Cover -- Contents -- List of Figures and Tables -- Preface to the First Edition -- Preface to the Second Edition -- Preface to the Third Edition -- Part A: Preparation -- 1 Research and the Research Student -- The aim of this book -- The structure of the book -- What is research? -- Some features of student research -- Classifying research -- The process of research -- The successful completion of student research -- Types of research and this book -- The requirements to be satisfied -- Chapter Summary -- 2 Selecting and Justifying a Research Project -- Personal value of the topic -- Selecting a project topic -- Research degree topic selection in outline -- Appointing the supervisor -- Initial selection of a topic -- Techniques for generating research topics -- Feasibility of the research proposed -- Social value of the research -- Research symmetry -- Scope for research -- Developing a research proposal -- Chapter Summary -- 3 Planning the Research Project -- The need to plan -- Network planning -- An example of network planning in student research -- Rendering progress explicit: research milestones -- The role of network analysis during the execution stage -- Planning part-time research -- Chapter Summary -- 4 Literature Searching -- The academic library -- Major primary, secondary and tertiary sources -- Why scan the literature? -- Literature searches and relevance trees -- Citation indexes -- Carrying out a literature search electronically -- An example of an electronic literature search -- The web of science search -- Using a search engine -- Setting up one's own bibliography -- Serendipity in literature searching -- The roles of supervisor and librarian -- Using the references -- Chapter Summary -- Part B: Data Analysis and Gathering -- 5 Analysing the Data -- The role of analysis -- Definition of analysis.

Types of data and their place in analysis -- The purpose of analysis -- Proper argument and analysis -- A review of some common purposes of analysis and applicable techniques -- Testing a quantitative analysis -- The use of the computer in analysis -- Ensuring the analysis is of an appropriate standard -- Chapter summary -- 6 Gathering the Data -- Activities involved in data gathering -- Access to data -- Gathering data to an adequate standard -- Preparing for data gathering -- Organising the data -- Collecting primary data -- Secondary data sources -- Chapter summary -- Part C: Producing the Research Results -- 7 Executing the Research -- The research plan -- Overcommitment -- Individual problems -- Threats to the continuation of the study -- Serious delay -- General support problems -- Harassment and intimidation -- Problems and issues in working with a supervisor -- Conclusion -- Chapter summary -- 8 Presentation of the Research Findings -- Introduction -- Institutional guidelines -- Style -- Citation -- Chapters and sections -- Editing and proofreading -- Copying, printing and binding -- Preparing for a viva voce or oral examination -- Publishing the research -- Conclusion -- Chapter summary -- Appendices -- 1 An Example of Topic Analysis -- 2 A Select Bibliography on Student Research -- 3 Books and Articles Cited in the Main Text -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y.