Research Methods

It is crucial to pick appropriate research methods for research project or thesis. The methods you use in your research should align with and complement the research approach you are taking, the research questions you aim to answer, as well as the data collection and analysis methods you utilize.

Books available at the EIU Library

Saunders, M. N. (2011). Research methods for business students, 5/e. Pearson Education India.

Bell, E., Bryman, A., & Harley, B. (2007). Business research methods, 2/e. Oxford university press.

Burns, A. C., Bush, R. F., & Sinha, N. (2010). Marketing research, 6/e. Harlow: Pearson

Ghauri, P. N., & Grønhaug, K. (2010). Research methods in business studies, 4/e. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall.

Zikmund, W. G., & Babin, B. J. (2007). Essentials of marketing research, 3/e. Nelson Education.

Zikmund, W. G., Babin, B. J., Carr, J. C., & Griffin, M. (2010). Business Research Methods, 8/e. Canada, South Western Cengage Learning.

Additional Readings

Quantitative Approaches

If your research project include a lot of statistical computation, you may wish to consider quantitative approach.

The following book titles provide guidance on how to use quantitative research method.

General Guides

Best Practices in Quantitative Methods (2008)
Oxford Handbook of Quantitative Methods (2013)
Quantitative and Statistical Research Methods: From Hypothesis to Results (2012)
Sage Quantitative Research Methods (2011)

Discipline-Specific Guides

Analysing Quantitative Data: For Business and Management Students (2015)
Indigenous Statistics: A Quantitative Research Methodology (2013)
Quantitative Methods in Educational and Social Research Using SPSS (2011)
Quantitative Methods in Tourism: A Handbook (2011)
Quantitative Research in Education: A Primer (2010)
Routledge International Handbook of Advanced Quantitative Methods in Nursing Research (2016)

Qualitative Approaches

If your research project focuses on understanding meanings, beliefs and experience, qualitative research method are likely required.

The following book titles provide guidance on how to use qualitative research method.

Focus Groups or Group Discussions

Advanced Focus Group Research (2001)
Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research (2015)
Handbook for Focus Group Research (1998)
International Focus Group Research: A Handbook for the Health and Social Sciences (2007)

Interviews

Handbook of Interview Research: Context and Method (2002)
Qualitative Online Interviews: Strategies, Design, and Skills (2015)
Sage Handbook of Interview Research (2012)

Participation or Observation

Ethnographic Methods (2012)
Fieldwork (2005)
Participant Observation: A Guide for Fieldworkers (2002)

Conversation and Discourse Analysis

Contemporary Studies in Conversation Analysis (2013)
Conversation Analysis and Discourse Analysis: A Comparative and Critical Introduction (2005)
Doing Conversation Analysis (2007)

Helpful Links

Useful Web Links

Research Methods Guide: Introduction - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Research Methods - University of Newcastle Library guides
Qualitative Research: Getting Started - Duke University Libraries
Basics of research design - University of Wollongong, Australia

General Resources

Bill Trochim’s Center for Social Research Methods - A virtual resource center for applied social research and evaluation by Bill Trochim of Cornell University
The Global Social Change Research Project Resources for Evaluation and Social Research Methods - Online books, manuals and guides about evaluation and social research methods (surveys, observations...)
Qualitative Research in Information Systems - Information on conduct and evaluation of the publication of qualitative research by the Association for Information Systems, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Social Research Update - New developments in social research with new statistical techniques included

Tutorials and Textbooks

Methods in Behavioral Research, 6th ed. - An electronic text written by Paul C. Cozby for research methods courses in psychology and other behavioral sciences
Online Statistics: An Interactive Multimedia Course of Study - An introductory-level statistics book featuring interactive demonstrations and simulations, case studies, and an analysis lab; as well as various statistical concepts ranging from probability to chi-square distribution

Surveys

American Statistical Association Survey Research Methods Section - Advice on how to conduct sample surveys and what is included in the evaluation of survey results
Designing Surveys and Questionnaires - Information on how to design a questionnaire and conduct a survey
E-mail and Web Surveys - This Rand Corporation book discusses the validity of claims that Internet surveys are faster, better, cheaper, and more convenient to use than telephone or mail methods
Question Design and Survey Sampling - A variety of resources designed for scholars hoping to perform basic statistical analyses on data from sample surveys
Reducing Error in Mail Surveys - Advice on how to reduce common errors in mail surveys

Focus Groups

How to Get More Out of Focus Groups - Several articles on focus groups including how to avoid common pitfalls, conducting focus groups with people with disabilities, and getting the most from focus group moderators.

Videos

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