How do you turn a really good idea into a really good question, and how do you turn this into successful research?

Barbara Fawcett and Rosalie Pockett use their expertise as supervisors and researchers to provide you with the frameworks and the theoretical and practical guidance you need to design, carry out and communicate your research effectively. Using a range of examples that relate research to the real world, they demonstrate:

• how to develop research questions
• how to select appropriate theoretical frameworks
• how to integrate theoretical perspectives with empirical research
• how to gather and interpret data
• how to ensure that the research undertaken makes a difference.

The authors’ user-friendly approach emphasizes the importance of participation, collaboration and inclusivity, and examines worldviews and understandings of knowledge in order to enable greater critical reflection. Chapters provide guidance on achieving impact with your research, and feature reflective questions to enhance your engagement with the issues covered.

This text is the ideal companion as you set about transforming your ideas into robust research.

"The book has much to offer students of social research methods, higher degree students undertaking social research projects, and social work and human service practitioners contemplating a research project. It also contains useful material for critical reflection for more established researchers, who might benefit by pausing to take stock and reflect on the wider context and impact of their endeavours. Others engaged in service delivery, program and policy development may also find it a useful resource in thinking about evidence informed practice." - Bruce Lord BSW (Hons), MSW, PhD, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney

"the benefit of not being encyclopedic about this [methods] is that Fawcett and Pockett are able to keep space for discussing pressing contextual issues in practitioner research [...] There’s a thoughtful critical tone here that reflects the contemporary neoliberal context but is not overwhelmed by it either.
[...]
An excellent introductory book that helps make research intelligible and do-able. Those new to research will enjoy it for that, and those who are not new will be impressed by the accessibility the book brings to the challenging contemporary complexities of knowledge-building.
" - Australian Social Work

"Unlike so many other introductory research books this is not a book that deals only in the techniques of research. There is a clear narrative in the text that is reflective of contemporary social tensions in research.

It′s an excellent introductory book that helps make research intelligible and do-able. Those new to research will enjoy it for that, and those who are not new will be impressed by the accessibility the book brings to the challenging contemporary complexities of knowledge-building." - Australian Social Work Journal