Research Methods in Early Childhood: An Introductory Guide

by Penny Mukherji, Deborah Albon

This highly engaging and easy-to-read introductory text is tailored to meet the needs of early childhood studies students. It includes practical examples of research with and about young children, and encourages an interactive approach from the reader. By offering clear guidance on research methods, as well as advice on how to develop skills as a researcher, the book takes students step-by-step through the process of doing a research project.

288 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2009

Reviews

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started of with the same obvious stuff every single thing I have read on the topic of research or particularly research in early childhood has ever said and I didn't have much hope for it at first (I am not sure I am able to research within the field I work in anyway). But the first clue that this was a better than average book was the way the book kept questioning its own conclusions -particularly about ethics- to avoid the easy answers or the "one way to get it right".

After this the authors broadened what research is with a really good and seeming to me thorough range of how to research, they also referred to myriad relevant books and articles to support what they were saying at every point, and seemed to have thought a lot about things like obectivity, researcher voice, bias, reflexivity, ethics, participant involvement and anything else I could have thought to ask them about (and more).

This book was so clear and simple without being patronising or simplistic that I initially really wondered why no lecturer ever has recommended it to me (probably because the people who know about early childhood are not the same people teaching how to research at my uni...and noone seems to take early childhood seriously unless they are in it). I also wished the authors lived and worked nearer me so I could go and chat to them about my thesis (not that I am extroverted enough to chat to lecturers anywhere near as much as I should). I am sad they didn't give us any idea of their own research in the book...it is good not to use it as a platform for self-promotion but I find myself very interested in what they may have written and how (can Google scholar and look at their bibliography I guess).

I'd consider buying this book, though I am sure it is an expensive one. At the very least I will have to reread certain chapters for my own thesis whether or not I stick to early childhood (probably not). If anyone ever asks me about how to research (which they have no reason to do) I will refer them to this book.