Whether you are writing a 2000-word literature review for an undergraduate dissertation or something closer to 10,000-words for a PhD thesis, the process is the same. Read more
How to write a literature review
Research Guides
Using Conceptual Frameworks in Qualitative Research
I recently delivered this presentation to final year undergraduate students about to embark on their dissertation projects. Read more
Qualitative data analysis
The most important task that you will undertake in your PhD research project is the analysis of data. The integrity and rigour of your research is utterly dependent on getting the analysis right and it will be intensely scrutinised by the external examiners. Read more
Inductive and deductive approaches to research
The main difference between inductive and deductive approaches to research is that whilst a deductive approach is aimed and testing theory, an inductive approach is concerned with the generation of new theory emerging from the data. Read more
Methods and methodology
My PhD supervisor asked me what the difference between methods and methodology was several months ago and I did not know the answer. All I could muster in a pathetic response was a look of bewilderment. Thankfully, I was referred to a book by Peter Clough and Cathy Nutbrown called A Student’s Guide to Methodology, which I would recommend to all PhD students and candidates. Read more