Understanding Research: A Consumer's Guide

Note: This is the loose-leaf version of Understanding Research and does not include access to the Enhanced Pearson eText. To order the Enhanced Pearson eText packaged with the loose-leaf version, use ISBN 0133831620.

This introductory text is written specifically for consumers of research – anyone who uses the results and implications of research studies to enhance their knowledge and improve their practice. The focus is on guiding students toward a basic understanding of the research process, allowing them to develop the skills, knowledge and strategies needed to read, interpret, and evaluate the quality of research reports. The text provides balanced coverage of quantitative, qualitative, and combined research approaches. The Enhanced Pearson eText features interactive learning modules and assessments.

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From reviews of the book:

"The structure of the book is great.  [The authors use] language that helps the reader become engaged and invites them to start applying what they have learned to their situation immediately.  The examples of the journal articles with the notations are very helpful and we use these for discussion in the class quite a bit.  I also like the 'reviewing what we’ve learned' and 'practicing your skills' at the end of the chapter.  I much prefer the consumer approach of this text over others on the market."

    -- Candyce Reynolds, Portland State University

"Understanding Research is true to its name; it is much more user friendly, it explains WHAT research IS.  It does an EXCELLENT job of covering all of the material I currently cover. [The authors] (fortunately) force me to provide a balanced, comparative description of both [quantitative and qualitative] research. . . . I find the writing style to be clear, interesting and engaging. " 

    -- Carol A. Friesen, Ball State University

Vicki L. Plano Clark is an Assistant Professor in Educational Studies in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services at the University of Cincinnati. She teaches research methods courses, including foundations of research, qualitative research, and mixed methods research. Prior to joining the University of Cincinnati, she spent 19 years at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), where she first focused on physics education as Laboratory Manager in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and then switched to a focus on research methodology, ultimately serving as the Director of the Office of Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research in the Department of Educational Psychology. Dr. Plano Clark has authored and co-authored over 40 articles, chapters, and books.

John W. Creswell is a Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He held the Clifton Institute Endowed Professor Chair for five years, and for the last five years he has served as a co-director at the Office of Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research. He has held positions as Senior Fulbright Scholar (South Africa, 2008, and Thailand, 2012), as a consultant in the health services research area for the Veterans Administration, as Visiting Professor at Harvard's School of Public Health, and as Adjunct Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan, among others. In addition to his teaching, he has authored numerous articles and books on mixed methods research, qualitative methodology, and general research design, and was the founding Co-Editor for the Journal of Mixed Methods Research. In 2014, Dr. Creswell will be awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Pretoria in South Africa.