Research Tools

We have assembled together a number of resources which you may find useful if you are considering beginning a research project, have been asked to take part in a research project and need quick information, or are unsure of the meanings and implications of some of the terms used in research reports or study summaries.

General Research Methods

  • Bell J, Doing your Research Project - A guide for first time researchers in education and social science, 3rd edition. Open University Press, 1999
  • Bowling A, Research Methods in Health. Investigating Health and Health Services. Open University Press, 1997
  • Carter Y, Thomas C, Drury M, Research methods in Primary Care, Radcliffe Medical Press, London, 1996
  • Crombie IK, Davies HTO. Research in Health Care. Design Conduct and Interpretation of Health Services Research. John Wiley & Sons, 1997
  • Howie J. G. R., Research in General Practice, Chapman and Hall, London, 1989
  • McIntosh J, (ed) Research Issues in Community Nursing. Macmillan Press Ltd, 1999

Statistics

  • Armitage P and Berry G, Statistical Methods in Medical Research. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Edinburgh, 1994
  • Campbell M J and Machin D, Medical Statistics. A commonsense approach. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 1999
  • Gardner M J, Altman DG, Machin D and Bryant TN, Statistics with confidence. London: BMA, 1999
  • Kinnear PR, and Gray CD, SPSS for Windows Made Simple. Psychology Press Ltd. Hove, East Sussex, 2000
  • Kirkwood, B R. Essentials of medical statistics. Oxford : Blackwell Scientific, 1988

Qualitative Methods

  • Barbour RS, Kitzinger J, eds. Developing focus group research: politics, theory and practice. Sage, London, 1999.
  • Bryman A, Burgess RG, eds. Analyzing qualitative data. Routledge, London 1994.
  • Kreuger RA, Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research. Sage. Thousand Oaks, CA, 1994
  • Mason J. Qualitative Researching. Sage, London, 1996
  • Miller G. Dingwall R, eds. Context and method in qualitative research. Sage, London, 1997.
  • Seale C. 'The Quality of Qualitative Research', Sage, London, 1999
  • Silverman D. Doing Qualitative Research: a practical handbook. Sage, London, 2000
  • Silverman D. Interpreting qualitative data: methods for analysing talk, text and interaction. Sage, London, 1994

Questionnaire Design and Choosing Questionnaires

  • Bowling A, Measuring Disease. Open University Press, 2001
  • Bowling A, Measuring Health. A review of quality of life measurement scales. Open University Press, 1997
  • Oppenheim AN, Questionnaire, Design, Interviewing and Attitude Measurement. Pinter Publishers, 1992
  • Wilken, D. Hallum L. Doggett MA. Measures of Need and Outcome for Primary Health Care. Oxford Medical Publications, 1992


Design of Evaluation

  • Donner A and Klar NS, Design and analysis of cluster randomization trials in health research. Arnold, 2000
  • Fitzpatrick R, Hopkins A, Measurement of Patients' satisfaction with their care. RCP Publications, London, 1993
  • Pawson R, Tilley N. Realistic Evaluation. Sage Publications, 1998
  • Pocock SJ, Clinical trials: A practical approach. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 1996
    Writing grant applications and resources
  • Carter Y, and Swales J, Research Opportunities in Primary Care. Radcliffe Medical Press. Abingdon, 1999
  • Crombie I K, du V Florey C, The Pocket Guide to Grant Applications, BMJ Books, 1998

 

Page last edited: 02 October 2008