Research for Development - A Practical Guide

Informationen zum Autor Sophie Laws is Head of Policy and Research at Coram, the UK’s first-ever children’s charity. Caroline Harper is Head of the Social Development Programme at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI). Nicola Jones is a Research Fellow in the Social Development Programme at the ODI. Rachel Marcus is an Independent Researcher. Klappentext 'Research for Development has become the 'go to' text for development practitioners, students and researchers alike. This substantially revised second edition is even better: brought fully up to date with many new topics and chapters, this book is comprehensive, authoritative and highly informative' - David Lewis, Professor of Social Policy and Development, London School of Economics & Political Science Zusammenfassung This book offers a comprehensive guide to commissioning! managing and undertaking research in development work. Perfect for both students and practitioners. Inhaltsverzeichnis How to use this book PART ONE: INTRODUCTION AND PLANNING YOUR RESEARCH Introduction: Why Research for Development Matters So What Is Research? ¿But I¿m not a Researcher¿: The Contribution of the Development Worker Who Should Do Research for Development Work? The Broader Issues Research and Social Change How to Tell When Research is the Best Approach to a Problem Using Research in Development Work So What is the Right Approach to Research for Development Work? Two Major Research Approaches Types of Research in Development Work Programme-Focused and Issue-Focused Research Using Research for Programme Development Using Research to Influence Policy Planning for Effective Research Quality in Research Choosing a Research Focus Defining the Research Questions Writing a Research Brief Managing Research Attracting and Engaging with Funders Deciding Who Should Do The Research Selecting and Appointing External Researchers Managing Costs and Time Supervising Researchers Reviewing Existing Evidence How to Look Where to Look How to Use the Internet for Research Learning Development Research Skills Where to Start? Some Ways of Learning Research Skills Supporting Southern Researchers PART TWO: COLLECTING DATA Choosing Methods Choosing a Research Approach Choosing Research Techniques Triangulation: Using More Than One Technique Collecting and Managing Quality Data Introduction Three Characterisics of Good-quality Data Ways to Improve Quality in Data Collection Improving Communication with Respondents Collecting, Recording and Managing Data Ensuring ¿Trustworthiness¿ Thinking about Ethics in Research Codes of Ethics Responsibilities Towards Respondents: Some Ethical Issues to Consider Wider Accountability Responsibilities to Colleagues Choosing a Sample What Does Sampling Mean? Quantitative or Qualitative Sampling? Probability or Random Sampling Purposive or Non-Random Sampling How to Sample For Cases, Location, Time and Events Including ¿Hard-To-Reach¿ People Incentives: What Are The Issues? Collecting Data How to Ask Questions Interviews Focus Groups Questionnaires Use of Documentary Sources and Secondary Data Analysis Observation Participatory Research Participation for...? Participation by...? Participation in...? Some Participatory Research Methods Practical Challenges in Participatory Research Critical Perspectives on Participatory Research PART THREE: ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH COMMUNICATION Undertaking Research Analysis Getting Organized What is Analysis? Interpretation The Process of Data Analysis Participation in the Analysis Process Metho...

