Product reviews for Educational Research

This is a welcome new resource for those interested in finding out more about educational research either for professional interest or because they want to engage in it themselves. In supporting colleagues to -˜take the plunge' the authors offer a pragmatic approach outlining the principles, identifying the challenges and reassuring the reader that it might sometimes be messy.

The book outlines the concepts and knowledge underlying educational research, which is both accessible and helpful. The authors emphasise both the complexity and messiness of research and reassure the reader that this is part of the process. So, for instance, very few people are able to write their findings in one go, they usually need revisions and this is fine. Sometimes the findings are unexpected, counter-intuitive or even negative. Again the authors are reassuring that this is part of honest, robust research. Underlying this is the notion of open-mindedness on the part of the researcher and a willingness to be alert to their own preconceptions and biases. There is a helpful commentary on helping to overcome these and ensuring that the research is open rather than being a campaign.

Educational Research summarises all the areas for a new researcher to consider. It is a very accessible resource, not least because of the way it is written but because of the examples and case studies which the authors provide. These show the complexity and also the rewards of undertaking research. Particularly helpful are the summaries of other key books on research.