Summary
Contents
Subject index
With its unique modelling and mapping of social processes, investigative research offers an alternative approach to social research. This book guides you through the theoretical grounding and rules you need to effectively combine the evidence-based explanations of social behaviour and distinctive strategies of data collection associated with investigative research. It helps you answer key investigative questions like: • How are models and maps of social reality crucial to the formulation of research problems and questions? • What are the main phases, challenges, and theories of investigative research? • How does investigative research compare with other research approaches, like surveys, case studies, grounded theory, and mixed methods? • How can you control the quality and validity of your investigative research? With its clear focus on investigative research exploration, description, and explanation, this book gives you the solid building blocks needed to manage and integrate the theoretical and practical issues in your work.
Introduction
Introduction
What is Investigative Research?
Investigative research (IR) marries evidence-based explanations of social behaviour with distinctive strategies of data collection. It has been used with a wide range of topics and examples, including the emotional life of prisoners (Knight 2016), the professional practice of social workers (Houston 2015) and probation officers (Knight 2014), the adoption of information technology (Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt 2006), social trust and life insurance (Morris 2011), women’s experience of egg freezing (Baldwin 2016) and gay sadomasochism (Chaline 2008), to mention but a few. IR searches out the influence of those parts of society that are frequently overlooked by other approaches. Its unique modelling and mapping of social processes enable IR to reach those parts of the social world other approaches cannot reach!
This book outlines ...
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