BUiD Library: RES 503 Research Methods in Education: Reading list

RES 503 Research Methods in Education

Department: Master of Education

Module Description: This module develops the skills and understandings necessary to engage in research for a dissertation at Master’s level. It also enables critical analysis of research studies in education, so that students can evaluate the relevance and applicability of existing research to their own field. A repertoire of research techniques and approaches will be introduced and discussed with reference to the themes being studied in core and elective modules within the MEd. The module tackles data analysis and writing up, including discussion of dissemination of research to difference audiences. Students will develop skills in critical analysis of existing studies in terms of their methodology, validity, generalisability and ethical base.

Module texts

Booth, W.C., Colomb, G.G. & Williams, J.M. (2016). The craft of research. 4th edn. University of Chicago Press.
Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2018). Research methods in education. 8th edn. London: Routledge.
Creswell, J. W. (2018). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. 5th edn. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Merriam, S.B. & Tisdell, E.J. (2016). Qualitative research. 4th edn. Joosey-Bass.

Key indicative readings

Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research. (1999). Education and the Arab world: challenges of the next millennium. Abu Dhabi: ECSSR.
Holliday, A. (2016). Doing and writing qualitative research. 3^rd edn. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Krathwohl, D. R. & Smith, N. L. (2005). How to prepare a dissertation proposal: suggestions for students in education and the social and behavioral sciences. New York: Syracuse University Press.
Lewthwaite, S. & Nind, M. (2016). Teaching research methods in the social sciences: expert perspectives on pedagogy and practice. British Journal of Educational Studies, Vol. 64(4), pp. 413-430.
Long, H. (2014). An empirical review of research methodologies and methods in creativity studies (2003-2012). Creativity Research Journal, vol. 26(4), pp. 427-438.
McEwan, E. & McEwan, P. (2003). Making sense of research in education: what’s good, what’s not and how to tell the difference. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Smith, P.M. & Davidson, C. M. (2008). Higher education in the Gulf States: shaping economies, politics and culture. London: Saqi Books.

