Includes bibliographical references and index.

Table of contents: Part 1 Preparing the ground: approaches to educational research; planning the project; negotiating access, ethics and the problems of "inside" research; keeping records, making notes and locating libraries; finding and searching information sources; the literature review. Part 2 Selecting methods of data collection: introduction; the analysis of documentary evidence; designing and administering questionnaires; planning and conducting interviews; diaries; observation studies. Part 3 Interpreting the evidence and reporting the findings: introduction; interpretation and presentation of the evidence; writing the report; postscript.

This text assumes that the reader has no prior knowledge of research methodology or experience of carrying out research. It takes the reader step-by-step through each stage of preparing for, carrying out and writing up a research project.