Theory and Methods

Although mainly aimed at vocational (GNVQ as was) students, this is a good practical guide to research issues and methodology and, as such, is well-suited to A-level students. The text covers aspects of the research process (ethical issues, choosing a topic and method and so forth), methodological questions (reliability, validity, objectivity...) and also offers good coverage of areas such as sampling, methods and the like.

A small, but perfectly formed, text that covers most aspects of the research process in an accessible manner. The text mixes discussion of methodological concepts (representativeness, objectivity, etc.) with practical advice about - and assessment of - a variety of research methods. In short, a good introduction to the research process for A-level students.

A fairly high-level text that aims to be a practical introduction to a wide range of primary research methods and secondary sources of data (social surveys, observation, experiments, media analysis and so forth). Each section explains significant research concepts and a wide range of practical research activities and exercises are incorporated into the text. This is an exceptionally useful text for student project design, as well as being a good source of potential projects.

As the title suggests, a guide to doing social research, with the emphasis on understanding the mechanics of research (the uses and limitations of various methods and so forth). It focuses on outlining and explaining a range of primary methods and secondary sources of data, as well as providing a whole range of possible research questions that students could study or adapt into an A-level project.

This book is designed specifically for the AEB syllabus and looks at the main aspects of the research process, from the generation of initial ideas to the presentation of finished research. It's main strength is its clear outline of research methods in terms of definitions, appropriate applications, uses, limitations and example applications using real studies. A book that could be considered essential for AEB students and very useful for IBS students.

Originally designed for use by AEB students, this student guide is relevant to IBS students because it concentrates on the mechanics of project work (how to organise it, the range of methods available and so forth). A nice feature is the use of checklists at the end of each section that focus on the most important ideas to cover. If used with IBS students it needs to be made clear how the IBS project is qualitatively different to the AEB project.

Described as an "Introduction to Research Methods", the text takes you through the process of "doing research" - from the initial planning stages to the production of a completed report. As such it offers both students and teachers an accessible introduction to the research process and fits very neatly into the format used by both exam boards at A2 level. If you're looking for a way of introducing both the research process and methods of research, this book is well worth investigating (pun intended, in case you were in any doubt).

This is a pack of (expensive) photocopiable material that takes the student through the A-level project process, from choosing a topic to the final presentation. Although based on the AEB project, the materials are general enough to apply to any syllabus with a project requirement. The materials are divided into three basic types: Guidance notes (for example, "Managing the project"); Checklists (on areas like finding data, writing-up the project) and Proformas (for project management and the like). The advice is clear, well-organised and generally very sensible and the checklists and proformas provide some useful project management tools (which could be used in conjunction with the free project materials in the Downloads section of this site).

At 28 pages long, this is a coursework booklet that takes students through the various sections of the A-level project. It's filled with tips, techniques and general advice, as well as activities designed to show the student how to go about constructing different parts of their project. These focus on things like "Developing Aims and Objectives", "Justifying your choice of method(s)" and the like. In general, this is probably just the type of basic-but-helpful guide that many students need for their project work. The only real caveat is the fact it is based around the AEB project. If you follow the IBS syllabus it still contains useful and relevant information, but you will need to carefully explain to students the areas that are not relevant to their project.

Part of the "How To..." series, this is a brief introduction to social research that introduces a number of key ideas and issues (implicitly adopting a standard Hypothetico-Deductive approach to social research in the process). These range from first principles (such as choosing questions to ask, the difference between laws and theories and developing hypotheses), through sampling techniques and methods of research (experiments, surveys, observation) to discussions of data analysis, reliability, validity and various ethical issues. In the main, the book is probably aimed at a first year undergraduate level (some of the language assumes a level of conceptual understanding that is probably not appropriate to A-level students needing help at the start of their project), although I suspect A-level psychology students might find the book useful - probably more-so than their sociology peers.

Now in its 3rd edition, the "A-Z" covers most of the things students need to consider and practice in order to produce high-quality AS and A2 coursework for both the OCR and AQA boards. The book is organised around four main themes: 

"How to get started" (general advice on choosing a topic, constructing an hypothesis and so forth); chapters on various sections of the coursework, including advice on research methods; using ICT (the Internet, for example) as a coursework resource and, finally, an extensive glossary of methodological terms. The text is complimented by illustrated examples (a project diary, for example), checklists, research suggestions and student work. Taken together, the A-Z represents a decidedly useful resource for teachers and students alike.

This is a useful little book for students who want to use the Internet to widen the scope and representativeness of their coursework. It combines information relating to areas like research design, sampling and methods with advice about how to use the Internet effectively. Also included is a section about presenting research to an audience using a variety of software and hardware (which will be useful for students doing Key Skills Communication Level 3 - all 7 of you...).

 Research Methods
P.McNeill and S.Chapman (2005)

Since it was first published over 20 years ago this has been an excellent "methods primer" for both A-level and undergraduate students and, while it's been 15 years since the 2nd edition, Steve Chapman's very welcome "3rd edition update" puts this back in the position it deserves - as an integral component of every student's research armoury. Although focused on research methods (with excellent coverage of just about every method the A-level student might encounter) various aspects of sociological theory (including a chapter on the relationship between Sociology and Science) are covered in sufficient detail to make this an essential purchase.