Understanding research methods is essential for students preparing research proposals, theses, or dissertations. The library offers a variety of resources that focus on research methods, including introductory texts, handbooks, encyclopedias, and video tutorials. Using these tools is an effective way to enhance your understanding of different methods. Additionally, many of these sources are written by scholars and can be cited in the methods sections of your research projects.
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Sage Research Methods has the largest collection of qualitative methods books available online. It is the ultimate methods library with books, reference works, journal articles, and instructional videos by world-leading academics from across the social sciences.
Learning about qualitative research? Start with the following series in Sage Research Methods Foundations.
Learning about survey research? Start with the following series in Sage Research Methods Foundations.
Sage Research Methods videos are excellent resources for students learning and exploring new methods. View examples of interviews with researchers: Quality of research: How do I know if my research findings are any good? and Teresa Perez on Shadowing, Participant Observation, and Interviews. See video case studies, such as Community Based Approaches to Research: Kichwa Community Planning, where scholars discuss their experiences in real life research projects.
Handbooks are typically collections of chapters on methodological issues and trends for a topic, discipline, or type of method. Below are examples of the types of electronic handbooks on research methods available to K-State students.