The Elements of Inquiry

The Elements of Inquiry covers the basic guidelines for graduate students undertaking an investigation or inquiry project. It distils the rubrics necessary for teaching research methods and completing research projects, providing the student researcher with a list of steps to follow to complete any type of inquiry project, including formal research projects such as doctoral dissertations. Although it was written to support the work of students in an educational leadership doctoral programme, it will also assist college students at any level across various disciplines in their research efforts.

The book begins by establishing the underlying philosophical concepts upon which all good research is based, preparing students to delve into the "nuts and bolts" of conducting their own research and evaluating the research of others. Fundamental concepts and rules of research are explained for both producers and consumers of social science and educational research. Numerous practical examples illustrate the steps in the research process as presented in the text. Additionally, there are end-of-chapter exercises for students to apply the concepts discussed in the chapter. Templates for organising and presenting research provide students with a game plan for successful research. The book concludes with an up-to-date annotated bibliography of beginning and advanced research texts, allowing students easy access to books that detail more specialised research topics.

While most research books detail one or more methods in depth, this text provides a broad introduction to many techniques and models used in doctoral dissertations, making it particularly valuable to those who consume inquiry studies and research reports. A key element of the overview is the annotated bibliography, which guides the reader to the next stage of understanding or conducting research.