Barbara Fawcett is Professor of Social Work (Adults and Communities) at the University of Birmingham. Previously she was Professor of Social Work and Policy Studies at the University of Sydney Australia. Prior to moving to Australia in 2004, Barbara was head of the large interdisciplinary School of Applied Social Studies at the University of Bradford. She spent thirteen years in the field before entering academia. Her research interests focus on older age and end of life, mental health, disability, participatory action research and postmodern feminism. She has authored and jointly authored eight books and has written a wide range of journal articles.
How do you turn a really good idea into a really good question, and how do you turn this into successful research? Barbara Fawcett and Rosalie Pockett use their expertise as supervisors and researchers to provide you with the frameworks and the theoretical and practical guidance you need to design, carry out and communicate your research effectively. Using a range of examples that relate research to the real world, they demonstrate: how to develop research questions how to select appropriate theoretical frameworks how to integrate theoretical perspectives with empirical research how to gather and interpret data how to ensure that the research undertaken makes a difference. The authors’ user-friendly approach emphasizes the importance of participation, collaboration and inclusivity, and examines worldviews and understandings of knowledge in order to enable greater critical reflection. Chapters provide guidance on achieving impact with your research, and feature reflective questions to enhance your engagement with the issues covered. This text is the ideal companion as you set about transforming your ideas into robust research.