List of contents

How to use this book
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION AND PLANNING YOUR RESEARCH
Introduction: Why Research for Development Matters
So What Is Research?
'But I'm not a Researcher': The Contribution of the Development Worker
Who Should Do Research for Development Work? The Broader Issues
Research and Social Change
How to Tell When Research is the Best Approach to a Problem
Using Research in Development Work
So What is the Right Approach to Research for Development Work?
Two Major Research Approaches
Types of Research in Development Work
Programme-Focused and Issue-Focused Research
Using Research for Programme Development
Using Research to Influence Policy
Planning for Effective Research
Quality in Research
Choosing a Research Focus
Defining the Research Questions
Writing a Research Brief
Managing Research
Attracting and Engaging with Funders
Deciding Who Should Do The Research
Selecting and Appointing External Researchers
Managing Costs and Time
Supervising Researchers
Reviewing Existing Evidence
How to Look
Where to Look
How to Use the Internet for Research
Learning Development Research Skills
Where to Start?
Some Ways of Learning Research Skills
Supporting Southern Researchers
PART TWO: COLLECTING DATA
Choosing Methods
Choosing a Research Approach
Choosing Research Techniques
Triangulation: Using More Than One Technique
Collecting and Managing Quality Data
Introduction
Three Characterisics of Good-quality Data
Ways to Improve Quality in Data Collection
Improving Communication with Respondents
Collecting, Recording and Managing Data
Ensuring 'Trustworthiness'
Thinking about Ethics in Research
Codes of Ethics
Responsibilities Towards Respondents: Some Ethical Issues to Consider
Wider Accountability
Responsibilities to Colleagues
Choosing a Sample
What Does Sampling Mean?
Quantitative or Qualitative Sampling?
Probability or Random Sampling
Purposive or Non-Random Sampling
How to Sample For Cases, Location, Time and Events
Including 'Hard-To-Reach' People
Incentives: What Are The Issues?
Collecting Data
How to Ask Questions
Interviews
Focus Groups
Questionnaires
Use of Documentary Sources and Secondary Data Analysis
Observation
Participatory Research
Participation for...?
Participation by...?
Participation in...?
Some Participatory Research Methods
Practical Challenges in Participatory Research
Critical Perspectives on Participatory Research
PART THREE: ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH COMMUNICATION
Undertaking Research Analysis
Getting Organized
What is Analysis?
Interpretation
The Process of Data Analysis
Participation in the Analysis Process
Methods of Analysis
Qualitative Analysis
Quantitative Analysis
So What Does It All Mean?
Writing Effectively
What to Write
What Not to Write
What Must Be Included
How to Write: The Process
Writing Press Releases, Policy Briefs or Journal Articles
Promoting Research Uptake
Building a Successful Communications Strategy
Promotion for Implementation: Influencing Programmes
Promotion for Policy Influence
Some Tools for Communication
Dealing with the Media
Capacity Building
Assessing Research for Development Work
What, Who and When?
Assessing Research Output
Assessing Research Uptake
Assessing Research Impact
Appendix 1: On Monitoring and Evaluation
Appendix 2: Useful Websites
Glossary
References

Report

In the decade since it was first published, Research for Development has become the 'go to' text for development practitioners, students and researchers alike. This substantially revised second edition is even better: brought fully up to date with many new topics and chapters, this book is comprehensive, authoritative and highly informative. Whether one is seeking a quick definition or brief explanation of a subject, or needing a more detailed guide to how to go about doing research for development, this book is quite simply indispensible.
David Lewis
Professor of Social Policy and Development, London School of Economics & Political Science


Research for Development is undoubtedly the best guide to its subject that we have. The first edition has become an indispensable work of reference for development researchers and practitioners engaged in commissioning and managing research. Oxfam staff around the world have benefitted from its use, and all of us are looking forward to the publication of the new edition. Sophie Laws, Caroline Harper, Nicola Jones and Rachel Marcus are to be congratulated for the work they have put into updating the text and keeping it relevant to the ever-changing demands of development research, and for their contribution to our common goal of making the world a better place..
Duncan Green
Senior Strategic Adviser, Oxfam

Product details

• Authors: Caroline Harper, Caroline Jones Harper, Nicola Jones, Sophie Laws, Sophie Harper Laws, Laws Sophie, Rachel Marcus, Marcus Rachel
• Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 08.02.2013
• EAN: 9781446252376
• ISBN: 978-1-4462-5237-6
• No. of pages: 440
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general); Non-fiction book > Politics, society, business > Politics; Social sciences, law, business > Business > Miscellaneous; BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Development / General, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Development / Economic Development, REFERENCE / Research, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Developing & Emerging Countries, Development Studies, Development economics & emerging economies, Development economics and emerging economies, Research methods: general, Research methods / methodology