Psychology

"This indispensable guide to writing research proposals takes the reader on a carefully planned journey, which is clearly sign-posted from the outset to the destination of the final proposal ... Denscombe demystifies the academic jargon inherent in proposal writing, instilling confidence in all those writing proposals, from undergraduate to doctoral level." Dr Kate Adams, Reader in Education, Bishop Grosseteste University College, Lincoln, UK "This much-needed handbook provides a guide for any researcher to turn a research idea into a successful research proposal ... Denscombe offers both a clear framework for organising the research thought process and plentiful hints for crafting a persuasive case for why a research proposal deserves financial support for getting it done." Dr Alberto Asquer, Lecturer of Business Strategy and Policy, Faculty of Economics, University of Cagliari, Italy "This is a clear and unambiguous guide covering all the essentials needed to build strong research proposals. It will prove to be invaluable not only to those new to writing research proposals but as a fast reference point for those already familiar with the requirements." Jennifer Grant, PhD researcher, University of Sunderland, UK "This how-to guide is 'a candle in the dark' for many who want to start writing research proposals. It is ... brimming with straightforward strategies which anyone can use to overcome the key fears associated with 'keeping on track' and 'selling your' research to convince funders and even your professors!" Hosea Handoyo, Boehringer - Ingelheim Fonds Research Fellow, Germany Whether you are an undergraduate student doing your final year project, a masters student writing your dissertation, or a PhD student applying for acceptance onto a doctoral programme, this practical book will help you to produce a successful and persuasive research proposal. Written by an experienced and best-selling author, this handbook uniquely draws a parallel between a research proposal and a sales pitch. The book provides guidance on what to include and what to omit from your proposal and demonstrates how to 'sell' your research idea. Denscombe ably guides you through each stage of the process: Choosing a research topic Reviewing the literature Formulating the research question Explaining the research methods Estimating the costs and planning the time involved Obtaining research ethics approval With top tips throughout, this book provides an insight to the logic behind research proposals and the way that good proposals address 7 basic questions that readers will ask when they evaluate any proposal.

Writing Readable Research analyses scientific writing in English for non-native and native speakers. The Introduction looks at different layers of constraints in scientific writing in English including grammatical and semantic rules, register, style, rhetoric, textual cohesion, social amenities, mode, field and genre. Section I covers the grammatical and sentential structures relevant to scientific genres and those that pose problems for non-native speakers. It explains the function of the relevant tenses, of voice, and conditional clauses and how grammatical and syntactic facets interact with rhetorical choices. Section II looks at problems common to novice writers, whether non-native or native English speakers, including neglect of the paragraph as an organizing unit, superfluous words and phrases, monotonous sentence structure and inappropriateness for the intended readership. Many writers who have been taught academic English still find themselves unable to cope with scientific English and the final section of the book discusses how to analyze various scientific genres, such as journal articles, oral presentations, abstracts, professional letters and grant proposals. This section also covers the usually neglected area of interpersonal relations in the scientific discourse community. How do we handle sensitive issues such as criticizing other researchers and advancing one's own claims? Praise for this Volume: 'A welcome addition to the array of academically inclined instructional manuals on how to create reader-friendly scientific texts. The author is an expert in the field of teaching scientific writing in the discipline of the Social Sciences and offers a compact volume with plenty of useful advice to students and guidance to tutors of scientific writing. The most attractive feature of the book is its balanced mix of explanations, theory and task-based approach with a strong emphasis on skills building through activities, which are all based on authentic materials showcasing some similarities but also many differences between disciplines under the Social Sciences umbrella.' -- Linguist List 24.396, January 2013

Written for both faculty and students, this user-friendly book provides a comprehensive ′how-to′ compendium for completing a master′s thesis or doctoral dissertation. The authors discuss sources and criteria for selecting a suitable topic and cover: - Both quantitative and qualitative research methods -Using technology effectively -An overview and tips on the oral defense and presentation -Tips on adapting the thesis or dissertation for publication -Suggestions for publishing the research