Doing Real Research

Eric Jensen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Warwick. He has two main research specialisms: Public engagement, and media. He also contributes to the development of impact evaluation methodology and social change theory. His research on the impacts of public engagement cuts across a wide range of settings, from zoos to conservation training programmes to museums.

• IntroductionPART ONE: LAYING THE FOUNDATIONSChapter 1: Research design: Planning for the unknowable, the unexpected and the undesirableChapter 2: How to do a literature review: Using existing evidence and ideas to build a foundationChapter 3: How to be an ethical researcherPART TWO: IN THE FIELDChapter 4: How to manage risk: Protecting yourself and your equipmentChapter 5: How to find a representative sampleChapter 6: How to gain research participationPART THREE: DATA COLLECTION METHODSChapter 7: How to do Survey ResearchChapter 8: How to do interviews and focus groupsChapter 9: How to use existing data: Challenges and opportunitiesPART FOUR: MANAGING AND ANALYZING DATAChapter 10: How to manage your dataChapter 11: How to do qualitative data analysisChapter 12: How to do quantitative data analysisPART FIVE: PRESENTING YOUR RESEARCHChapter 13: How to Write up your ResearchConcluding Thoughts

′I am very impressed by the format of the book and the learning features. The practical step-by-step approach is better than any of the texts we currently use, and the book contains a valuable chapter on risk evaluation in the field, so often absent in research textbooks’