Recommended readings

Atkins, L. & Wallace, S. (2016). Research methods in education: qualitative research in education. London; SAGE.
Balnaves, M. (2014). Introduction to quantitative research methods: an investigative approach. London: Sage.
Banks, M. (2015). Visual methods in social research. 2^nd edn. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Bogdan, R., Knopp Biklen, S. (2007). Qualitative research for education: an introduction to theories and methods. 5^th edn. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
Brace, N., Kempt, R. & Snelgar, R. (2016). SPSS for psychologists: a guide to data analysis using SPSS for Windows. 6^th edn. New York: Routledge.
Charmaz, K. C. (2014). Constructing grounded theory: a practical guide through qualitative analysis. 2nd edn. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications
Coolican, H. (2014). Research methods and statistics in psychology. 6^th edn. London: Hodder Education.
Crossley, M. & Watson, K. (2003). Comparative and international research in education: globalisation, context and difference. London: Routledge.
Dawson, C. (2009). Introduction to research methods: a practical guide for anyone undertaking a research project. 4^th edn. Oxford: How to Books.
Denscombe, M. (2017). The good research guide for small scale research projects. 6th edn. Bershire: Open University Press.
Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D. & Christian, L. M. (2014). Internet, phone, mail and mixed mode surveys: the tailored design method. 4^th edn. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
Emmison, M. J. & Smith, P. D. (2013). Researching the visual: images, objects, contexts and interactions in social and cultural inquiry. 2nd edn. London: Sage.
Fielding, N. (2003). Interviewing. Vols. 1-4. London: Sage.
Flick, U. (2018). An introduction to qualitative research. 6th edn. London: Sage.
Gillham, B. (2007). Developing a questionnaire. 2nd edn. London: Continuum.
Gorard, S. (2001). Quantitative methods in educational research: the role of numbers made easy. London: Continuum.
Greene, J. & D’Oliveira, M. (2006). Learning to use statistical tests in psychology. 3rd edn. Berkshire: Open University Press.
Harris, P. (2008). Designing and reporting experiments in psychology. 3rd edn. Berkshire: Open University Press.
Haw, K. & Hadfield, M. (2011). Video in social science research: functions and forms. New York: Routledge.
Healey, N. (2017). Reflections on the value of insider research as a qualitative research methodology. SAGE.
Heath, S., Brooks, R., Cleaver, E. & Ireland, E. (2009). Researching young people's lives. Los Angeles, CA: Routledge.
Hewson, C. (2016). Internet research methods: a practical guide for the social and behavioural sciences. 2nd edn. London: Sage.
Hopkins, D. (2014). A teacher’s guide to classroom research. 5th edn. Berkshire: Open University Press.
Hutchinson, N. & Calland, C. (2011). Body image in the primary school. Oxon: Routlege.
Kawulich, B.B. (2005). Participant observation as a data collection method. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, vol. 6(2), pp. 1-21. Open resource
Kvale, S. & Brinkmann, S. (2015). Interviews: learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing. 3rd edn. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Lodico, M. G., Spaulding, D. T. & Voegtle, K. H. (2010). Methods in educational research: from theory to practice. 2nd edn. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
May, T. (2002). Qualitative research in action. London: Sage.
McCulloch, G. (2011). The struggle for the history of education. London: Routledge.
McKim, C.A. (2017). The value of mixed methods research: a mixed methods study. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, vol. 11(2), pp. 202-222.
McMillan, J. H. & Schumacher, S. (2010). Research in education: evidence-based enquiry. 7th edn. Boston: Pearson Education.
McNiff, J. & Whitehead, J. (2013). Action research: principles and practice. 3rd edn. London: Routledge.
Montgomery, D. (2002). Helping teachers develop through classroom observation. 2nd edn. London: David Fulton Publishers.
Moon, J. A. (2013). Reflections in learning and professional development: theory and practice. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Ozga, J. (2000). Policy research in educational settings: contested terrain. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Pai, Y., Adler, S. A. & Shadiow, L. K. (2006). Cultural foundations of education. 4th edn. Upper Saddle, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.
Peterson, R. (2000). Constructing effective questionnaires. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Pink, S. (2013). Doing visual ethnography: images, media and representation in research. 3rd edn. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Pole, C. & Morrison, M. (2003). Ethnography for education. Berkshire: Open University Press.
Prosser, J. (ed.). (1998). Image-based research: a sourcebook for qualitative researchers. London: Routledge.
Punch, K. F. (2003). Survey research: the basics. London: Sage.
Punch, K. F. (2014). Introduction to research methods in education. 2nd edn. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Rickinson, M., Sebba, J. & Edwards, A. (2011). Improving research through user engagement. London: Routledge.
Ritchie, J. & Lewis, J. (2014). Qualitative research practice: a guide for social science students and researchers. 2nd edn. London: Sage.
Rose, G. (2016). Visual methodologies: an introduction to researching with visual materials. 4th edn. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Rose, R. & Grosvenor, I. (eds). (2001). Doing research in special education: ideas into practice. London: David Fulton Publishers.
Schostak, J. (2002). Understanding, designing and conducting qualitative research in education: framing the project. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Scott, D. (2000). Realism and educational research: new perspectives and possibilities. London: Routledge Falmer.
Schoonenboom, J. & Johnson, R.B. (2017). How to construct a mixed methods research design. Kolner Zeitschrift fur Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie , vol. 2(69), pp. 107-131. Request item
Sharman, C., Cross, W. & Vennis, D. (2007). Observing children and young people. 4th edn. London: Continuum.
Silverman, D. (2015). Interpreting qualitative data: methods for analysing talk, text and interaction. 5th edn. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Stringer, E. (2008). Action research in education. 2nd edn. Upper Saddle, NJ: Pearson Education.
Swan, J. & Pratt, J. (2003). Educational research in practice: making sense of methodology. London: Continuum.
Thomas, G. (2016). How to do your case study: a guide for students and researchers. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Thomson, P. (2008). Doing visual research with children and young people. London: Routledge.
Van Leeween, T. & Jewitt, C. (2001). Handbook of visual analysis. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Veal, A. J. (2018). Research methods for leisure and tourism. 5th edn. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited (Always learning).
White, J. P. (2011). Exploring well-being in schools: a guide to making children’s lives more fulfilling. London: Routledge.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: design and methods. 6th edn. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.