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Where Research Begins

Choosing a Research Project That Matters to You (and the World)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Where Research Begins by Thomas S. Mullaney and Christopher Rea addresses the essential first steps of research: choosing what to investigate and why it matters. This workbook-style guide uses simple exercises and real-world examples to help both novice and experienced researchers find topics that are personally compelling and design projects meaningful to others. With a conversational tone, the authors assist readers in overcoming the common challenges of topic selection and research project design to start research that truly resonates.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$7300

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for students and researchers who struggle with choosing or defining research topics, feel intimidated by research, or want to learn new methods to approach their projects. It suits those starting research projects, writing theses, or preparing for fellowships, and benefits anyone seeking to develop a personal, purposeful intellectual agenda.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Plenty of books tell you how to do research. This book helps you figure out what to research in the first place, and why it matters.

The hardest part of research isn't answering a question. It's knowing what to do before you know what your question is. Where Research Begins tackles the two challenges every researcher faces with every new project: How do I find a compelling problem to investigate—one that truly matters to me, deeply and personally? How do I then design my research project so that the results will matter to anyone else?

This book will help you start your new research project the right way for you with a series of simple yet ingenious exercises. Written in a conversational style and packed with real-world examples, this easy-to-follow workbook offers an engaging guide to finding research inspiration within yourself, and in the broader world of ideas.

Read this book if you (or your students):

  • have difficulty choosing a research topic
  • know your topic, but are unsure how to turn it into a research project
  • feel intimidated by or unqualified to do research
  • worry that you’re asking the wrong questions about your research topic
  • have plenty of good ideas, but aren’t sure which one to commit to
  • feel like your research topic was imposed by someone else
  • want to learn new ways to think about how to do research.

Under the expert guidance of award-winning researchers Thomas S. Mullaney and Christopher Rea, you will find yourself on the path to a compelling and meaningful research project, one that matters to you—and the world.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised by scholars like William Germano and Sarah Maza, this book is hailed as an invaluable, practical tool for anyone facing the challenge of defining a research topic. Reviewers highlight its smart, readable guidance delivered with clarity, humour, and compassion. Recommended both for research students and individuals, it offers a reassuring step-by-step approach to discovering personal interests and framing meaningful research questions.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780226817446

Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 April 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: University of Chicago Press

Illustration: 4 halftones, 9 tables

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 216

About the Author

Thomas S. Mullaney is professor of history at Stanford University and a Guggenheim fellow. His books include The Chinese Typewriter: A History and Your Computer is on Fire. Christopher Rea is professor of Asian studies at the University of British Columbia. His books include Chinese Film Classics, 1922-1949 and The Age of Irreverence: A New History of Laughter in China

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