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.
Research Models, Problems and Questions
Research Models, Problems and Questions
The Importance of Models and Maps
Question: Why should researchers spend time examining ‘underlying’ models of social reality and the research maps endorsed by various approaches to research? Answer: First, all social investigation is influenced by such models and maps, thus, researchers should be aware of how they influence research practice and findings. Second, because, unfortunately, methods texts make little or no mention of these issues, researchers typically remain unaware of their influence and importance.
Consider, for example, a research project that aims to explain how and why prisoners deal with their emotions in the prison setting. It would be important for the researcher to work with a model and research map of the social world that represented all the ...
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