Your Dissertation in Education

Scott Buckler has been involved in education since the 1990s, fluctuating between primary teaching, secondary teaching (science, computing, psychology), and universities (education, sport, psychology). From teaching research methods across the expanse of education (from the primary years through to doctorates), Scott has been an advocate of high quality research, through facilitating an open mind while maintaining academic integrity. His research has encompassed many areas, often with the theme of personal and professional growth, through the lens of transpersonal psychology. His PhD thesis was interdisciplinary, combining anthropology and psychology to explore the way that the martial arts lead to personal transformation. Professionally, Scott’s research is predominantly in applied educational psychology, inclusive education, and research methods. Scott is a Chartered Teacher and Chartered Psychologist.After twenty years in architectural practice in Scotland, England and Switzerland designing a wide range of buildings, industrial, commercial, residential, and renovating and restoring historic buildings, I returned to academic activities when I embarked on a Ph.D. at Oxford Brookes University.  My university teaching and examining experience has been at all levels, with the preponderance at postgraduate level. I have supervised to successful completion twenty Ph.D. students and two MPhils, 1 KTP, and examined 13 Ph.D. candidates. I have published several popular textbooks and guides on construction aspects and on how to do research for students and practitioners and how to write Ph.D. theses, Masters and Undergraduate dissertations.  As Senior Researcher, Oxford Institute of Sustainable Development – Architectural Engineering Group, my research was based mainly on the technology of building construction - innovative, existing and historic, on vernacular architecture, and issues regarding accessibility in buildings and surroundings. My published papers and reports are read internationally and have been presented at international conferences.

• Chapter 1: IntroductionChapter 2: What is a dissertation?Chapter 3: What is educational research?Chapter 4: What’s all this about ethics?Chapter 5: What will it be about?Chapter 6: How do I get started?Chapter 7: How do I write a proposal?Chapter 8: How do I write an introduction?Chapter 9: Where do I get hold of all the necessary background informationChapter 10: How can I manage all the notes?Chapter 11: What about referencing?Chapter 12: How do I argue my point effectively?Chapter 13: How do I write a literature review?Chapter 14: Methodology and methods: what’s the difference?Chapter 15: What is meant by mixing methodologies?Chapter 16: What sorts of data will I find and how much do I need?Chapter 17: Methods: How do I conduct effective interviews?Chapter 18: Methods: How do I structure effective questionnaires?Chapter 19: Methods: How do I undertake effective observations?Chapter 20: Methods: How do I conduct documentary analysis?Chapter 21: Why is reliability and validity so important?Chapter 22: How do I write a methodology chapter?Chapter 23: How do I analyse qualitative data?Chapter 24: How do I analyse quantitative data?Chapter 25: How do I combine different data sets?Chapter 26: How do I write a discussion chapter?Chapter 27: How can I work effectively with my supervisor?Chapter 28: What about working and planning my time?Chapter 29: How can I manage a long piece of writing?Chapter 30: Who else might be interested in my writing?

From constructing a question to presenting the findings, this welcome second edition should be the first read for students undertaking a dissertation in education. It makes complex methodological and procedural issues accessible, while fostering students’ confidence and proficiency in undertaking an independent research project.