Information Systems development......Page 201 An Action Research Project......Page 203 Advantages and Problems of Action Research in Information Systems......Page 208 Issues......Page 209 References......Page 210 Introduction......Page 212 A Participant Observation Study of EIS development......Page 213 Discussion......Page 214 Epistemological and Methodological Issues......Page 215 Practical and Ethical Issues......Page 219 References......Page 221 Introduction......Page 223 The Casino......Page 224 States of Mind......Page 227 The Lucas Critique......Page 228 Verification and Falsification......Page 229 Predictability......Page 230 Reflections......Page 231 References......Page 234 Notes on Contributors......Page 235 Index......Page 238 Social Policy Book Cover 1 Half-Title 2 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Series Editor’s Preface 9 1 Introduction 10 References 16 2 The Age of Reason or the Age of Innocence? 17 Introduction 17 The Academy 19 The Age of Enlightenment 22 Modern Times 24 Postmodern Perspectives 27 Feminist Perspectives on Research 29 References 30 3 Telling a Story about Research and Research as Story-telling: Postmodern Approaches to Social Research 33 Some Features of a Postmodern Approach 36 Social Research in a Postmodern Mode 39 Text 39 Con-text 42 Pre-text 42 Sub-text 43 Inter-text 43 A Postmodern Approach to Research: an Example 44 A Postmodern Approach to Research: Some Questions 45 Post-text 46 References 46 4 Challenging the Power of Rationality 48 Breaking with Traditions of Knowledge-making 48 Feminist Theory and the Challenge to Orthodoxies 49 Feminist Approaches to Epistemology 53 What are the Implications for Feminist Method? 56 Summary 59 References 59 5 Being Economical with Politics 61 Introduction 61 Public Choice Theory 64 Individualism 65 Rationality 68 Finale 73 Notes 74 Bibliographical note 74 References 74 6 Family Behaviour and the Economic Method 76 A Challenge 76 To Have or Not to Have—A Family, That Is 78 The Sexual Division of Labour 80 The Working Woman 83 Marriage and Divorce, Economics Style 86 Reflections 87 References 89 7 The Search for the ‘Discipline’ of Information Systems 92 Background 92 The Domain of Information Systems 93 Information Systems Research 94 Information Systems Development 97 Potential Difficulties from this Multi-disciplinary Nature of Information Systems 99 Borrowing Concepts and Methods—Advantages and Problems 101 Observations and Conclusions 102 Acknowledgments 102 References 103 8 Nursing Research: a Social Science? 105 Introduction 105 The Context of Nursing Research 105 Critical Issues 106 The Role of Theory 107 Professionalization of Nursing 107 Epistemological Pluralism 108 A Specific Qualitative Approach: Grounded Theory 109 Triangulation 112 Where to from Here? 113 References 114 9 The Case for Research into Practice 116 Introduction 116 Social Work in the Academy 117 Resistance 118 Research Practice 119 Dissonance 122 Praxis 123 Managerialism 124 Conclusion 125 References 126 10 Scientific and Statistical Hypotheses: Bridging the Gap 128 Introduction 128 Two Group Comparisons 130 Individuals vs Populations 133 Conclusions 138 References 139 11 Researching Social Work and Social Care Practices 143 Setting the Scene 143 The Role of Research 144 Social Work Practitioner as Researcher 146 Exploring Differences of View 149 Research as Partnership 151 Theorizing Social Work Practice 153 References 156 12 Qualitative Approaches to Data Collection and Analysis: Examinations and Schools 159 The Research Project 160 Choosing Cases 161 Negotiating Access 163 Ethical Concerns 166 Fieldwork Relations 168 Interviews 169 Observations 169 Theory Development 170 Contextualising these Accounts 172 Conclusion 173 References 174 13 Grounded Theory—Its Basis, Rationale and Procedures 176 Introduction 176 The Theoretical Basis of Research 176 The Discovery and Development of Grounded Theory 182 The Procedures of Grounded Theory 186 Stage 1. Data Collection 187 Stage 2. Transcription of Data 187 Stage 3. The Development of Categories 188 Stage 4. Saturate Categories 192 Stage 5. Abstract Definitions 193 Stage 6. Theoretical Sampling 193 Stage 7. Axial Coding 194 Stage 8. Theoretical Integration 195 Stage 9. Grounding the Theory 196 Stage 10. Filling in the Gaps 196 Conclusion 196 References 197 14 Action Research in Information Systems 199 Introduction 199 What is Action Research? 199 Action Research in Information Systems development 201 An Action Research Project 203 Advantages and Problems of Action Research in Information Systems 208 Issues 209 Acknowledgments 210 References 210 15 Issues in Participant Observation—A Study of the Practice of Information Systems Development 212 Introduction 212 A Participant Observation Study of EIS development 213 Discussion 214 Epistemological and Methodological Issues 215 Practical and Ethical Issues 219 Conclusions 221 Acknowledgments 221 References 221 16 Enigma Variations: Uncertainty in Social and Economic Research 223 Introduction 223 The Casino 224 States of Mind 227 The Lucas Critique 228 Verification and Falsification 229 Predictability 230 Reflections 231 References 234 Notes on Contributors 235 Index 238 Understanding Social Research Examines The Socio-cultural Contexts Of Social Research And Relates Them To Contemporary Shifts In Focus Such As Feminism, Critical Theory And Postmodernism. 1. Introduction / Robin Usher -- 2. The Age Of Reason Or The Age Of Innocence? / George Mckenzie -- 3. Telling A Story About Research And Research As Story-telling: Postmodern Approaches To Social Research / Robin Usher -- 4. Challenging The Power Of Rationality / Pat Usher -- 5. Being Economical With Politics / Alan Hamlin -- 6. Family Behaviour And The Economic Method / George Mckenzie -- 7. The Search For The 'discipline' Of Information Systems / David E. Avison -- 8. Nursing Research: A Social Science? / Sheila Payne -- 9. The Case For Research Into Practice / Joan Orme -- 10. Scientific And Statistical Hypothesis: Bridging The Gap / David J. Hand -- 11. Researching Social Work And Social Care Practices / Jackie Powell -- 12. Qualitative Approaches To Data Collection And Analysis: Examinations And Schools / David Scott -- 13. Grounded Theory -- Its Basis, Rationale And Procedures / Dean Bartlett And Sheila Payne. 14. Action Research In Information Systems / David E. Avison -- 15. Issues In Participant Observation -- A Study Of The Practice Of Information Systems Development / Joe Nandhakumar -- 16. Enigma Variations: Uncertainty In Social And Economic Research / George Mckenzie. Edited By George Mckenzie, Jackie Powell, And Robin Usher. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.