Kieran McCartan & Colin Robson 
Real World Research [PDF ebook] 

Provides students and practitioner alike with clear and systematic guidance on performing social research in applied settings
Real World Research supplies the multidisciplinary skills necessary to conduct social research projects inside and outside of the classroom or the workplace. Offering well-balanced coverage of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods, this highly practical resource incorporates approaches from different social science disciplines to help readers find answers to real-life research questions in healthcare, education, business and management, and in many other public and private settings. Detailed yet accessible chapters include step by step advice for developing a research question, choosing a research design strategy, collecting and analyzing the data, interpreting and reporting the results, and more.
The fifth edition contains timely coverage of contemporary methodologies, key ethical issues, and ongoing debates within the field of social research. New and expanded sections address topics such as evidence-based approaches to social research, ethical considerations when conducting research involving people, carrying out projects based solely on existing research, and the importance and implicatins of internet-based research. Featuring a wealth of up-to-date examples drawn from a wide range of disciplines, this classic textbook:
* Focuses on useful real-world research in applied settings such as homes, schools, businesses, and other workplaces.
* Provides a concise overview and a well-defined example of each main step of the research process
* Highlights the importance of collaboration cooperation and active partcipation in social research.
* Explains flexible research designs using largely qualitative methods, including additional coverage of ethnographic and grounded theory approaches.
* Includes an extensive companion webiste with numerous research examples, links to journal articles, Power Point slides and many other additional resources.
Real World Research, Fifth Edition, remains essential reading for those tasked with developing, performing, and reporting the findings of a research project, including students, academics and educators, social scientists, health practitioners, and professionals in a diverse range of fields.