How to Research

Open Up Study Skills

by Loraine Blaxter (Editor), Christina Hughes (Editor), Malcolm Tight (Editor)

Learn Techniques to Find the Information You Need

This revised third edition delivers invaluable guidance on how to collect data, write proposals, and make presentations. Offering you step-by-step techniques for the most efficient and focused research in school or work projects, "How to Research" includes hands-on exercises that build up skills and strengthen research techniques useful for any project, in any field.

Genres: Research, Nonfiction, Academic, Textbooks, Writing

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Lydia]

Covers everything about research from choosing the topic, how to actually research your topic and writing up your research into a usable format.

This would be an excellent reference book for a class learning how to do research; as a read on it's own, it's rather dry, but that isn't it's purpose. I think I probably learned more on organizing a paper from this book than I got out of my college class on the same topic... Definitely wish I'd had this to help me through writing papers, not necessarily for the technical parts, more for the general basic advice on how to not let a paper overwhelm you.

Content notes: At the end of the book, a quote is included that has multiple f bombs (the quote does make the authors' point very well, but as that was the only instance of swearing that I remember from the book it seemed rather out of place). No sensuality issues. No violence.

Side note: This book was written for U.K. readers, so some parts may not be relevant to other countries' readers (particularly when mentioning resources available to the British public) and may be confusing if you can't get the occasional British-ism. It's also slightly dated technology wise, but the advice is still sound.

[Claudia]

A good and solid beginners' book. Readily available to answer any questions the novice researcher may entertain. Enjoyable reading and a better than average bibliography. Beginning researchers can do worse than reading this book.

[gaverne Bennett]

Best book I have read on this subject.

[Danielle Notz]

This has been helpful to understand how to help library patrons with their research.

[Kerry]

Extremely useful, both reassuring and terrifying.

[Mario Aburto]

I have to say in this first read I only skimmed through the book for the parts I was interested in (time management, relationship with supervisor, how to read, among others).

I suppose this book will be more useful for people in social sciences, since the book states is aimed to (and written by) people in that area, but I think there are general principles useful for anyone in research (myself being in computer science).

Even though it is similar to other books like "How to get a PhD", "The unwritten rules of phd research" "The Research Student's Guide to Success", I was glad to find this in the library to have a an additional perspective/resource.

[Amgad Muhammad]

A very abstract researching book. Helpful for any kind of researching you're trying to do. I think it could have been more focused and direct to the point. But on the whole that's a book worth reading. It will introduce you to the main points of researching and it's methodologies.

[H M]

for some reason, this book worked well for me! although I have read a lot of other research books, this one was as if someone is actually talking to me. I still think you need further readings to conduct a fine research, yet this book is really good as a start.

[Angela]

pretty easy read and good starting point.

[SJ]

Very useful!

[Tracey]

I bought this book to aid my dissertation some years ago and found it absolutely fantastic. I highly recommend its clear, common sense guidance.

[Jenn Lambert]

class required. not very helpful. It's written for British people. They have funny scenarios in there. Otherwise not very helpful.

[Gianfranco Ruffini]

B-- preso note troppo specializzato

[5H3MS]

Довольно таки простая по сравнению с другими такого рода книгами (коих оказывается весьма много). Реккомендую ее читать до написания научных работ а не в последние моменты.